Meet Gracen Bayer of Huntington Beach

Today we’d like to introduce you to Gracen Bayer

Hi Gracen, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I started my photography journey in high school, picking up my first camera the summer before my freshman year. Growing up, my mom was always taking photos of our family, whether that be on a small digital camera or the first generations of the iPhone, so I feel like I’ve always been around photography. After saving up throughout middle school, I was able to buy my first real camera, a Canon PowerShot. I took it with me everywhere I went, capturing family vacations, impromptu photoshoots with friends, high school sports games, and more. I eventually realized I could turn my passion and hobby into a business, conducting my first senior portrait session my sophomore year. Since 2017, I’ve had dozens of sessions, expanding my expertise into family, couples, event, brand, concert, wedding, and editorial photography. I not only have a deep love for photography, but also a love for working with clients to make them feel like their most comfortable and confident selves in front of the camera.

Besides photography, I also offer video services. I started my filmmaking journey even earlier, making short films with my sister in elementary school as a way to keep busy when my family moved to Washington State from Alabama. I seem to have always gravitated towards creative media, and I further fueled that passion throughout my education. During high school, I started taking my filmmaking abilities more seriously, entering and winning competitions while learning more about the craft from my teachers. I decided to pursue my learning further, graduating with a degree in Film from Central Washington University, where I again turned my passion into a business. Throughout my time at university, I made promotional and educational videos for many clients, including a promotional video for PULSE Magazine that went on to win a Student Production Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

My journey has now landed me in Huntington Beach, CA, where I am thrilled to connect with people and businesses in the area with my photography and video skills in an effort to promote their missions creatively while also honing my craft.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I’ve recently moved from Washington State to California, so creating an entirely new clientele has not been the easiest. At the same time, it seems everyone in the film industry is also experiencing an unprecedented struggle to find work, so combined, finding a place for my skillset has definitely been a challenge.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My clients often tell me, and others they recommend to work with me, that I make the process a lot “easier” than they were expecting it to be. I take pride in making an effort to truly make people feel comfortable throughout our entire process of working together. With both photography and video, I like to completely understand a client’s vision and goal before picking up my camera. Going forward, I make sure to manage all scheduling, from concept creation, to production, to delivering a final product, so my clients are never left wondering where I’m at in the process. To me, communication is the key to great collaboration, and implementing this perspective in my endeavors often leads to a successful and stress-free outcome.

Besides the more technical aspects, I also take pride in making my clients feel physically comfortable in front of the camera as well. Being on camera can be vulnerable, and I understand the fear that can come with the process entirely. From years of experience working with all different kinds of people, I’m known for making my clients feel relaxed and taken care of, creating a space for their truest and most confident selves to shine through pictures and video.

Any big plans?
I plan to explore more of California with my camera and connect with not only clients, but also other creatives. Outside of my businesses, I’m looking forward to working on more film sets, applying to grants and fellowships, and continuing to learn as much as I can while I’m still in the very early stages of my career.

Pricing:

• Photography Session – $300 (1 Hour)
• Photography Session – $150 (30 Mins)
• Video Editing – $30/Hour
• Other Services – Contact Me!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gbayerphotography/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gracenbayerphotography/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@gracenbayer
• Other: https://vimeo.com/user95132815

Image Credits
Jordie Simpson, Dylan Hanson, Tiffany Phung.