Daily Inspiration: Meet Whitney Grimes

Today we’d like to introduce you to Whitney Grimes. 

Hi Whitney, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started my photography business several years ago. At that time, I was just a mom with a camera that had to quit her full-time job due to pregnancy-related issues and I needed a hobby. I fell in love with photography, working with people, and making memories for others. So, I decided to teach myself more and upgrade my camera. I am completely self-taught. Over the years my business has had its ups and downs. I have taken several online courses to further my skills, had a couple of setbacks. Three years ago, I had a baby born 13 weeks early and she required and still requires a lot of medical care. She was really my motivation for not going back to work full-time. It wasn’t possible. So, I worked 3 jobs, my business being one of them. That way I could work around hospital stays numerous therapies, and be able to keep her weak immune system out of daycare. This was also a way for me to spend more time with my first daughter and take her with me. A year later my business began to take off. I started picking up preschools, then in two years I contracted with the YMCA and this year I am completely booked through the fall into the winter. I am so blessed to have come as far as I have with only my faith, drive, and a little bit of experience leading my way. Photography is a way for me to give back to my community for supporting us through a tough time but it is also so rewarding to me to be able to create memories that families will look back on for the rest of their lives. 

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?
It has definitely not been a smooth road. I think I laid all of this out in the last question. Whoops! 

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a lifestyle photographer. This means I specialize in unposed photography. I am known for photographs those perfect moments with families that you wouldn’t normally get with a posed photograph. I want my families to look back at their images and say ” I remember what we were laughing about in that photo!”. Or “Hey dad, remember when you said this to mom and everyone laughed…?”. I am most proud of the drive I have to work my business. As a single mother, being able to work 2 and sometimes 3 jobs and take care of 2 toddlers, one with complex medical conditions has been such a struggle. However, looking back and seeing how far we have come, it was all such a blur. It was like it was my purpose and I needed to fight to keep it alive. Pre COVID-19 I had agreed to be a volunteer photographer for St. Luke’s NICU on the Plaza. Unfortunately, I have not been able to get in yet but it is something I look forward to. When My daughter was born there, I knew immediately that I wanted to give back in my career as a photographer and that is going to be part of it. 

What does success mean to you?
I define success as happiness. It is not always about the money. I want to come home every day excited to go back to work and do what I love. You cannot be successful in a game you hate. My daughters imitating what I do, shows me that I love it and that they can see that, to me, that is success. I’ve made it. 

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://book.usesession.com/i/pybcT-CXs
• Facebook: @whitneygrimesEI

Image Credits
Exposed Imagery