02 December, 2014 LGBT Weddings & Giving Tuesday.
Hey there! Happy Giving Tuesday.
Stick with me and please read this. It’s basically my heart in a blog. Let it be known, I am a huge believer in taking your talent and finding some way to help others. It really is exciting when you discover how you can focus your career around that and get involved in making a difference. Go make a cup of coffee, sit back and enjoy this little story that is my life……
Once upon a time in the summer of 2013 some of my wedding images from a beautiful indian lesbian wedding in Los Angeles won over the hearts of the internet as they went viral. I could have never expected the impact these images would have not only on the LGBT community but on the world. Actually, I had no idea what an impact these images would have on my life and the direction it would be taken in. After that wedding I decided that it was time to be an out and proud lesbian wedding photographer. I would focus all of my efforts into the LGBT community. I would use my photography and my story to connect with these couples. I always say that my goal is to do my best to get rid of the stereotypes a lot of individuals have stuck in their minds about gay people. I want them to view my wedding images of these beautiful couples in love and be overwhelmed by the amount of joy that they experience while getting a glimpse into one of the biggest days of their lives. I’d love for people to realize that a loving and committed relationship in all forms is important. I get that sometimes it doesn’t hit home for some until they know someone close to them that is gay. One day this will be me and I will want to get married…and where I currently live that is not legal. There are so many couples denied recognition of their marriage and that is a tragedy. When my images went viral I made a promise that for every LGBT wedding I book in 2014 I would donate a portion to the Trevor Project. Read more about that in this blog post.
Today is Giving Tuesday…I will be donating to the Trevor Project today and I hope you will too (and if you’re looking for other amazing organizations to give to please join me in also donating to No Kid Hungry.) A lot of people don’t understand the pressure that is on young kids trying to come out and we lose way too many on a daily basis because of bullying and ignorance. I was one of those kids. I had absolutely no one to talk to about this and couldn’t find my place in the world. Feeling alone and different takes its toll on so many kids when all they want is to feel loved and accepted…not just tolerated. Can you imagine how horrible is it just to be tolerated by your friends and family? All I can say is IT GETS BETER. It takes time but stick with it. Figure out what you want to do in life and be proud of who you are. Find your passion and run with it. It took me 7 years to get to this place after finally coming out. It’s never easy but it does feel good to be comfortable in your own skin. So what do I do now you ask? Take a look below. I get contacted by clients wanting me to photograph their gorgeous weddings. We meet. Share stories and ultimately become close friends. I am not JUST a wedding photographer and these are not JUST my clients. We have something way stronger than that. I love you all and thank you for your continued support. Cheers to 2015 being another freaking EPIC year and an even bigger cheers to all of my clients.
“Often people attempt to live their lives backwards. They try to acquire more things, or more money, in order to do more of what they want, so they will be happier. The way it actually works is the reverse. You must first be who you really are, then do what you need to do, in order to have what you want.”
2014 Steph Grant Photography by Slidely Slideshow
LGBT Weddings & Giving Tuesday
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