Awards, International Recognition, High Profile Clients…
is just the icing on the cake for my life and career. Daily you tell me that my photography has an indescribable difference. You have tried other well known 
photographers, photographers who work very hard to make their work look like “Lori Grice” and even your friend who has reinvented her self from soccer mom to “portrait artist.” Somehow, in spite of all these new opportunities photographically, you find your way to me and you are moved to tears when you see my artistic creations of you and your family. You have spent hours reading my blog and looking through every inch of my web site. What you see here moves you in incredible ways. You wonder if I can do the same for you? Will I be able to artistically capture you like I have all the others? To answer this, you must understand a few things about me and my story. What you see on my web site is not a “best of” collection of images that I have spent hours retouching and overworking to convince you to call me. It is real clients from all walks of life. Each one of them have a similar commonality and that is their life story. Each life is different and uniquely filled with wonderful highs that only can be appreciated after wading through a few deep valleys. My images represent a 21 year journey with a goal of working every day with every client growing to become the very best portrait artist in the world. Never taking for granted the tremendous responsibility you are entrusting me with each time you step in front of the lens of my camera. But why do I see things so differently? Why is there so much emotion captured in every image I create? Why is my gift as a portrait artist so uniquely different? I think you must know my journey to understand the answers to these questions.
Seven years ago – mine and DeWayne’s world turned upside down and inside out. God gave us the most incredibly precious gift any one could ever ask for – a terrific & beautiful little girl. After a 12 year journey, with lots of ups and downs – she arrived. Many of you had told me that there was no way that I could understand love until I experienced parenthood. Nothing has ever been more true. Edie Grace has become our world. She has been my creative rebirth in so many ways.
After a 12 year struggle to have a child – I learned when she was only 14 months old that I had cervical cancer. In fact, I had my first surgery on my 33rd birthday. I breast fed Edie Grace for the last time the night prior to my surgery.
This was an epiphany to me, however. If I did not make it through the surgery or survive the cancer – I realized that the ONLY way Edie Grace would know me was through pictures. She would have no cognitive memory, at 14 months old, other than pictures.
How ironic – the gift I give to parents every day – is the ONLY way my child would know me – had I not survived. Well God had another plan for me. He knew that many of you needed to hear my story and to have your story told through the lens of my camera. Every portrait I create is special – but none are more special than the ones I have created since this spiritual and creative rebirth. I understand the incredible importance of my job in a way I had never understood before the arrival of Edie Grace and the survivorship of cancer.
When I speak around the country – sharing my story I end my speech with a slide show. It is our story through pictures and it is set to one of my favorite songs by Tim Mcgraw “Live Like You Were Dying” which is my challenge to each of you. Life really takes on a whole new meaning when you do this.
Thank you, Edie Grace, for adding the value and meaning to my life that it needed. You have inspired me to work harder and stretch my creative abilities in ways that seemed unimaginable. All that in the last SEVEN years!
