Meet Georgia Viertel: Owner of G.Shelle Photography

We had the good fortune of connecting with Georgia Viertel and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Georgia, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
In my line of work, I want to impact my community by building it! Having a background in philanthropy and ministry work, I have always felt the calling to help others. This is a personal duty that everyone should feel obligated to fulfill. In my work, I love having the opportunity to use photography as a chance to hear people’s stories. There have been clients that have become family to me. I photographed a wedding in 2014, and in 2015 the bride helped plan my very own wedding. Any chance I have to work is a chance for me to make a new friend. In addition to making friends, I feel as though everyone deserves photos. In this day and age, and quick marketing on social media, we can easily get caught up in what people owe us. While it is necessary to know your worth as a business owner, it is also a priority to remember that everyone has a story. Everyone wants to make memories and have them captured. I do my best in helping others whether it is working with their budget, or conducting a Pay What You Can month. It’s important to remember that life is so short and delicate, and photos may be all we have left. 

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
As an artist, it is important to stand out from the rest. But it’s also important to build a community amongst other talented artists. My husband and I are co-owners of G.Shelle Photography and we have met many challenges with the mindset of helping others. It hasn’t been easy, as everyone has different needs. But it is always our mission to help our clients, rather than see them as a paycheck. Seeing our brides, seniors, families as real people has helped us grow this business successfully. My style is very candid, dramatic and stylistic. At a wedding, I love capturing the moment that the bride shares a laugh with her guests. One of my favorite photos comes from when a daughter cried in her mother’s arms during their dance at her Quince. Last month, I found myself fighting tears behind the camera during a family photo session, as I watched a sweet family sit together and enjoy each other’s company. No posing. Just being a family. Every year, I try to produce one creative photoshoot. These creative shoots come directly from my own vision and I always involve other vendors and photographers. Last year, I partnered with dress designer Lizeth Garcia and we produced a Dia De Los Muertos themed photoshoot in downtown Fort Worth. We invited other photographers and commissioned professional models. It was a proud and liberating moment to be able to execute a vision we both had in mind. These shoots are what I look forward to the most.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
You opened up a can of worms! Having lived in Fort Worth my whole life, I have grown to love the city. My husband Jared and I are foodies and we have built some incredible friendships with restaurants and pubs in the area. And their food is hard to beat! For breakfast, let’s hit up San Diego Tacos in North Richland Hills for some chorizo breakfast burritos. They serve them all day, and they are huge. I might even schedule us a nap afterwards. Then it will be time to get in line at Smokeaholics for some southern BBQ by Derrick Walker. Get the Big Mac bowl and cornbread. My favorite place to hang out after lunch is Quarter Lounge Arcade in Bedford. I’m a kid at heart and this is the perfect place to let my inner child run free. If you’re not too exhausted from playing games, get ready to head to Sikhay Thai for some amazing pad se ew noodles. The owner will come out and shake your hand and serve you some of the best thai food you’ll ever taste. Or if you’re craving some authentic Indian food, let’s go to King’s Kitchen in South Fort Worth. Then let’s go dancing at White Elephant saloon in the Stockyards or take up salsa dancing Luna Azul. If you’re up late, and craving tacos, it’s time to stumble into Los Paisanos on N. Main St in Northside Fort Worth.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I have worked with incredible mentors and photographers in the last eight years of my work. Leah Layman with The Click in DFW has been an inspiring mentor as an experienced business owner and photographer. Working alongside Leah helped my boost my career as a photographer and business owner. She is a hard worker and I always admired her work ethic.

Website: www.gshellephotography.com
Instagram: g.shellephotography
Facebook: www.facebook.com/g.shellephotography

Image Credits
Photo by G.Shelle Photography (family photo by Jesse Ramirez)