Life & Work with Jessica & Eric Gaddy

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica & Eric Gaddy.  

Hi Jessica & Eric, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Our story comes from a simple place – a love of good food and craft beer. We were both born and raised in North Carolina; Eric from Waxhaw and Jessica from Hickory. 

Eric is a professional beer photographer with over 20 years of experience in product shots, craft beer dinners, festivals like Oktoberfest, NCBF, and Brawley’s Black & Blue. 

Jessica started her photography in the Charlotte “foodie” community back in 2012 making a name for herself among the local restaurants and chefs as reliable and honest. Her work is featured on restaurant websites, magazine covers, and throughout Charlotte’s restaurant social media pages. 

As for our name, we took a bit from each of our specialties to create the name “Shrimp & Grisettes.” Grisette is a style of beer, and we went with a playful take on one of our favorite Southern dishes shrimp & grits. 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Knowing the details of shoot location is always an unknown when it’s your first time working with a client. Lighting is key to great photography, and that can be challenging. Lessons learned over time will teach you to come prepared with as much equipment and batteries as possible. 

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
We both have long-standing corporate careers; Jessica has been with Maersk Inc. for 17 years, and Eric for Bank of America at 18 years. Photography is a side gig for both of us. Having hobbies outside the office is what brings true joy to our lives. We spend most of our time camping, taking mountain trips, spending time with our dogs and chickens on our 4-acre property with log cabin in Waxhaw. 

Eric is a self-taught photographer with over 20 years experience in real estate, portrait, festival, and craft beer product photography. He spends the majority of his free time with his co-founded “Ales & Trails” mountain bike group in Charlotte. 

Jess specializes in food photography that ranges from overall restaurant vibes to close-up detail shots. In addition to her corporate career, she also started Finicky Foods in 2022, a food business making craft Pimento Cheese with fun spices like Everything Bagel, Smoked Gouda, and Old Bay, as well as a Vegan variety. 

We are busy to say the least. 

Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
Understand that knowledge never stops. The more you learn, and practice will only improve your abilities as a photographer. Knowing your audience and having clear communication with what the client is looking for will attract new business. We often take jobs that we’ve never done before as a way to learn something new. 

Pricing:

• Studio Product Shots $500+
• On-site Food Photography $400+
• Festival $400+

Contact Info:

• Website: www.shrimpandgrisettes.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shrimpandgrisettes/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shrimpandgrisettes

Image Credits
Eric and Jessica Gaddy