Grace Shugg’s ‘snap’ decision to turn her attention to photography as a means of riding out the professional challenges she’s faced during the past 18 months is beginning to pay off. 

The self-made Gold Coast entrepreneur, a former model and Miss Australia Queensland State Finalist, and long-time fashion enthusiast may not have any formal training in photography, but her natural talent is obvious as she has already had her work featured in reputable glossy publications including Vogue Living Australia. 

“I didn’t study photography, I picked it up and played around with it, and learnt my skills by shooting friends and later, clients,” Grace admits.

It was the purchase online of a second-hand camera and some playing around with shooting her close friends that cemented her new direction.

According to Grace if it weren’t for the global pandemic, she would not have picked up a camera, and that was the beginning of Grace Lily Visuals.

Since launching her business last year, the photography enthusiast has already signed up an impressive number of clients in across the fashion and swimwear industries, including Currumbin company Lush Designs and Amara Swims, which is based in Tweed Heads.

She also shoots interiors and weddings and has adopted digital currency as a trading stream, believing it is the way of the future.

“Qoin is another way for me to make money through my business, especially for recurring clients. I think they will be really interested in using Qoin.

“I’m happy to accept Qoin and I’ve been using it to pay for everyday expenses, like groceries, instead of using cash. It’s been very useful for me.”

Grace also loves the fact that she can go on holidays and take the currency with her to not only treat herself, but to go about discovering other businesses in the area accepting Qoin. 

“My hope is that I can bring in enough clients on Qoin to cover my living expenses and preserve my cash for necessities,” she adds.

With plenty of experience in front of the camera, her business goal is to eliminate the stereotypes the modelling industry so often portrays and to encourage everyone to give it a go in front of the camera – model or not, she says ‘everyone deserves to feel beautiful and express their individuality’.

Her latest venture online is to offer a preset bundle that includes six professional Lightroom mobile offerings that she guarantees ‘will brighten up social media feeds and take your photos to the next-level’.