first bonus check from work to pay off student loans. The second funded a safari to Kenya – which she photographed in detail. She continued snapping pictures through the years – earning praise from business colleagues and relatives, all of whom commented on her artistic eye. “Photographers and artists see the world differently. I might be driving along and I see something that spurs a design idea in my mind for a project,” she said. Gratz began taking more pictures when her son, Jake, was the catcher on his high school baseball team. Gratz became the team photographer and that’s where her passion for the craft really ignited. She bought herself a pro Nikon camera and started capturing action shots on the baseball field, which grew into high school senior and family portraits, and then her studio was opened. She’s never regretted the decision. “Life can change in a second,” she said. “If you don’t pursue what you love, life is just going to go by. I didn’t always want to wonder ‘what if?’ I’m living my dream. How lucky can I be? There are countless hours, but it doesn’t feel that way. Like the old saying goes, “If you love what you do, you’ll never work another day in your life.”
Getting the picture “Welcome to the studio. Thanks for coming in. Tell me a little bit about you and your family.” Gratz greets clients in a comfortable 1,000-square-foot Edgewater studio decked out in her favorite colors – purple and black. She talks to families in an area resembling a living room, chatting about their needs and her portrait services from a plush sofa. On a table in front of the couch are albums with samples of her work. The walls are covered with pictures, as well, and faces leap from the canvas. Music always plays in the background. “When you see her studio and you see her in action, you know she has that passion,” said Adaiha Montgomery.
Gratz created a multi-generational portrait for Montgomery. “I look at it all the time,” she said. “It shows me how my life has grown. Her pictures aren’t just pictures. They tell a story.” The photographer’s portfolio includes pictures of families, graduates, pets and athletes. although she’s always expanding her repertoire. Pictures are in color and black and white, something for which she has a special affinity. In every case, people’s gazes run deep. “The key in portraiture is knowing how to capture their expression and their spirit through the eyes,” she said. “That’s when you can see who they really are.” She continually attends photography workshops to learn new techniques and perspectives. Prices are tailored to the client, but no assignment is done in haste. Gratz spends hours discussing pictures, helping clients choose their wardrobes, having a professional makeup artist and hair stylist available for the day, and setting up shoots. They can be at her studio, but just as easily by the water or on a sports field. “It’s always upbeat,” said Leah Anonsen, her assistant. “There’s a lot of laughter.” It doesn’t mean Gratz isn’t serious about her craft. She simply puts people at ease and allows them to open up. “You can get crazy creative with your shots, but to me it’s more about connecting with people.” Lisa Dressel, who had family photos taken, said her husband and son had a habit of forcing smiles in pictures. Not with Gratz. “She got past the fake smile,” Dressel said. “She got their real smiles.” This is what Gratz loves about her profession, which she views as more of a calling. In that vein, she gives back, contributing to several charities through fundraisers. She also serves on the fundraising board of the local Lighthouse Shelter for the homeless. On the back of every wall portrait she creates, she places a silver envelope with a card inside for her client to write a special handwritten note to their children Loved ones get two gifts: the legacy of a portrait and a story to go with it. “At the end of my life, I wanted to say I made a difference – that I created great memories for my clients to love and enjoy in their homes and to tell stories to their children and grandchildren, like my parents did for me. A house becomes a home when it is filled with memories that line your walls and shelves and tell your story.” Interviewed and written by Theresa Winslow, 1 Final Draft
jan gratz BEHIND : THE : LENS
165 Mitchells Chance Road, Edgewater, MD 21037
410.353.1717 jan@jangratzphotography.com
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