She charges up to $8,000 (£6,610) for the shoots (Picture: Gabrielle Stowe / SWNS)
Gabrielle Stowe has made a career of snapping newlyweds on the slopes.
The 29-year-old found the niche a few years ago, after realising that no one else was doing it as a business idea.
Now, she charges up to $8,000 (£6,610) for the shoots for her business Ski The Day and demand is at an all time high.
Gabrielle, from Summit County, Colorado, said: ‘After shooting my first ski wedding I Googled if anyone else had a business that offered the same service.
‘I couldn’t find anybody, so I set up Ski The Day and never looked back.’
Gabrielle originally studied architecture at Miami University but always enjoyed photography, so started working as a wedding photographer shortly after graduation.
Then, in 2019, a couple asked if she could travel to Jackson Hole, a popular ski resort in Wyoming, and shoot their mountain wedding – an experience that inspired her business idea.
She found a gap in the market (Picture: Gabrielle Stowe / SWNS)
So majestic (Picture: Gabrielle Stowe / SWNS)
Gabrielle is confident on the slopes to get the pics (Picture: Gabrielle Stowe / SWNS)
Now the 29-year-old gets requests coming in from within the US and abroad – plus, her background as a downhill ski racer means she’s confident on the slopes.
She said: ‘I started my own wedding photography business in 2018 which was going well, and then after a year I got this request to shoot a ski wedding.
‘The couple were ski fanatics and were getting married at Jackson Hole in Wyoming.
‘They wanted to do a ski run with friends and family from the top of the mountain to the middle of mountain, and then get married at the bottom.
‘The job was pretty easy for me as I used to be part of a downhill ski racing club, so I skied a lot during my childhood.
‘After that job, I looked to see if anyone was offering a similar service, and they weren’t, so I decided to start a second business specific to ski weddings.’
Stunning (Picture: Gabrielle Stowe / SWNS)
Holding a bouquet? Very impressive (Picture: Gabrielle Stowe / SWNS)
Coordination (Picture: Gabrielle Stowe / SWNS)
For ski weddings or elopements in the US, she charges $4,500 – $6,500 (£3,700-£5,360), and up to $8,000 if she has to travel internationally.
But now she gets requests to do proposals, too.
When it comes to taking photos, Gabrielle has couples ski past her at a certain point on the slope.
She’ll then follow them to get shots from behind, but stresses that she has limits with what she will do.
Beautiful (Picture: Gabrielle Stowe / SWNS)
A family affair (Picture: Gabrielle Stowe / SWNS)
Business is booming (Picture: Gabrielle Stowe / SWNS)
More: Lifestyle
Gabrielle added: ‘I also have boundaries that I set myself so I don’t get hurt, as there is always that risk of something going wrong.
‘Clients often ask me if I ski backwards, which is a big no no, and if I’m shooting on black runs I have to be very careful.
‘Obviously because I’m holding a camera, I’m skiing without poles so I have to adjust my technique.
‘Thankfully I’m well qualified to do this from my ski racing days, but I’m still cautious.’
Gabrielle still does normal weddings too, but demand for her ski services is currently through the roof.
She said: ‘It’s an amazing way to earn a living and I can’t wait to expand the business, and take on more clients in the future.’
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Business is booming.
