Grace | Tennis Girl nation
Lifestyle Branding Session | CHARLOTTE Brand PHOTOGRAPHER
Last summer I met Grace Melrose, photographed her playing tennis and did some tennis branding portraits {which you can see in this post}. That meeting was an odd one as we were guided together via an outside source {LONG story}, but it was a also a good meeting for she and I because we had the opportunity to meet and follow along on one another's journeys. I noticed her journey was growing quieter than what I expected this past winter. You see, when I met Grace, I learned about the business she was working to create {Tennis Girl Nation} and as I followed her on Instagram, I saw that the goal was a big one.
One day in early spring, she made a post that spoke to me, not directly {lol}, but I understood her. You see, she learned a very hard and debilitating lesson in business, a lesson that no one should ever have to go through, monetarily, mentally, and was being prevented from reaching her goals. I reached out to her privately, something inside me told me that we should connect again and while I know this story is sounding strange and random, just know that Grace is stronger than ever, a woman filled with ambition and grit. A force of strength that formed out of a hard lesson and a growth of ambition that is leading her to even bigger goals. Goals that are being smashed. From losing money, learning the process of being a business owner, who to trust, stepping in front of the camera for the first time; Grace has conquered so many obstacles to be in the place that she is in now.
Grace has started Tennis Girl Nation, an online tennis academy for competitive girls {ages 8 - 18} who want to reach their full potential. She is especially excited to be in a male dominated sport of coaches to be a strong female voice for these young girls to look up to.
I'm so grateful that we connected again, on our own terms, and with open communication with no in-between. I was able to get to know her and really hear what she wanted to do with her business. We were able to share business advice and have a fun branding session in her home where we had the best time getting to know one another.
![Woman smiling holding her smoothie](http://images-pw.pixieset.com/elementfield/15376683/Grace-5-caa4a079.jpg)
![A woman holding a glass cup with a purple smoothie](http://images-pw.pixieset.com/elementfield/85376683/Grace-4-f37549bd.jpg)
![Woman smiling at herself in the mirror](http://images-pw.pixieset.com/elementfield/54476683/TGN-2-c0fe8d68.jpg)
![A woman pulling her shoes on in her Charlotte, NC home](http://images-pw.pixieset.com/elementfield/25476683/Grace-13-4fed72f2.jpg)
![A woman smiling at the camera while sitting in her brightly lit living room](http://images-pw.pixieset.com/elementfield/38476683/TGN-17-75f8498d.jpg)
![Woman laughing while sitting on her white couch](http://images-pw.pixieset.com/elementfield/09476683/TGN-14-04dd5373.jpg)
![A woman shaking her head freely and enjoying coffee in her white living room](http://images-pw.pixieset.com/elementfield/74576683/TGN-29-e750dd39.jpg)
![A woman laughing in her bright living space](http://images-pw.pixieset.com/elementfield/45576683/TGN-30-cd07830a.jpg)
![A coffee cup and plant in focus in front a woman sitting on her couch](http://images-pw.pixieset.com/elementfield/47676683/TGN-31-b5be76a2.jpg)
![Woman smiling at the camera while sitting on her couch with laptop on her lap](http://images-pw.pixieset.com/elementfield/18676683/TGN-33-4f91527f.jpg)
![A woman holding a tennis ball toward the camera and winking](http://images-pw.pixieset.com/elementfield/00086683/TGN-44-85d5ccb8.jpg)
![A woman smiling at her laptop while holding a tennis ball](http://images-pw.pixieset.com/elementfield/70086683/TGN-45-2a094825.jpg)
![A woman pouring water into a glass in her backyard in the summer](http://images-pw.pixieset.com/elementfield/34086683/TGN-74-e7e885fe.jpg)
![A woman relaxing in the sun on a chase lounge](http://images-pw.pixieset.com/elementfield/05086683/TGN-72-3e5f3652.jpg)
![A woman holding a wine glass and playing with her hair in her backyard](http://images-pw.pixieset.com/elementfield/60186683/TGN-68-112432aa.jpg)
![A young woman carrying out a wine bottle and wine glasses to her backyard](http://images-pw.pixieset.com/elementfield/31186683/TGN-50-2b376307.jpg)