Interns of New York: Grace Ann Leadbeater
Featured image by Gabby Manotoc.
“I used to romanticize about New York ever since I watched Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” confessed Grace Ann Leadbeater, a fifth-year photography major and writing minor from Orlando, Florida. She’s one of many that have caught the New York bug and it shows no signs of going away.
Leadbeater has been taking photos since she was eight years old. At the age of 15 she went to a convention where she stumbled upon a woman who talked about SCAD and she immediately told her family, “I want to go [there].” While her parents thought it “would grow out of [her]” by her final year of high school, the university was still firmly embedded in her mind. “SCAD was something I just romanticized about initially… it’s amazing that I made it… and that I’m here.”
Since arriving at the school, Leadbeater has been most surprised by the opportunities she’s had. She’s surprised about major events such as the annual Savannah Film Festival and the chance to meet industry professionals regularly. “I remember when Condé Nast came. They’re such a big deal!”
Today, she “shoots with film and medium format” and has developed an affinity towards documentary and fine art photography. “I’ve been doing this series of shooting people in their homes… I like [exploring] the relationship between the two.” Her work creates a strong sense of intrigue for viewers, allowing them to form connections and let the conversation with the subject continue beyond the snapping of the shutter. It’s about “creating a dialogue.”
Grace Ann Leadbeater frequents coffee shops and cites it as the atmosphere where she works best. Away from her base at Savannah’s Coffee Fox, she currently frequents Toby’s Estate in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Photo courtesy of Grace Ann Leadbeater.
Despite finding success with the art form, not everything came naturally for Leadbeater. “My business practices class was the bane of my existence.” However, she also said she is grateful for Professor Jenny Kuhla, one of Leadbeater’s biggest inspirations at SCAD. “I used to call her distressed, ‘What am I going to do when I graduate!?’ and she always knew how to calm me down.”
Approaching her final few quarters at SCAD, Leadbeater will take the time to finish her writing minor. She’s been keeping journals since the time she picked up a camera and has been writing letters to people for a long time. “My 1st pen pal was my cousin… we wrote to each other for 11 years.”
She “writes letters to better understand photographs.” This sense of nostalgia is evident in her photos as well. She explained that “memory is vital” and that she likes to “recount [the past] and remember the intricacies of a person.” At the same time, she is also practical in her decision to minor. “You definitely need an edge [in today’s industry,” especially since she considered working for magazines ranging from “small, start-ups” to National Geographic.
Leadbeater began her internship at the studio of Steve McCurry, a world-renowned photographer perhaps best known by the photo “Afghan Girl” on June 10. The search and preparation for the internship was difficult as she spent spring quarter at SCAD’s Lacoste, France campus.
“I had to do phone interviews internationally… calls kept dropping… [or] I’d have to be awake at weird hours.” She was hired after two interviews and flew into LaGuardia Airport straight from Paris. She loves to work in an office with about four interns and other “young, fun, 20-somethings.” She described the environment as inspiring because “everyone is passionate and down-to-earth.”
Leadbeater’s post-graduation plans include working in New York City. It provides the same opportunities for collaboration that she commends SCAD for having. “It’s easy to form connections… with artists and designers who you look up to.” Yet she is also nervous about the fast pace of the city. “It pushes you more… but you also lose the safety net of school where you have 3 weeks to finish a project.”
