Memory Maker, Laughter Promoter, and Emotion Capturer: Sarah Grace Photography

By Michelle M. Sharp, Founder and Content Creator of Meet the Minnesota Makers

Chief memory maker, laughter promoter, and emotion capturer are among Sarah Filipi’s titles as the owner and creative force behind Sarah Grace Photography, LLC.

This woman-owned, certified Green Business provides fine art eco-conscious landscape prints, tailored portrait sessions, and one-on-one photography instruction.

You may already know Sarah’s work from the R-365 project, in which she artfully photographed the trash she found while out and about on her daily activities. This photography collection drew attention to the pervasive presence of trash around us. It opened conversations about how to responsibly recycle, reuse, or dispose of said items. Her year-long observation of discarded materials took her art to New York, Paris, and Chicago.

For Sarah, completing the R-365 project emphasized her interest in the gentle power of still images. It also instilled a desire to support community outreach and education. Sarah is now a master recycler and composter with Anoka County (you may have met her in the Eco Experience Building at the State Fair). She’s also won the Recycling Champion of Anoka Award. This all feeds into her goal of reshaping the conversation about our consumption as consumers.

As she developed her photography business, Sarah committed to doing so in the most environmentally sustainable way possible. “As a certified Green Business, I take great pride and care in the products I offer to my clients to ensure they are not only high quality, but also eco-conscious,” shared Sarah. “I enjoy pampering my clients and giving them an extremely customized experience. I get to show them just how stunning they really are.”

Based in Blaine, Sarah travels throughout the Twin Cities metro, the United States, and internationally to preserve her clients’ intimate moments. “Being allowed into private parts of people’s lives is not something I take lightly. I treat each person with the respect and love that we all deserve.”

The trust that she establishes with her clients is a foundational element of her business. “I am leaving a legacy of work that makes me proud. It brings people sheer joy and peace,” said Sarah. “I love when I share the results during a reveal session and my clients are crying with joy from the images we produced!”

“The most important part of my work is the people and their memories,” Sarah stated. “Being a part of engagements, highlighting a family’s personality along with their pets, and empowering someone to make good use of their own camera all bring me such joy.”

As for the name of her business? “Grace is a nickname given to me by my spouse about two weeks into dating as I am severely ungraceful,” laughed Sarah. While she may sometimes feel clumsy, the grace of Sarah’s images carry far more than the typical 1,000 words.

This feature is part of the 2023 MTMM Holiday Gift Guide series. Visit meettheminnesotamakers.com to download the gift guide featuring over 100 of Minnesota’s talented makers. Find Sarah Grace Photography on page 38! Newsletter subscribers have access to a 10% discount code.