We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Adam Wayne a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Adam , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?
Mission statement, two words come two to mind, Manifest & Destiny. What started as me taking walks into the woods to get away during a low point in my life, turned into a pure photography journey. No matter what your circumstances are you can change your destiny threw perspective change and positive thinking.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
My name is Adam Wayne, Published St.Louis Fine Art photographer, publications include St Louis Post-Dispatch/STL Visions Coffee Table Book/Gateway Arch 2020 Impact Magazine/ Saint Louis In Tune Radio Interview ect. I’m currently a resident artist at the Soulard Art Gallery with a full room on display, and you can also find my work at “The Arch Store” located in the new Gateway Arch museum underneath the landmark itself. Find my Photography Prints in the Ballpark Village buildings. Heavy Bio for me being I have no schooling or background in photography. Never even graduated high school. To this day I only still use my very inexpensive camera (Canon PowerShot SX 540hs) just a pure determination to do something like no other. Seven years ago I picked up photography to get me threw struggles of life. With a cell phone in hand, I would take walks in the woods during my break at work, I would take pictures of leaves, puddles and the Creek that ran behind my US Foods meat cutting job. After a tragic injury,that resulted in me losing that job. The Incident that sliced off part of my right middle finger at work, I used the compensatory money to buy myself a camera. (Same camera model I currently use). Reasoning knowing if I could just capture this beautiful life surrounding me in a quality way, it could get me threw some depression and give me a positive outlet to express myself. Only using the Instagram platform I share my images building an audience. Editing my photography strictly threw the Instagram app no computer or Photoshop. Acquired a new job shortly after the new found love of nature photography in the heart of downtown St.Louis. (Save-A-Lot Meat Cutter). Online I noticed a lot of local photography was getting featured on Instagram sites like Fox 2 News, but my artistic approach to nature photography wasn’t getting the attention of those feature sites..This leads me to Architecture and the staple of the city the Gateway Arch. Started using my love of creative unique angles and perspectives with nature in conjunction with architecture. Threw observation threw the lens I’m seeing nature in a different light. The shape of the Arch is in all things. Waves of water, a drop of water, the structure of a leaf all have the sacred shape. Trees in the sunlight, casting of shadows upon the facades of downtown buildings. This new found passion for expressing, is pure and heartfelt. Feeling that some of the photography that I have seen by others lacked meaning. My point being, I didn’t try to fit the mold but set myself apart from others. Local photography in St.Louis is most popularized by Portrait style, Traditional Landscape style, Drone Photography, Abandoned buildings and city rooftops. My photography fits a different mold. Setting projects for myself to gain a bigger audience was my main goal every year. To this day 99% of all my client inquiries come from my Instagram page. There’s something to be said with the power of social media. Never being afraid of being yourself and building a brand on a certain niche is key to success. My circumstances forces me to be more creative. By my limitations it becomes more empowering and fulfilling knowing that, all of my ideas have came from my head. Never veering off trying to be like somebody else always using your own ideas works best. Stay unique, stay passionate, stay relentless.
https://www.stltoday.com/entertainment/arts-and-theatre/hotlist/doing-it-for-the-gram-how-3-st-louis-instagrammers-get-the-perfect-shot/article_abb308b2-a564-58a9-9149-628f42ff7f50.html
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
To leave my mark on the city, to do something with my life that’s bigger than myself. Become a legend a local legend.
What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?
Being apart of an Art Gallery. Soulard Art Gallery has been a gigantic boost in confidence and clientele. Being St.Louis’s #1 Art Gallery two years in a row has brought a lot of new clientele in and I currently hold one of the biggest sales of the year at $2,400. Total Sales well exceeding $10,000 this year.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.adamwaynearts.com
- Instagram: adamwayne_arts
- Facebook: Adam Wayne or Adam Wayne Arts
Image Credits
Adam Wayne Arts