We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Adrian Rowan. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Adrian below.

Hi Adrian, thanks for joining us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

I’ve learned photography in so many different ways. I started as a military photographer in the Air Force and went to school at Fort Meade. Then I was hired at Dover Air Force Base to photograph dignified transfers, which a somber mission photographing fallen soldiers returning from overseas. Later I transitioned to the Pentagon running the photography studio for the Marine Corps. My military career really gave me a technical foundation for all of my work, it was really essential to have those skills I learned to create a solid base for my creative work. Then I moved to England to pursue a master’s degree in photography. And finally moved back home to New Jersey to open my photography business.
I don’t know that I would have chosen to do anything to speed up the process, because all of the skills I learned on my journey were essential. I needed that foundation and those experiences to be the photographer I am today.

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

The intent of my work is about confidence and empowerment. My goal is to pamper you, so you can enjoy an empowering boudoir experience and love your body.

A few years ago I took a plethora of amazing classes, one in particular had an immense impact on a personal level and helped me refine my boudoir work.

Teri Hofford offered a class on Being your Brand, something I struggle with because I am very private about so many aspects of my life. Teri inspired me to dig deeper and find my why, not just for my business but personally too. Two things really stood out, one being the client experience exuding a pampered and luxury feel and the other was my complete acceptance and encouragement of sexuality, especially in women.

I focus my work on promoting confidence and sexuality. Whether you’re into romantic style with lingerie, sultry looks, and covered bits or you’re into a bit of light bondage and rope… or more extreme interests…

Whatever level of sexuality you’re comfortable expressing, working with me provides a judgment free space in which to experiment and express yourself, as long as it’s consensual and legal.

I studied abroad for my Master’s of Art in Photography in England. It was a great experience to live “Across the Pond” for a year!

My visa ended after a year and I decided to move back to my home state of New Jersey. When I came back to the US, I felt like I had reached my potential in the government and the confines of the rules and being unable to be more creative within their guidelines pushed me to start working for myself so I could explore and develop photography in different ways.

In high school, I always preferred photography as my medium and wanted to work for high fashion magazines, Playboy, or Hustler. At that time I only saw the nude form in museums or those magazines, I didn’t consider that they were ultimately male gaze/objectification based. (Although Playboy has developed and evolved quite a bit over the years!)

Initially, I photographed a lot of genres, but that youthful yearning to photograph the nude form was still there. I’ve always had an interest in confidence, sexuality, and self. I think it’s a large part of all of us and often women are shamed for being sexual or not being virginal/pure which is utter BS. The double standard is mind-boggling, to me.

So I decided to focus most on what always drew my interest: uplifting women and helping them explore and accept their sexuality/power/self in what I feel is a healthy and constructive way.

I’m a 13 year U.S. Air Force Veteran. When I returned to civilian life, I ran the photography studio at the Pentagon for Headquarters Marine Corps.
I’ve photographed 6,500+ military personnel, including Secretary of the Navy, Ray Mabus.
I was a photographer for Dover Air Force base, photographing Dignified Transfers of the fallen soldiers returning from overseas. My military photography work has been featured on ABC News, Air Mobility Command, the Atlantic, US Air Force National Museum, Mid-Atlantic Police Motorcycle Riding Committee, 436th Airlift Wing, The CW, Associated Press, Marine Corps official website, WKYT, Persephone Magazine, Marine Barracks Washington, Florida Trend, The Albany Herald, The DC, Legistorm, and My Edmonds News.

My boudoir photography has been featured on Do More Photographers and the Babetown Collective, two prominent boudoir collective websites in the industry.
I was the Vice President of the Palmyra Improvement Association and a member of The Porch Club in Riverton, NJ. I try to live by the words of Robert Baden-Powell, “Try and leave this world a little better than you found it.”
I recently restored a Victorian home in Merchantville, NJ to use as my studio, home, AND lingerie boutique: House of Rowan.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

Empowering women to advocate for themselves and find their power.

How did you build your audience on social media?

Show up and be authentic. Choose which social media platform suits you and your business and build it, there are so many options it can be overwhelming to post to all of them. Don’t be afraid to outsource, find a marketing/social media team that “gets you” and can help you with building your online presence.

Contact Info:

• Website: arowanphoto.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/houseofrowanboutique
• Facebook: facebook.com/houseofrowanboutique
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@houseofrowan

Image Credits
Bio photo: Freya Bear Photography All others taken by me