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

Alright, Adam thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What sort of legacy are you hoping to build. What do you think people will say about you after you are gone, what do you hope to be remembered for?

Legacy is something that looms larger and larger for men as we grow older. I can’t recall giving it a second thought until I was knee-deep in raising children, but it starts as a glimmer and grows exponentially once the seed is planted. I suppose one must consider what one values most when thinking about legacy, but for me, I choose faith. My children, hopefully, will be competent, productive members of society, but far above that, I hope they love like Christ loves, and protect those who can’t protect themselves. My faith is paramount in my life, and I pray that my children value their faith and belief in Jesus Christ above all things.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Adam Pendleton, and I am an Atlanta-based commercial photographer specializing in interiors and architecture. I’ve been in the industry for about 15 years, and I am truly blessed to be doing what I love. I get to capture the design and beauty of the work of a myriad of talented individuals that pour their souls into their projects, and then show that work to the world. It is a partnership designed to best distinguish their brand and promote their work in a competitive marketplace.

I found my way to photography a bit sideways… I was a classically trained musician (BM, Western Illinois; MM, The University of Michigan) and worked in that industry for about 20 years. I find that the two are extraordinarily harmonious in terms of discipline and aesthetic awareness. I try to apply the same practice of analysis, technique, and in the end, a gut feeling into my work.

I use a combination of natural and artificial light which gives me the flexibility to photograph any subject in any environment to capture the creator’s vision. Elements of composition, styling/staging, and the time of day all help to tell the story, and the collaboration between these elements is where the magic happens.

I am the father of a gaggle of kids, the husband to a beautiful and kind wife, and the owner of too few dogs, but first and foremost in my life is my faith. I wouldn’t be where I am without His guidance and favor. I would be honored to participate in your next project to translate the beautiful environments you create into spectacular images that connect with your audience.

Have you ever had to pivot?

My first love was music. I was convinced very early, through nearly a decade of schooling and another as a professional, that it was the right place for me. There is still nothing like music. It has the ability to dig into your soul and pull out the emotion and insight that lays dormant in each of us, but is gentle enough to not crush you in the process. I poured everything I had into it, and I enjoyed some profound successes. The reality of life, however, is that one must produce a product that the consumer is willing to consume if one is to put food on the table. Sadly, the life of a classical musician is not one of material abundance in most cases, and I found that it was insufficient to support a growing family. This required a ‘pivot’.

I have a little brother (he’ll always be my ‘little’ brother) that is a first-call operator in the film and tv industries, and he taught me some things. We also embarked on a side-hustle of remodeling homes. This combination placed me squarely in the crosshairs for my current profession, and I never looked back.

We have been blessed in this industry and God has always provided work for us to slowly grow our family. We are never guaranteed a tomorrow, but my today is wonderful because of my family and my God.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I always believed, since my days in music, that our ‘work’ should do most of the talking, whether that be a recording/performance, or a beautifully created image. I still believe that, but again, reality does not always cooperate. Self-promotion, although I loathe it, is necessary to become known. When I began my career in this industry, as most do, I searched for catchy slogans, logos, or niche’s to try to make a name for myself. One of the taglines that kept coming to mind was “Honesty and Integrity, Always.” Not a really useful slogan for an architectural photographer, but the sentiment was very important to me.

I work very hard to treat each and every client better than they expect, and speak with honesty always. That has also bled into our concept of service for our clients. I want our business together to be the most seamless and ‘easy’ transaction possible… so much so that our clients do repeatedly remark how easy we are to work with. I do believe that this, along with the quality of our work, is a primary factor that drives repeat business.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.AdamPendleton.com
• Instagram: @adamjpendleton
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/adampendletonphotography
• Linkedin: @adampendleton

Image Credits
All Images © Adam Pendleton Photography