Meet Adam Dooley: Commercial & Lifestyle Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Adam Dooley and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Adam, other than deciding to work for yourself, what else do you think played a pivotal role in your story?
The most important decision I made was on the genre of photography that I wanted to focus my business around. Like most photographers, I started out shooting everything that caught my eye, but mostly landscapes and the Milky Way. I eventually started to get asked by friends and family to shoot their engagements, weddings, senior photos, family photos and so on. This gave me the idea that I could actually make a living in photography, which was never even a thought I had previously. After a few years of shooting portraits and honing my craft behind the camera, I started working with more local brands, small businesses, and influential members of the community. I was hooked on the problem solving and collaboration aspect that the commercial and lifestyle photography world presented. Since I’ve focused my skills in this particular genre, I’ve really enjoyed the body of work I’ve been producing, and can’t wait to continue this into the future with my clients! 

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’m a Commercial & Lifestyle photographer that helps businesses connect with their target audience with custom, impactful, and curated content to strengthen their sales & marketing campaigns. My ability to collaborate with my clients and listen to their creative wants and ideas is what I believe sets me apart from others. I keep it pretty light while on set. Having fun is super important to a successful shoot, especially when working with individuals where I’m really trying to showcase their personality. I’ve learned along the way just how important it is to have a network of other creatives to get out and shoot with consistently. I also think it’s important to have personal projects that you’re inspired to shoot, even if they cost you money. Those types of shoots have often yielded some of my favorite images, that often go directly into my portfolio.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
All of my favorite spots are in the mountains but if we’re sticking to the city then we’re eating at Stanley Marketplace because there’s something there for everyone, even picky eaters like me, and we’re getting ice cream at DANG Soft Serve.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Where to even begin with this one…I owe a lot of my success to others in the photography community. My mentor Alan Amend was the first to put a digital camera in my hands and ignite the fire, while always encouraging me to continue. He’d give me the honest feedback that I needed to hear, even if I didn’t want to hear what he had to say. I’d also like to thank Trevor Gass for sharing his knowledge and expertise with me while I would assist him. The importance of that gesture can’t be overstated, especially in the photo community where there’s plenty of trade secrets. Credit is also due to all of my subjects and models that I would practice my lighting setups and concepts with, you helped me grow immensely. I absolutely can’t forget about the other photographers I shoot with regularly- Luis Alonso, Robert Lujan, and Chris Reif…you guys are a pleasure to learn alongside of! Lastly, I’d like to thank my significant other, Breezy. She’s supported every move I’ve made, and every direction I’ve decided to go…Having her as a support system has allowed me to get where I’m at now!

Website: www.adamdooleyphotography.com
Instagram: adamdooley_
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/adamdooleyphotography

Image Credits
Robert Lujan