Meet Adam Wamsley | Photographer & Director

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

Hi Adam, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I feel that taking risks is an integral part of growth, and has been essential to getting me where I am in life and in my career. Most of my advisors in school and in life as a teenager to young adult advised caution, safety, stability and making the choices involving the least amount of risk. Being the restless kid that I was, that didn’t sit too well with me, and I’m extremely thankful for that. The decision to try a new artistic medium, investing my money into a camera setup, and switching majors from the sciences to design were the beginning of a series of risky decisions. I quit my stable paying job in college to pursue art and, with a sink or swim mentality, figured that “if it was worth it to me, I’d find a way to make it work”. I took another big risk leaving my friends and family, relocating back to New York to pursue my career, where i really didn’t have any footing or network yet. Even in the work itself, when I don’t take risks I find that I feel stagnant and bored. The choices can be scary or intimidating, but when you succeed the feeling is amazing. Even when you fail, you hopefully still learn and grow, which always puts you further along from where you were before, and from where you would be had you not tried.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Although I like to consider myself a multi-disciplinary artist, my career work is primarily photography and video based. My clients range from commercial brands to editorial publications, typically revolving around fashion and beauty. It was a long and tricky journey getting to where I am now, wearing lots of hats, full of failed collaborations, ideas that didn’t quite land, and loads of burnout… but through each trial I learned a bit more about what I truly enjoyed out of the process. I have always been intrigued by the fashion & beauty industries’ relative willingness to get creative beyond a typical commercial standpoint. I’m a nerd at heart (I love fantasy movies & books, D&D, video games etc.) and I’ve always found that, through elements of wardrobe and makeup, you can bring these more fantastical and creative ideas to life. I spent a handful of years muting my personal extremes & tastes, trying to shoot what I thought clients would like to see, and exploring avenues of photography that definitely helped pay the bills, but were more exhausting than fulfilling. It wasn’t until I began to shoot more of what intrigued me personally, testing and playing with ideas that fit my visions, vs what I thought others wanted, that i really began to attract the clients and collaborators that I truly enjoy working with. Which brings me to my current chapter, creating work that connects to the viewer with an emotive or evocative touch through the movement, expression, or subtle details within the image.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Where I’d take visiting friends definitely depends on who they are, and what kind of fun or trouble they’re hoping to get into. A week of activities would include a handful of restaurants & bar hopping… trying to find places with either great flavor or atmosphere, ideally both! There are great ramen spots in West Hollywood, KBBQ in Koreatown, Laurel hardware is always a great spot for food, drinks, and conversation. For my friends who are down to get nerdy, there is Geeky Teas & Games, tons of fun escape rooms all over the city, and I’d definitely get a drink or few at Scum & Villainy Cantina. I personally try to avoid downtown LA, but The Last Bookstore is always a unique spot to take guests when nearby. I’d never shy away from exploring all of the taco spots along the way. If my friends are looking for a dispensary experience, Calma is usually my go-to.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
It may be cliché, but I truly do have to thank my family for their support and encouragement throughout my creative growth. My mother, from an early age, put art supplies in front of me with a challenge to create something (probably as a good way to keep me occupied). My father, as a single parent, has been an endless source of wisdom, tough love, and a faithful reality check along the way… while always still supporting my evolving goals and dreams, while teaching me to question and think for myself. Lastly, but definitely not least, my brother and his unconditional belief, encouragement, and willingness to listen to even the craziest of my ideas. Without all of them, I wouldn’t have had the foundation or relative freedom to explore, experiment, and discover the path that I’m on today.

Website: www.adamwamsley.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adamwamsley/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamwamsleyphoto/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Adam_Wamsley

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/adamwamsleyphotography

Other: http://twitch.tv/vvamsley