Discover Adley Haywood

He started his entrepreneurial journey in 2014 when he invested in his first DSLR camera. With his work now reaching new heights – Adley is photographic proof of utilizing your gift in any environment and any circumstance.

Adley Joined Us For An Exclusive Interview About His Journey!

Where are you from originally?

I am originally from Charlotte, NC but I reside in Greensboro, NC now. I have been in Greensboro since 2006 where I attended the illustrious North Carolina A&T State University. Even though my major was not in the arts, I have always been a creative: from playing the piano to photography.

Would you ever come to LA?

I actually have never been on the west coast but that is one of my goals. I’d love to visit LA to see the scenery and of course have a few photoshoots while I’m there!

The Fox Magazine is all about inspiration, who inspires you the most?

First and foremost, my biggest inspiration is my mother. She was a single mother of 3 children and really encouraged me and my two brothers to not just be “anybody” but to be “somebody”. When I was younger it was a little redundant hearing those words but as I grew up those words really resonated with me. I keep those words in the back of my head whenever I have presented an opportunity to showcase my talent.

There are two photographers who really inspire me the most: Lorenzo P and Shamayim. Lorenzo P inspired me to try out new lighting techniques from his youtube series “How to create amazing catch lights in the eyes”. I love the way he lit the models and the catch lights in the eyes were the icing on the cake! Shamayim inspired me recently to dabble in black and white photography and create a project called “Monochrome”. He is known for his strong black and white photos and his use of luxurious locations to set him apart from others in the industry.

Biggest challenge you face as an entrepreneur today?

One of the biggest challenges I face an entrepreneur today is getting the right eyes on my work. There are so many talented photographers out there and competition is really high because of social media platforms. The platform that helped me the most has been Instagram but with the market being so saturated, to stand out from the other photographers, I have been pushing my creativity to the next level. Even though this is my biggest challenge, I embrace the challenge because I believe I have what it takes to make it in this industry!

What’s your career background?

My career background is actually in the technical field as a Software Tester but I am pursuing photography on the side. I have a masters degree in Computer Science and I have been doing photography since 2014. My photography journey started when I needed a real camera for my old eBay business. Once I purchased my first DSLR and the addiction began! I started taking photos of my eBay items but that turned into taking photos of family and friends.

The process of capturing and editing photos was more enjoyable than reselling items on eBay so I decided to pursue photography and the rest is history. Fast forward to now, my work has been published in various outlets including: Period Magazine, Carolina Style Magazine and KEH Camera’s Spotlight.

If you could change one thing in the world right now, what would it be?

If I could change one thing in the world, it would be getting more respect for photographers in the industry. Most people do not know how much work is behind getting great photos! It’s way more than just pressing the shutter button and BOOM you get a photo. The majority of the work was put into planning the concept, securing a location, recruiting the talent (model, makeup-artist, hair stylist, clothing stylist, etc) and once all of those pieces come together you can get a great photo.

I think its a two way streak because in order to get respect you have to respect yourself. Photographers have to respect themselves by realizing how valuable our work is and stop giving out their work for free. Collaborating is one of the key factors of building a strong portfolio of work but we have to remember that when we collaborate, there has to be something in it for each party. Whether you are exchanging money or doing it for your portfolio, make sure you benefit from the work in some way.

On the other hand, the other parties involved have to make sure credit the photographer and other members of the team who helped make the concept come to life. There have been so many times where the photos are posted online and no one gets credit beside the person in the photo which is disrespectful to the photographer and the team. Respect everyone on the team by giving them credit for their hard work!

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