Rising Stars: Meet Adrienne Morgan

Today we’d like to introduce you to Adrienne Morgan. 

Hi Adrienne, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
I started photographing when I was young with my Fischer Price film camera and as I got older always knew that I wanted to do something in the industry. For a while, I was sure I wanted to work in magazines and I interned at Martha Stewart Omnimedia which was awesome. I really found my niche when I started assisting product photographers and knew that shooting and showcasing companies’ products in unique and different ways was what I should be doing with my career! Most every day is different and I love that I get to be creative with my shoots and make a living. 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Being a freelancer always has some rocky points since many times I don’t know who my next client will be or when my next project might start so it’s important to plan for downtime and use it to my advantage. That might mean I’m trying out a new lighting technique or that I’m taking the time to relax and recoup so I can be creatively fresh for the next project I’m working on. Creative burnout is a real thing and I know many freelancers, me included, who struggle with slowing down and taking time when we need it so we can be reinvigorated for the next project. 

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a commercial photographer specializing in product photography and also the on-figure lifestyle work that frequently comes with it. Some of my favorite projects to work on are for wineries and distilleries. Helping a brand create imagery that tells a story for their products through a drink or the ingredients that go in making a special cocktail gives me joy. I also love the challenge of working with glassware and reflective surfaces. You really have to know your way around lighting a set to make sure the appropriate things are highlighted or are falling into shadow and I find my knowledge of artificial lighting helps me create dynamic images. I’m blessed enough to have a range of different clients who trust me with photographing their products and helping their brand grow. 

Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
You have to be remarkably determined and persistent to be a freelance photographer or really a freelancer in general. Reaching out to new clients and updating my marketing could easily fall by the wayside if I wasn’t determined to make freelancing work. My fellow freelancers and I joke that we all got into working for ourselves so we would work less, but instead, we’ve ended up working 24/7. 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.adriennehess.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adriennehessphoto/
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/adriennehessportraits/

Image Credits
Julia Gray