Adrien King lives up to his name. Command of his tools, strategic foresight, and an altruistic approach to his craft place him in high ranks as a photographer. At twelve years old, King’s mother put a camera in his hands, gifting him the ability to express himself better than he ever had before. In the eight years since then, King has built a robust career as a self-taught, commercial and fashion photographer.

Ansel Adams, a pioneer of artistic photography, once said “You don't take a photograph, you make it”. The making of a good photograph doesn’t end with composition; it requires an artistic interpretation of the potential of the subject—be that a model, product, or something unique. But King says his photographic philosophy means taking it one step further.

While those “Truths” might be universal, the process is never the same. King’s breadth of experience has taught him that no shoot ever goes one-hundred percent according to plan. King describes the process of wardrobe and make-up artists, models and agents, setting and lighting engineers coming together as a dance. Missing a step now and then is inevitable, and his experience has taught him to stay light on his feet, always prepared to adapt. This ritual ensures that his art always reflects his best work, whether by practiced skill or a new learning experience.

King considers this to be his greatest accomplishment.

Businesses he’s worked with have attested that King’s approach to storytelling helped them to see their brand in a new light, and to better understand who they want their products to speak to. King’s connections with graphic designers, web developers, marketers, models, and other professionals mean that he can offer a complete content production team as needed for “an all-in-one experience!”

Moving forward, King hopes to make himself available to travel broadly to new clients. He’s working hard toward his dream of occupying the top rungs of the fashion photography ladder, where he says framing beauty standards is a serious responsibility. His passionate aspiration is to lead those standards toward a healthier, more natural place that young people can identify with; for them to know that beauty is about embracing bare faces, bodies of different shapes, skin of different colors, and does not exclude anyone. Redefining beauty means that every client can come to understand their worth and admire their true selves in their photographs. 

Interview/words: Alexandra Giardinelli