Vendor Highlight: Adam Chapin Photography

Photo Credit // Riley Maclean

We are honored to call North Carolina fine art wedding photographer, Adam Chapin, one of our participating Mad Dash wedding vendors. Known for his romantic, artistic edge, Adam’s photography brings a dramatic style to wedding imagery that gorgeously distinguishes his work from any other fine art photographer (see some of our favorites from Adam HERE and HERE).

Think his work is exquisite? Meeting and getting to know Adam is an even greater pleasure. He is genuinely humble, adventurous, witty, and just an all-around wonderful guy. What’s even better than calling him a colleague, is the pleasure of calling him a friend.

Q + A

Adam Chapin

Adam Chapin Photography

Image // Adam Chapin Photography

What inspires you most?

I don’t know that I have one source of inspiration. It can be a movie, a piece of art, a song, a moment or a dream. When working with clients, sometimes it’s their interactions that get me going too or even the exchange of ideas to do something different.

How would you describe your photography style?

I strive to make quiet, moody, artful images that capture moments as well as people’s attention. If I can bring someone to some sort of emotion or simply stop someone in their tracks and make them think for even a second longer about what’s in front of them, then I feel I have done my job.

How do you feel your wedding photography style/work stands out from others?

I really go out of my way to find ways to capture people, moments and venues differently. All weddings are somewhat the same: my couples get ready, they may or may not have a first look, there is the ceremony and there is the reception. It’s my job to put my spin on their day, how I see everything unfolding. And most of all I want to have my couples and their families look through their galleries and come across images that they never saw getting made or that make them try to figure out where I was or how I did something while at the same time not making the work distracting to the moment as it happens or take away from the moment in the final image. I recently had a friend go through my portfolio and she remarked that none of my work looks the same. I take that as a compliment, because every wedding and every shoot is different so why would I want all my work to look the same.

Image // Adam Chapin Photography

Favorite image you’ve ever captured?

I shot a wedding two years ago and the bride’s father was in the process of losing his sight. When he came in to see his daughter for the first time all dressed and ready to walk down the aisle, he walked around her trying to take it all in and I circled with him from behind the bride. I managed to capture just part of his face as he was taking it all in and you could see and feel the memories of her as a child running through his head as he now stood and looked at his daughter who was now off to start her own family.

Best advice you’ve ever received about being an artist?

Focus is overrated.

Next professional goal?

To shoot my first international destination wedding.

What are some challenges you face as a creative entrepreneur?

I have two kids, so just getting work done on a daily basis in an efficient manner is always a struggle.

Tips for balancing work and family?

I don’t know. If you have some, I am all ears.

Any advice for fellow creative business owners?

You have to be open to changing with the times, but you also have to respect your vision and your voice. It’s often an insane balancing act that I don’t think you ever get used to, because I believe that if you get used to it, if you get comfortable, then you’ve been passed by.

Describe your dream adventure:

I have always dreamed of hiking to Everest base camp. I have no desire to climb the whole thing, but I would love to see the Khumbu icefalls by camp one and then head back.

Where do you most desire to travel to?

I am mountain and winter addict. Northern Japan has been on my list for longer than I can recall. Between the legendary powder days, the hot ramen and the good sake, I’d have to put that at the top of my list.

Image // Adam Chapin Photography