Today we’d like to introduce you to Penny Adams
Hi Penny, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’m a Nashville native with a BFA in photography, and my career has taken me through various phases, from capturing old-time photos in theme parks to serving as a photo editor for Webshots in the Bay Area and Cleveland, OH, for nearly 20 years. Throughout my journey, I’ve photographed people, landscapes, and pets. At Webshots, I was responsible for licensing and promoting images that would resonate with our audience, helping me develop a sharp eye for compelling visuals and form valuable connections with professional photographers and stock agencies.
In my free time, I loved to travel and played goalie in women’s soccer leagues. However, after a knee injury, I found myself with extra time and began volunteering at local animal rescues, taking portraits of pets in need of homes. The turning point came in 2009, during a fundraiser at American Greetings. I photographed a pit bull who had been mistreated but remained incredibly loving. That simple portrait, taken in just minutes, led to multiple adoption applications for her after a year of no interest. This experience showed me the life-changing power of a single image.
When I moved back to Nashville, my passion for helping animals grew. What began as a hobby evolved into a full-time career as the Adoption Promotion Specialist at Williamson County Animal Center in Franklin, TN. Leveraging my photography and social media marketing skills, along with a talented team, we’ve maintained a 96% save rate for over a decade, caring for around 4,000 animals annually. While I still enjoy photographing landscapes, most days, you’ll find me on the floor with a camera, peanut butter, and a cat wand, capturing the best sides of the animals I love.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
In my 40 years as a photographer, I’ve witnessed incredible changes in technology—it’s been a wild ride. From learning to shoot portraits with large view cameras, working with 35mm film, developing my own prints in the darkroom, to embracing digital photography in the mid-’90s and mastering Photoshop, I’ve always welcomed the challenges. While I don’t miss lugging around rolls of film and the uncertainty of whether I nailed a shot until after development, I believe it’s never been easier for photography enthusiasts to share their work.
Today, the lines between hobbyists and professionals have blurred, making it more challenging to earn a living unless a photographer offers a unique service. The quality of work has reached new heights, and full-time photographers must work even harder to stand out while navigating various social media platforms to build their audience. Now, with AI emerging as the latest challenge, it’s clear that while technology evolves, the art of seeing and crafting an original idea will always remain irreplaceable.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My style, whether capturing landscapes, cityscapes, or pets, is known for its vibrant color and attention to detail. People often tell me they can see the soul of the animals in my pet portraits, and that my landscapes and travel photos convey a strong sense of place. When photographing a city, I make it a point to research and find unique vantage points or times of day that go beyond the typical postcard image.
For example, the Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau hired me to photograph the Fourth of July fireworks. Despite breaking my arm at an amusement park just a week before the event and undergoing surgery, I shot long exposures while still recovering. I’m incredibly proud of that shot—it captures the vibrancy of Nashville and the excitement of the show.
When it comes to photographing pets, I’m relentless in capturing their best side. My determination to find the perfect angle or moment is what sets me apart from others. Whether it’s climbing to new heights for a cityscape or getting on the floor to connect with a pet, I’m committed to creating images that resonate and tell a story.
Each year, I donate custom mosaic pet portraits (which is comprised of 10,000 snapshots to make up a larger main image) to help raise thousands of dollars for local animal welfare organizations. .
I was voted best visual artist in the 2016 Toast of Music City reader’s choice awards from “The Tennessean” and recognized on local news stations for my shelter pet portraits and also for a skyline image of Nashville that went viral.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Generally, I’m not much of a risk-taker—I prefer to avoid “well duh” situations that could end badly. I’m also an ambivert, the kind of person who’d rather be petting the dog or cat at a party than making small talk.
Do I love hiking trails, riding in a powered hang glider, or trying to tame a feral cat? Absolutely. But you won’t catch me being reckless while doing any of these things. Safety always comes first.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.pennyadams.com
- Instagram: @pennyadamsphoto (personal work) and @wcanimalcenter (animal selter work)
- Facebook: @pennyadamsphotography (personal work) and @wcanimalcenter (animal shelter work)
