Today we’d like to introduce you to Frederick Breedon.
Hi Frederick, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I was born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida in a very Christian home and it was there I developed a love for the arts. Like many others who grew up in the 1970s and ’80s I would go to church on Sunday and I spend much of the rest of my week collecting comic books . I would spend hours captivated by the way the colors popped off the pages of my Fantastic Four and Avengers comic books. As the years passed, I pursued my artistic passions by becoming a freelance photographer. While serving as a contributing photographer for organizations such as the Associated Press, United Press International, and Getty Images I was always amazed by the power of an image. As a member of the media for the last 20 years, I’ve seen up close how much social norms have changed. Even the news feels more like propaganda these days. So In 2024 I decided to find a way to combine my passions or artwork and ministry.
My wife and I wanted to find a way to have a positive influence on some of the counter culture mindsets in today’s world. So we created Exalt Pictures. It’s an organization that uses radical artwork to design thought-provoking faith based merchandise. We produce designs for T-shirts and other merchandise that allow Christians to wear their faith proudly. We want to break outdated stereotypes of what faith looks like and help people see the Gospel in a way they may never have before. Our hope is as the company grows to invest the proceeds into ‘feet on the ground’ ministries and faith based film projects. We need to stop just talking about what’s wrong with society and get involved.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The biggest challenge of starting any new venture is going outside of your comfort zone. The easy part of building Exalt Pictures has been creating original and exciting artwork. The next challenge becomes partnering with companies to produce the merchandise. Finding printers, manufacturers, and methods of shipping. But without question the biggest challenge is finding the most effective method to let people know about your product. Working as a work for hire camera operator for so many years, I’ve become accustomed to having people reach out to me. Connections and relationships I’ve developed over the years in the fields of media don’t really translate to selling original merchandise. I would love to build some relationships with Christian influencers and social media partners.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
As a photographer, I’ve build a reputation for being able to truly capture emotion in my images. If you capture a game winning touchdown at a football game, it can be a really exciting photograph. But the image that tells the most moving story is going to be after the play is over, when the players are celebrating. Most photographers are busy looking at the back of their cameras to see if they caught the play, That’s when I’m doing my best work capturing the celebration. This is still my philosophy when I create photos or videos for ministries or clients. There are so many distractions fighting for our attention today, but people want to be moved.. At Exalt Pictures, we share this same philosophy with the artwork on our tee shirts and merchandise. Sometimes it feels as thought today’s society has tired over the idea of faith. Especially of Christianity and Jesus. We try to create products that move people. We want to create merchandise that is trendy enough for my kids and their friends to wear—while still being something their grandparents would approve of. Something that breaks away from the stereotypical stuffiness of religion. I want pop culture to accurately represent who Jesus really is. We want our tee shirts and other merchandise to be a conversation starter. As our company grows, we hope to take this same philosophy into original film projects. My wife Angela and I were Associate Producers on a 2025 film called Dot Connor:Webtective The Movie. It was exciting to be part of such a wholesome and high quality project. As Exalt Pictures grows we hope to be part of many more films. In the mean time we will continue to invest in organizations that have a tangible effect on the lives of people. Ministries like The Bridge Ministry (bridgeministry.org) and Mercy Multiplied (mercymultiplied.com) are two of the best here in Nashville that truly show the love of Jesus.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
Creating Exalt Pictures is such a new venture for us, that I honestly don’t think most people who know me from my work as a photographer even know I have started a faith based tee shirt company. When I’m working on a film set or shooting a clients event, it’s important to me that I don’t distract from the event itself. So I try very hard to disappear into the environment. I wear all black, because my job is to film the event, not be part of it. So when I’m on a shoot, I don’t usually show off any of our Exalt pictures merchandise. I’m also a little ashamed to say many of the people I’ve worked with in the media might not even know I’m a Christian. Most of the time I’m on location to shoot something, I don’t get much chance to talk. I just hope my work ethic and professionalism is a good representation of my belief in Jesus.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://fbreedon.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/exalt.pictures/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Exalt-Pictures-61573700520696/
- Other: https://Exaltpictures.com
