Daily Inspiration: Meet Peyton Dollar

Today we’d like to introduce you to Peyton Dollar.

Hi Peyton, 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 started taking photos professionally in 2017 and moved to Nashville in 2019 primarily working in the underground music scene with artists to create cover art and promotional material. By 2022, my journey led me to country music and documenting life on the road. Within this space I had the amazing opportunity to work within the machine of some of the biggest tours in country music: Jelly Roll’s Backroad Baptism Tour, Carrie Underwood’s Denim and Rhinestones Tour, Dierk’s Bentley’s Gravel and Gold Tour, Dan and Shay’s Arena Tour and more.

Working digitally throughout this whole time, in 2024 I decided to purchase a couple of film cameras and work exclusively within the analog medium, developing and scanning my own film at home. This forced me to get closer to the process and understand what photography is within a traditional setting which has been one of my biggest creative breakthroughs. Suddenly I wasn’t just a bystander snapping away anymore, I was becoming a creator within my own process.

Now, 9 years after my beginnings as a documentarian, I’ve decided to step on the brakes, put the camera down, and embrace art as a whole— focusing on states of being and my internal pulse through the world of abstract painting. Working primarily in large format, I find that scale is essential to my approach—gesture, emotion, and physical presence lead the way. The work is no longer about what can be shown, but what can be felt.

I’ve found this to be the natural progression of the photographer if they’re willing. After pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with film, the only way forward is through the unseen and to the felt experience. At some point, the documentarian must step into their own world and take charge of their narrative or someone else’s achievements will begin to cloud their initial vision. They must ask the question: What does it mean to create a world rather than just stand in it?

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?
Nothing worth doing comes easy. Anyone who wishes to pursue an artistic medium will face nearly every negative emotion possible throughout their journey whether it be: self doubt, anxiety, inadequacy, external pressure, imposter syndrome, etc. The problem is that none of these emotions will ever go away, so the real fight isn’t experiencing them— it’s about having the grit to push through and continue to do what you set out to do. Even the most notable artists of our time face this even when it may not appear that way. Our modern, constantly changing world will try and persuade you that everything must be perfect within a 3×3 grid in order to be true, but this actually couldn’t be further from that truth. The biggest challenge every artist today will face is being confronted by superficiality. Deep down, the biggest obstacle I’ve always faced is being able to discern truth from performance. I believe once you can break past that barrier, everything else will align.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
For the longest, my photo work revolved around vision through the external world and being able to instantly see results through digital, mostly asking “What looks the best?” This was until I started shooting 35mm film when I began to ask what was true to my vision. This is an inherent byproduct of film where your shots are limited, gratification is delayed, light is different, and your reward is through the other side of development and process. Then I started working in 6×7 medium format film where the question of truth became even bigger. It was becoming about how I spent my 10 shots and how I chose to operate the camera rather than letting the camera operate for me. Medium format is no joke. Depending on your camera, it allows several more variables for you to control. It asks nearly everything from you and requires trust through the entire process.

After medium format came abstract painting where absolutely nothing was given to me. No pretty sky, no big stage, np celebrity subject, no light, no terrain, no shot— just me and the blank canvas. This changed everything. I was no longer operating on a sense— but a feeling, a fleeting memory. It’s become about how I’m feeling on a particular day and whether or not I’m ready to face success or potential failure with my own creation. I don’t spend a lot of time on my paintings. I find that bursts of inspiration serve me better than a slow methodical process because of the energy within that burst. It can’t sustain itself forever and after some time the energy fades. Painting has become about capturing an idea and learning to tame it within a structure quickly. Some days it’s about order, other days it’s about chaos, and everything in between? That’s the art.

What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Authenticity is at the core of my journey as it should be for anyone pursuing an artistic medium. Without it the work cannot function as it should: truthfully.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://peytondollar.co
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/peytoncdollar