Meet Brandon Adams | Visual Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Brandon Adams and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Brandon, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I never knew that I could turn my hobby into a legitimate business, until after I graduated from undergrad. I had photography, videography, and graphic design gigs here and there throughout college, but I had no idea of the full magnitude of the industry I was entering. I had never seen or knew of any full-time creatives/ photographers growing up as a child, so I thought a career as a creative was unheard of; And I truly viewed the creative business landscape as a supplemental stream of income, and not a main source. I grew up in a household with an entrepreneur for a mom, and as much as she would tell me that I could be anything I wanted, it never crossed my mind that I could have a career as a creative. Upon entering college, I still didn’t see any opportunity to be a full-time creative or indulge in a creative major. As a student of a liberal arts college, the closet thing to a creative career/major was to be a marketing major. Through the Marketing route, I was able to learn all of the tools, skills, and work ethics necessary to start my own business. I graduated in 2017 and worked for several corporate companies before I decided to start my own business in August of 2019. One of my friends invited me to StreetzFest (a popular music festival here in Atlanta) and he prompted me to bring my camera because he had an additional press pass and he knew I always caught great moments. I attend the show, snapped some flicks, and had to decide how I was going to release the art I had just created. I felt the best avenue to get the most eyes on my art was to start a separate instagram page for my work, and thus BAFlicks was born. Concert photography was probably the breaking point when I realized, “Okay this is what I like, I want to work with something dealing with music and film” Initially, there was no plan to “start a business”. I just truly enjoyed taking nice pictures and wanted to share them with the world. I knew that I’d always wanted to work for myself, as I seen my parents do, but I had no idea that I would find such a joy as the creative field, even with all of it’s stressors, the good outweighs the bad, and that’s what keeps me going.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
What sets my art apart from others is that I like to get up close and personal with my subjects, while allowing them to shine within their comfort zone and/or natural element. It’s as if I’m a fly on the wall capturing genuine happiness from my subjects, and bringing the best versions of them to digital, film or print format. I am not just creating content, I am producing works of art.

Most proud of: My art was featured in Ebony Magazine Campus Queen shoot for Morehouse College

Most excited about: I can’t talk about it too much because of NDAs and whatnot, but I’m working on a big project with a creative collective called Aesthetic Association. It’ll be released/ announced towards the end of this year, but they have some huge things on the way.

How did I get to where I am today professionally: Through genuine connections and relationships. Building a network of trusted clients and collaborators that allow me utilize the connections to build my clientele and my portfolio. I’ve always been a hustler and had a business oriented mindset, even as a child, and as I got older, It became more refined and developed. I learned a lot of my professionalism from my mother, as I had seen first hand how she ran her own business and how she conducted herself personally and professionally. The biggest transition, which sometimes I feel I’m still in, was converting my hobby into a professional business; because as I do not see my creative career as “work” due to it being so enjoyable, however, I still have to set systems and processes in place to elevate my work professionally.

Was it easy? How did I overcome challenges: The short answer Hell No, but it is worth it. At least to me. I’ve always looked at challenges as opportunities. Opportunities to learn, grow, and expand my current mindset. Overcoming the challenges a new brand/business face; Such as building clientele, organically growing your social media following, the numerous applications and denials/ rejections for events, and always questioning, doubting, and or comparing your art to others; Allowed me to become creative in my approach to these obstacles. However, the biggest obstacle of them all was Me, and my mental roadblocks I had set for myself, telling myself that i couldn’t do it, or that my art was not as good as others. However, I have learned to accept the fact that I, in fact, am a work in progress. I don’t always have the right answers, I might not get the best flick sometimes, and I’ll make mistake along the way; But as long as I am learning and growing through these experiences, as well as elevating my work, then I am on the right path. Everything happens for a reason and even if I don’t understand it at that time, I’m always able to look back and see the lessons and blessings in disguise.

What lessons I learned:
“Everything Happens for a reason”
“Don’t Give Up”
“Trust The Process”
“Don’t be afraid to attend events alone” as long as you have you camera, you’ll always have a friend.
“Perfect your craft”
“Find your design language”

What I want the world to know about me:

I’m just like you. I’m a human being, I don’t have all the answers to everything and I’m ok with that. I am constantly growing, learning, questioning, and adapting to my environment; And putting my best foot forward. Life is a journey that can take some crazy twist and turns, but if you’re open, adaptable, and genuine, then the world is your oyster. These are words that I would want to be remembered by, and values that I hold high in my life.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Atlanta has everything you could ever want or need. Catering to everyone from the freelance creative to the 9-5 corporate businessman/ woman. Some spots that I would suggest are:

The Battery: Smyrna (Food, Drinks, Games, and Fun)
High Museum of Art
Poor Calvins (A nice asian fusion restaurant that will knock your socks off
Cam Kirk Studios* (My Morehouse brother, Cam Kirk, offers free 1 hour studio sessions)
Ponce City Market (Food, Fun, and Games)
Impact Church
AUC- Morehouse College (My alma mater)

I can’t give away all my good spots and hidden gems, but that is a great start for a friend visiting the A.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d be remised if I didn’t give a shout-out to my parents, Bryant and Nashone, for constantly showing and telling me that I can be/ do anything I want in life. My Art teachers at Ogden Elementary School in Chicago, where I took my first photoshop class that changed the rest of my life. I also want to send a shoutout to the creative community of Atlanta, thanks for welcoming me with open arms and being a constant source of support, love, and inspiration throughout my journey; and finally, the biggest shoutout goes to God. I am a man of Christian faith, and in all things that I do, I just want to glorify God and the work that he has done in me.

Website: www.BAFlicks.com

Instagram: @BAFlicks // @_BrandonAdams

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonaadams7/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BAFlicks

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BAFlicks

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLiYuai6vF4Axrh9GPJlPNg?app=desktop

Image Credits
Jordan Littlejohn Brandon Adams