Today we’d like to introduce you to PJ Gordon II.
Hi PJ, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I launched PJG Photography in June 2025 with a simple goal: help listings in our corner of Michigan stand out. I’d photographed family, sports, and the outdoors for years, but real estate demanded a new kind of precision—clean compositions, true-to-life color, and images that make buyers feel like they’re already walking the space.
The first challenge wasn’t the camera—it was customers. I made a list of local agents, introduced myself, and offered a no-risk first shoot to prove the quality. I showed up on time, delivered fast, and included a few bonus angles so they could see what careful lighting and composition do for a listing. I asked for feedback on every job and turned that into better angles, tighter interiors, and a dependable workflow. One agent told another. Then another.
Meanwhile, I was building something I’d never done before: my website. No template looked quite like my brand, so I learned as I went—organizing galleries by property type, adding clear pricing by square footage, and making it easy to book. I wrote the copy in plain language, added a clean roof-line logo, and placed my phone number and contact form where clients didn’t have to hunt. It wasn’t perfect on day one, but it was honest, fast, and mine—and I kept improving it with each question a client asked.
As demand grew, I added the tools that help listings pop: aerial/drone photos, twilight sets, and floor plans.3D Virtual Walk-throughs. I refined delivery timelines, added next-day options, and built a consistent look clients could trust. Today, PJG Photography is known for reliable service, crisp, realistic images, and an easy process from booking to download.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I officially launched PJG Photography in June of 2025, focused on providing clean, professional real estate photography for agents and homeowners in our area. But starting this business wasn’t as simple as picking up a camera. It took work, patience, a lot of learning, and more than a few late nights.
One of the first steps was establishing my LLC. I had never started a business before, so I had to learn the paperwork, licensing, registration, and the steps to operate legitimately. At the same time, I was studying for my Part 107 Drone License, because I knew that aerial photography would become an essential part of what I offer.
The next challenge was finding and keeping customers. I didn’t have a ready-made client list, so I reached out to realtors one by one—introducing myself, showing sample photos, and offering to shoot a listing so they could see the difference for themselves. I listened closely to what they liked and didn’t like in real estate photos. Some wanted brighter interiors. Some wanted wide shots to show layout. Some wanted warmer tones to make a home feel inviting. Each conversation, each shoot, made me better.
While I was learning the business side, I was also sharpening the photography side. Real estate photography isn’t just “point and shoot”—it’s mastering ambient HDR, balancing natural light with flash, making sure windows look clear, highlights are controlled, and rooms look welcoming—not washed out or overly edited.
Then came the website. I had never built one before. But I knew that if I wanted clients to take me seriously, I needed a professional, easy-to-use online presence. I learned how to organize pricing by square footage, how to build galleries that load quickly, how to make forms simple to fill out, and how to showcase past work without overwhelming the viewer.
I also had to build a Facebook Business Page, design posts, and learn how to run ads—spending my own money to get my name in front of the people who needed me. There were days I wondered if it would pay off. But little by little, messages started to come in.
Every step of the way, I learned something new:
How to deliver photos quickly and consistently
How to communicate when schedules change
How to create a smooth booking and delivery workflow
How to build trust with realtors who rely on fast turnaround
Today, PJG Photography stands as proof that consistency matters. I started with no roadmap, just passion and determination. Now, I provide full real estate photo packages, aerial drone shoots, twilight photography, and floor plan services—with a process that is dependable, professional, and easy for clients.
This business wasn’t handed to me.
I built it — skill by skill, customer by customer, and shoot by shoot.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My Career in Controls Engineering
From 1990 to 2025, I worked as a Controls Engineer at HI-Lex Controls, a major automotive supplier known for building window regulator systems for companies like Ford, GM, Honda, and Mazda. Over those years, the factory evolved, the technology advanced, and production expectations grew — and I was part of that progression every step of the way.
My role wasn’t just to keep machines running. I was responsible for designing and building complete automated assembly lines from the ground up. That included:
Control panel design
Wiring and electrical layout
Robot programming and integration
PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) programming
Vision and Smart Camera systems for inspection and quality control
Every system I built had to be precise, reliable, and fast — because in automotive manufacturing, a few seconds per cycle can mean the difference between meeting production targets and falling behind.
I also spent a large part of my career debugging and optimizing existing equipment. Machinery doesn’t stay perfect forever — parts wear, software ages, and demand increases. When a line slowed down or struggled, I analyzed the problem, adjusted the control logic, refined motion paths, and implemented sensor or camera upgrades. The goal was always the same: maximum efficiency, faster cycle times, and reliable production.
Over 35 years in manufacturing, I learned how every detail matters — from the placement of a proximity sensor to the timing of a robotic pick-and-place motion. I collaborated with maintenance teams, engineers, production managers, and machine builders, always working toward the same mission: keep the line running, keep the quality high, and keep the customer satisfied.
By the time I stepped away from HI-Lex in 2025, I had seen the industry shift from simple relay panels to advanced robotic automation and Industry 4.0 controls — and I adapted right along with it. My work was hands-on, technical, precise, and problem-solving at its core.
The experience shaped the way I approach everything today:
Plan carefully
Build with pride
Improve continuously
Never stop learning
And that mentality is exactly what I carried forward when I began PJG Photography — the same attention to detail, the same drive for quality, and the same belief that if you’re going to do something, you do it right.
I have always liked working with a camera especially wildlife photos. From Birds, Raptors, Owls, Fox & Bears. I have recently had an article in Michigan access magazine. It was a 3 page layout featuring some of my wildlife photos. Link to this article is below starting on page 33.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Starting PJG Photography wasn’t a small or easy decision. It meant stepping into something new, something uncertain, and something that required both financial investment and personal commitment. Like any new business, there were real risks involved — risks that I had to acknowledge and work through one step at a time.
One of the first risks was leaving the comfort of stability. After spending decades in engineering, I had a career where I knew the systems, the expectations, and the routines. Starting my own business meant entering a world where success wasn’t guaranteed — I had to build it myself.
There were financial risks, too. Investing in camera equipment, drone technology, editing software, a website, marketing, and insurance required believing in the long-term vision before the revenue was steady. There were no shortcuts. It took savings, planning, and patience.
There was also the risk of competition. Real estate photography is a growing field, and standing out meant more than just taking “good pictures.” It meant developing:
A consistent style
Professional workflow
Fast turnaround times
A reliable reputation built one client at a time
Another risk was the learning curve. Even with a lifelong background in technical problem-solving, launching a photography business meant learning:
How to market myself
How to build and manage a website
How to price services competitive and fairly
How to interact with realtors and homeowners as clients
How to shoot and edit high-quality real estate photos, including HDR and twilight composites
How to operate commercially as a licensed Part 107 drone pilot
And of course, there was the risk of failure — the possibility that even with all the work, investment, and effort, things might not take off the way I hoped.
But the key to every business—and every meaningful goal—is this:
You cannot grow without stepping outside of what is comfortable.
I accepted the risks because I believed in what I could offer:
Quality. Reliability. A personal approach. And pride in every job.
Today, PJG Photography stands on a strong foundation that was built on those risks — and the commitment to push forward, learn, adjust, and improve continuously.
The risk was real — but so was the reward.
Contact Info:
- Website: PJGPHOTOGRAPHY.COM
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61577618811702
