Today we’d like to introduce you to Adam Suiter.
Hi Adam, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
In 2012, we were looking to get a bit more freedom to pursue our real passion, which is volunteer work. I was working as a Creative Director for a tech company, and Amber was doing merchandising work. While we enjoyed those jobs, it made it difficult to leave when new opportunities to help people would come up. So we started looking for something that could support us and give us more freedom.
A CALL FROM GOOGLE. One day we were surfing the art/media/design section of Craigslist, and we came across a post from Google. Even back in 2012, it was odd that Google was using Craigslist to post job openings. The post was for a new thing called Google Business View. They were looking to train and certify photographers to take Google Street View inside of businesses. Not knowing if it was a scam or not, we responded to the ad, and about a day later, we got a call from Mountain View, California, the headquarters of Google.
GOOGLE TRUSTED PHOTOGRAPHERS. With a bit of training and testing, we both passed our exams and were certified as Google Trusted Photographers. In the beginning, Amber would do cold calls to local businesses during the day, and then we would both photograph them in the evening. Amber was the one who got things off the ground (517 Visuals is certified as a woman-owned and operated small business). While I now take the lead on sales, Amber is still hard at work behind the scenes to keep us going.
TAKING THE PLUNGE. After countless nights and weekends building the business as a side hustle, I quit my day job on my 30th birthday. Amber followed suit soon thereafter. In the beginning, we dabbled in just about every kind of photography, from weddings to products, food, family, seniors, etc. Basically, our motto was “have a camera, will travel,” regardless of who needed it.
FAST FORWARD TO TODAY. It took some time to find our niche, but we came to realize that our favorite clients tended to be businesses rather than families. So a few years back, we shut down the family side of things and focused on businesses. That still felt like too broad a category, so in 2022, we have “niche down” even further to focus on architectural and headshot photography for the AEC (architects, engineries, construction) industry and other professionals.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It is always a struggle to find a work/life balance. When you work for yourself, you don’t work full-time; you work all the time. Knowing how to stop and relax without always thinking about work isn’t easy. Plus, it took a long time to establish a steady income. We tried a bunch of different things to figure out what we liked doing and (more importantly) would be profitable.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Architectural and headshot photography is our main niche. We are also known for dramatic b-roll video from our drones and time-lapse cameras. Coming from a graphic arts/branding background has given us a unique sensibility and style. Rather than just making pretty things, we focus on the usefulness of our work from a marketing perspective. Our work also tends to have a strong technical leaning, due to being really interested in the mechanics of the tools we use. We really like to nerd-out about our gear.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Likeability. There are lots of people who can take decent photographs, but being likeable is a big deal. If you’re a tyrant on a project, you’re not likely to be welcomed back. Also, have a clear intention for what you’re shooting. In this industry, you’re making marketing assets, so shoot with that goal in mind. Our philosophy is this: 1.) Be likable. 2.) Don’t just take pictures, make them.
We love teaming up with architects, designers, and other professionals to create stunning visuals that not only capture a project’s purpose, (or the people behind your projects) but also reflect its depth and character. We feel that our work is an extension of the design process, the final leg of a very long relay race.
Our mission: To ensure every image reflects the heart, soul, and purpose of your project and to be easy to work with. 😃
Contact Info:
- Website: https://517visuals.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/517visuals/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/517visuals
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/517visuals/
