We are thrilled to showcase Rob Adamo’s moto image on our summer 2021 AtEdge cover. If the aim of life is to live, Rob’s work exudes the enthusiasm to be in the moment fully. AtEdge chose this particular photograph as it reflects hope, freedom, and a sense of excitement of what’s to come. – AtEdge
IN FOCUS:: Robert Adamo
ATTRIBUTES:: Authentic – Passionate – High-End GRIT
Rob’s style is craftsman chic, its authentic sophistication, it’s high-end grit. He’s just as comfortable remodeling his rustic cabins in the mountains as he is shooting an editorial layout for a fashion magazine. No matter what project he’s working on, Rob approaches everything with authenticity. No egos, no diva moments, nothing but hard work, and a passion for capturing those magic images that happen when you’re completely invested in the assignment. Rob has always operated that way, making it look easy for clients and having fun at it for the last 20 years as a photographer and director.
He lives in North Carolina with his beautiful wife, daughter, cats, chickens, and their amazing great
Pyrenees dogs Nicks and Delilah and Stevie, the smartest English Cream Retriever you’ll ever meet!
atedge: Can you share with us where or when your brand started to take shape?
Rob Adamo: I started out like many photographers loving fashion photography, shooting beautiful people in creative ways and trying to find the best lighting techniques both in studio and on location. My business started to take off with high end clients, but I found that it wasn’t fulfilling, nor did it reflect my own story or experiences that resonated with me. So about 12 years ago, I decided to seek out folks doing fun and amazing things that tickled me. I pivoted my camera to the Florida Culture I knew. Florida is a place where I grew up and understood to the core. My first AHA moment, happened when I embedded myself with the ‘young chopper crew’, and captured their personalities and culture. After that point my business really took off and I started taking a deep dive into capturing these off, but very real authentic moments.
atedge: Can you share details about your cover image with us?
Rob Adamo: The AtEdge cover shot is from a Travel Nevada tourism still/motion campaign; a dream job that included action, adventure, and travel. There were two separate shoots produced in different parts of the state that took over a month from location scouting to wrap. During the scout, our core crew was able to delve in and experience incredible adventures that ultimately we used to storyboard and then capture later with talent. I was lucky to have my DP Keenan Neuman come along for the ride as we could bounce ideas off each other along the way. I find it vital, when approaching a stills and motion project to hire a DP that is also a director. This way on shoot days, when time is of the essence, we can work independently, both capturing amazing content at the same time without ruining the spontaneity of the moment.
BTS: Rob Adamo (far right) with his Crew
STILL DELIVERABLES::
Wildest Weirdest West / Travel Nevada Tourism Campaign
Wildest Weirdest West / Travel Nevada Tourism Campaign
As for many of my productions, I enlist my friends and their friends to join in on the antics of my shoots. For Travel Nevada, I wanted to have a biker couple that wasn’t typical….. A couple with flare and personality that would break the mold of the usual talent pool. The campaign titled the Wildest Weirdest West was ….. for Josh and Nicki.
They loaded up the Bikes and Traveled from NJ to Nevada to help us out!
atedge: Can you talk about how you approach a motion project vs still only?
Rob Adamo: I approach a motion project the same way I would for a stills project. I first identify the locations and base my shot list off of what can be done in that space that threads together a story. What are they doing and why, where are they going next, how did they get there, that type of thing. The production took two weeks of location scouting from Tahoe to Great Basin on the Loneliest Highway. Finding the Roadside Bar was like stepping onto a movie set and I just knew we had to have it! The Middlegate Bar scenes were on our own time – sometimes you see something so perfect and you won’t take no for an answer. It’s amazing the stories that can come from a crew of 23 in two weeks of tech scouts, locations and shoot, caravanning across the desert. Kindred spirits were reunited, friendships were solidified and life changing moments were abound. We can’t wait to do it again!
