Colby McLemore is #MadeForKnoxville.
If you live in Knoxville, you know his work–it’s all over local billboards, magazines and company websites. Colby McLemore is a photographer, videographer, and community member who has been leaving his mark on the city for years.
To Colby, Knoxville isn’t just a great landscape for his own entrepreneurial pursuits–it’s the ideal place for all entrepreneurs to grow. That’s why he’s an active member of the community, teaching aspiring photographers and participating in chamber events and local photo contests. Colby works with Knoxville businesses and individuals alike, using his experience and artistry to create commercial headshots, product photography, and video branding assets. Throughout his professional career, peers, clients, and students have agreed by nominating Colby as Knoxville’s Best Photographer and recently inducting him into the Tennessee Photographer Hall of Fame.
“If you see a group of people with cameras, it wouldn’t be unlikely that he would be in the middle of them.”
In Their Own Words…
Colby McLemore was made for Knoxville in so many ways. Knoxville is large enough to have plenty of opportunities for freelancers and entrepreneurs to build and grow a business but small enough that hard work and a good reputation get around. It has a community that supports and nurtures small business growth with an array of professional trade organizations, chambers of commerce, schools, and colleges–and the Knoxville Entrepreneurial Center, of course. He also loves the urban wilderness with all the greenways, parks (including dog parks), as well as a fantastic array of great restaurants. He also loves that it isn’t uncommon to see a friend around town.
Since moving to Knoxville, Colby with Colby’s Photos & Videos has continued to build his advertising and commercial photography and videography business out of his downtown Knoxville studio. However, he is most commonly on location at his clients’ businesses. He loves the downtown vibe, especially when he gets off work and he is already there. It is very likely that you have already seen his work around Knoxville on billboards, in local magazines, on regional business websites, or anywhere else where a photo or video appears. Knoxville has loads of individuals looking for personal branding and as well as medium- to large-sized companies that need various visuals. They use photography and videography for their advertisements, including individual professional headshots and corporate headshots for entire companies of lawyers, CPAs, Realtors, or other professionals. Colby also does a lot of product photography, including his favorite genre: food photography for small- and medium-sized chains around Knoxville.
Knoxville’s community has supported him, awarding him the Knoxville News Sentinel Reader’s Choice Award for Best Knoxville Photographer and Cityview magazine’s Best of the Best Knoxville Photographer for several years in a row. You can read his rave reviews from our community anywhere on the internet. His Knoxville peers have recognized his exceptional work with gold and silver ADDY awards for his advertising work as well as numerous Big Wig Awards.
Colby believes strongly in giving back to a community that has given so much to him. He is an active ambassador for the Farragut/West Knoxville Chamber and used to be one for the Knoxville Chamber. He has been on the boards of the American Marketing Association Knoxville, the American Advertising Association Knoxville, Pellissippi Photography Degree Program advisors, and many others! He is often a judge for photo contests and can be seen doing presentations for enthusiast photography clubs around Knoxville. In addition, Colby taught at the University of Tennessee’s Photography Certificate Program for about seven years.
You are likely to see him at any chamber event, walking and running with his dog at any local park or greenway, or at the art walks on First Fridays. If you see a group of people with cameras, it wouldn’t be unlikely that he would be in the middle of them. If you ever see him about town, please reach out and introduce or reintroduce yourself. Knoxville is the perfect size, and you can’t have too many friends here.
Interested in sharing your “Made for Knoxville” story? Submit here!
