Zach Wayne

The Start

My name is Zachery Harnish. Online, I'm Zach Wayne. I've been doing this for over nine years — self-taught, no formal photography education. Just a camera, a lot of trial and error, and an obsession that never went away.

It started junior year of high school in a media class. Something about creating something out of nothing — the right camera, the right moment, the right light — clicked in a way nothing else had. After that I was out with friends shooting their cars in parking lots and on back roads every chance I got.

I graduated in 2017, enrolled at the University of Rhode Island, and left after one year when I realized I was already ahead of what they were teaching. I bet on myself and got to work.

Early Career

My first real break came through a concert promotion company called Concert Crave, where I shot for Lil Mosey, DaBaby, Lil Tjay, Trippie Redd, Polo G, and others. That led to a role as personal photographer for rising artist Lil Xxel — which meant one thing: I was moving to Los Angeles.

I packed up my life with big plans. Then COVID hit, two to three months after I arrived. Every show, every event, every opportunity — gone overnight. I stayed nine more months waiting for things to open back up. They didn't. I moved back to the East Coast and started over.

Building the Business Side

Back home I co-founded a social media management company called FourShadow with three partners. Our standout result was with Paul Carassone (@the_propertyboss) — we grew him from roughly 1,000 followers to 220,000 in about six months. FourShadow ran for two years and taught me the business side of content creation in ways that shooting alone never could have.

But I had to be honest with myself. I was building other people's brands while automotive content — the thing I actually cared about — sat on the back burner.

The LAB CT & LGND Supply Co.

I was offered a role at Legends Auto Boutique (The LAB CT) and LGND Supply Co. and jumped at it. Over two years I produced luxury automotive photo and video content, managed social media for both brands, and helped generate multiple viral posts that grew both accounts significantly. I also ran The LAB CT's YouTube channel, producing regular vlogs that gave followers a real behind-the-scenes look at one of Connecticut's most respected luxury car facilities.

The cars, the clients, the culture — it all aligned with what I'd been building toward since high school.

What I'm Building Now

That chapter has ended. I'm choosing to see it as the push I needed to go fully independent.

Motus — With my colleague Owen, I co-founded Motus, an automotive content company built around cinematic films about people and their cars. Not spec sheets. The actual stories — the people, the builds, the obsession. Owen and I were nominated by the Motor Film Awards, which took us to London for the award show. We didn't win. But getting back to that stage and winning is a real goal now.

Drip — I also partnered with Owen and Josh to launch Drip, a tech cleaning product company built specifically for cameras and equipment. It's early days, but we believe in it.

Zach Wayne — I recently launched my website at zach-wayne.com — portfolio, storefront, and home base. I sell prints, digital presets, and merchandise. My own YouTube channel is live and growing, with car edits, tutorials, gear reviews, and behind-the-scenes content. The freelance side of my business is actively growing too.

Brands I've Worked With

HRE Wheels · Porsche · Vossen · KPMF · RYFT · ANKRY · Urban · TEN · Legends Auto Boutique · LGND Supply Co. · Motor Film Awards

The Goal

I want to work with major brands — wheel companies, wrap companies, parts manufacturers, and automotive names like BMW, Porsche, and Lamborghini. Luxury dealerships. Global campaigns. I want my photos sitting in an advertisement where someone stops, looks, and thinks: I need that car.

That's the standard. That's what I get out of bed for.

Outside the Lens

I golf, snowboard, and bowl. People are always surprised by the bowling. I'm drawn to things that reward focus and consistency — whether I'm lining up a putt or lining up a Porsche at golden hour. Same instinct, different context.