Photographing Joe Ellis for Virginia Business in Marion, VA

Photographing Joe Ellis for Virginia Business at the Birthplace of Modern Mountain Dew

Entrepreneur Joe Ellis shown at the soda counter of the future home of the Modern Mountain Dew Museum.

I received an email to head to Marion, Virginia, to take a feature photo for Virginia Business. The story was about the upcoming Birthplace of Modern Mountain Dew Museum, which is expected to draw thousands of visitors when it opens in May 2026.

My assignment was to meet with Joe Ellis, the entrepreneur behind the museum, and capture a portrait of him outside the building. I met Mr. Ellis at his hotel, The General Francis Marion Hotel, in Marion, and we visited the future museum space on Main Street.

I took the shots outside that were requested by my contact at Virginia Business. After that, Mr. Ellis asked if I wanted to take a look inside. Once we stepped inside and I saw the original soda counter and the lineup of vintage Mountain Dew bottles on display, I knew I had to grab a few extra portraits.

Those quick indoor shots ended up being my favorite images from the session. Editorial photography has a way of surprising you. Sometimes the best photos come from simply saying yes to a new angle and being ready when the scene presents itself. It doesn’t hurt to be a photographer who brings a whole camera lighting set-up as well.

The Mountain Dew Museum is shaping up to be a one-of-a-kind attraction in Marion. With the restored 1940s lunch counter, original stools, and plenty of memorabilia, it will have plenty to offer when it opens to the public.

If you are a magazine looking for editorial portraits or a business wanting on-location environmental portraits that highlight your story, reach out. I am always ready to create images that connect people to your work.

To read the article that these images go with, you can read it here with Virginia Business.