Clayton began his photography journey during a time of extreme burnout in college. Halfway through completing his bachelor’s degree, he hit a wall: “All I ever did was do homework, practice, and go to class." 

On the pursuit of his main career path as a professional percussionist (Peliti currently holds a master’s degree in percussion performance), Clayton found himself too busy for friends, family, and hobbies. “I realized how much of a toll it was taking on my mental state,” he says.

Peliti was initially inspired by photographer and YouTuber Peter McKinnon, whose videos made him want to try photography seriously for the first time — “After that is all history, as they say!” 

When considering changes to his style over the years, Clayton reflects on his early show outings: “I would find myself waiting around for the perfect shot... then have barely any photos to work with.”

He has since been refining his approach, bringing greater intention to each shot, but with a more candid style, stating, “I work to capture as many moments as possible, to create a story ark that both the artist and their fans can see and experience through those photos.”

Clayton also credits his good friend Dalton Robason for influencing his work “more than anyone else by far”, particularly while they were in a band together (Clayton on drums, Dalton on guitar). “He is an extremely creative person in everything that he does,” Peliti says of Robason, “so I have looked up to him a lot, and work to be as creative and original as he is.”