Paul Hartley entered into the world of photography as a hobbyist in the late 1970s, when he was an owner-operator trucking across America. He sold his truck in the late '80s and enrolled at Mankato State University (Mankato, MN), pursuing a degree in journalism. After graduation in 1991, he began working for newspapers, but was soon drawn back into the trucking industry when he became the technical and equipment editor at Overdrive Magazine, the nation's leading business publication for single-truck operators and small fleets.

In 2001 Hartley founded Additional Media, a photographic and editorial service, and has since attracted an impressive list of clients, ranging from manufacturers to publishers to marketing and public relations agencies. Although most of his work involves some type of heavy automotive machinery, Hartley also photographs people, special events, buildings (inside and out) and tabletop items.