diff --git a/internal/operations/podsMutation.go b/internal/operations/podsMutation.go
index 0eb9027..35d8f14 100644
--- a/internal/operations/podsMutation.go
+++ b/internal/operations/podsMutation.go
@@ -1,5 +1,64 @@
 package operations
 
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"log"
+
+	admission "k8s.io/api/admission/v1"
+	v1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
+)
+
 func PodsMutation() Hook {
-	return Hook{}
+	return Hook{
+		Create: podMutationCreate(),
+		// default allow
+		Delete: func(r *admission.AdmissionRequest) (*Result, error) {
+			return &Result{Allowed: true}, nil
+		},
+		Update: func(r *admission.AdmissionRequest) (*Result, error) {
+			return &Result{Allowed: true}, nil
+		},
+		Connect: func(r *admission.AdmissionRequest) (*Result, error) {
+			return &Result{Allowed: true}, nil
+		},
+	}
+}
+
+func podMutationCreate() AdmitFunc {
+	return func(r *admission.AdmissionRequest) (*Result, error) {
+		var operations []PatchOperation
+		pod, err := parsePod(r.Object.Raw)
+		if err != nil {
+			return &Result{Msg: err.Error()}, nil
+		}
+
+		// if pod is administratively exempt
+		if func(pod *v1.Pod) bool {
+			for label, value := range pod.Annotations {
+				log.Printf("[TRACE] Checking Metadata: %s=%s", label, value)
+				if label == "AdminNoMutate" && value == "true" {
+					return false
+				}
+			}
+			return true
+		}(pod) {
+			// mutate pod (annotation)
+			metadata := map[string]string{
+				"mutation-status": "pod mutated by mutation-controller",
+			}
+			// add original image to annotations
+			for _, p := range pod.Spec.Containers {
+				metadata[fmt.Sprintf("mutation-original-image-%s", p.Name)] = p.Image
+			}
+			// add annotation stating that the pos had been mutated
+			operations = append(operations, AddPatchOperation("/metadata/annotations", metadata))
+
+			// add image mutation
+		}
+
+		return &Result{
+			Allowed:  true,
+			PatchOps: operations,
+		}, nil
+	}
 }
diff --git a/mock-payloads/pods/test-pod01.json b/mock-payloads/pods/test-pod01.json
index 0c1263f..d688809 100644
--- a/mock-payloads/pods/test-pod01.json
+++ b/mock-payloads/pods/test-pod01.json
@@ -41,54 +41,8 @@
 					"run": "toolbox"
 				},
 				"annotations": {
-					"kubectl.kubernetes.io/last-applied-configuration": "{\"apiVersion\":\"v1\",\"kind\":\"Pod\",\"metadata\":{\"annotations\":{},\"labels\":{\"run\":\"toolbox\"},\"name\":\"test-pod01\",\"namespace\":\"test1\"},\"spec\":{\"containers\":[{\"image\":\"jmsearcy/toolbox:latest\",\"name\":\"toolbox\",\"ports\":[{\"containerPort\":8080}]}]}}\n"
-				},
-				"managedFields": [{
-					"manager": "kubectl",
-					"operation": "Update",
-					"apiVersion": "v1",
-					"time": "2020-10-11T05:15:41Z",
-					"fieldsType": "FieldsV1",
-					"fieldsV1": {
-						"f:metadata": {
-							"f:annotations": {
-								".": {},
-								"f:kubectl.kubernetes.io/last-applied-configuration": {}
-							},
-							"f:labels": {
-								".": {},
-								"f:run": {}
-							}
-						},
-						"f:spec": {
-							"f:containers": {
-								"k:{\"name\":\"toolbox\"}": {
-									".": {},
-									"f:image": {},
-									"f:imagePullPolicy": {},
-									"f:name": {},
-									"f:ports": {
-										".": {},
-										"k:{\"containerPort\":8080,\"protocol\":\"TCP\"}": {
-											".": {},
-											"f:containerPort": {},
-											"f:protocol": {}
-										}
-									},
-									"f:resources": {},
-									"f:terminationMessagePath": {},
-									"f:terminationMessagePolicy": {}
-								}
-							},
-							"f:dnsPolicy": {},
-							"f:enableServiceLinks": {},
-							"f:restartPolicy": {},
-							"f:schedulerName": {},
-							"f:securityContext": {},
-							"f:terminationGracePeriodSeconds": {}
-						}
-					}
-				}]
+						"AdminNoMutate": "false"
+				}
 			},
 			"spec": {
 				"volumes": [{