Meet the Photographer!
My passion for photography began with a love for the world around me. I started with the wildlife of California’s coast, learning to use my first camera almost ten years ago capturing everything from soaring hawks to skittish mule deer. As I sharpened my photographic eye, my focus shifted to storytelling. I began to seek out impactful moments, documenting people’s unique stories and experiences.
As a student at the University of California San Diego, I’m pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Business Psychology and a minor in Sociology, all while spending countless hours in Geisel Library pouring over books on the history and ethics of photography.
I value the precision, authenticity, and stories captured in my photos. No clearer is this seen than in my journalistic work as a Photo Editor and Webmaster for The UCSD Guardian, working around the clock to share the moments that make up life on campus. The pursuit of the next story led me to intern at EdSource and report on issues abroad with iEi Media.
I’ve visually documented and reported on the use of artificial intelligence in education, homelessness, climate change, bullfighting, workers’ rights, tourism’s degrading effects on local communities, and student reactions to the Israel–Palestine conflict — including the UC San Diego encampment and its shutdown by riot police from CHP, UCPD, and the San Diego Sheriff’s office.
I’m always looking for what’s next. If you’d like to work with me, please reach out!
Testimonials
Solo Portrait Session
“Really satisfied with how Thomas rendered my vision and how he brought out the best in each location! It was really easy to trust his eye for detail and how he seamlessly guided me through poses. I felt more in the moment, and I think that translated really well in the final results!”
— Dave Vo
Group Portrait Session
“He does everything from helping you think of poses to fixing small folds in clothing. The attention to detail in his shots is amazing and he knows the best spots to take pictures at!! I would highly recommend :)”
— Calvin Nguyen
Family Portrait Session
“Thomas made the photo shoot process easy. He has a good eye for backgrounds, composition & positioning, and was clear with his instructions. The outcome was high-quality photos that exceeded our expectations.”
— Aniruddha Karve
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Photo Editor & Webmaster
Gained exceptional experience and leadership skills, completing over 60 photo assignments and managing a team of student photojournalists. Implemented new practices that prioritize members’ development and growth. Published photo essays on homelessness, political actions, and artistic events.
I stepped up to run The UCSD Guardian’s website. I went on to establish and manage the Web Section, leading a redesign overhaul while streamlining our operational systems.
Sample of published work:
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California Student Journalism Corps
Helped lead a team of collegiate journalists from across California, focusing on project tracking, editing, and content management. I worked to consolidate everyone’s work into a cohesive end product, doing a large amount of editing and task delegation. I primarily reported on how professors were responding to the use of Artificial Intelligence in education.
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International Student Reporter
While living with a host family, I worked through iEi Media’s international journalism program to report on rampant tourism’s impact on the local community, the history of the area, the effect of human presence on the natural world, and the ancient tradition of bullfighting. I photographed the happenings of the ancient city, including the world’s largest photography festival and junior matadors dueling to the death with adult bulls, proving their skill to the townspeople gathered in a coliseum.
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Assisted with product photoshoots, adjusting lighting and crafting displays. Managed client social media accounts, doing research on local industries to create effective networks to get accounts recommended. Designed graphics for online posts. Delivered materials directly to clients. Organized the company’s media database, sorting a vast sea of images and videos while implementing a tagging system for search optimization.