Hi, I'm Thomas Murphy — a California-based journalist, photographer and visual storyteller.
I picked up a camera over a decade ago, driven by a desire to photograph the birds of my hometown: Ruby-throated hummingbirds, red-shouldered hawks, and snowy egrets proved to be my favorites. What began as a creative hobby evolved into a passion for documenting people, places, and the communities around me.
As a reporter, I cover local government, education, environment, and accountability issues, producing investigations and community stories that have reached millions of readers and viewers — never failing to create eye-catching visuals to include. That work has sharpened my eye for detail, showing me that the most meaningful stories are built on trust, curiosity, and genuine human connection.
Those same principles guide every photo session. Whether I'm photographing an event or making portraits, my goal is to create images that feel natural, timeless, and authentic. I focus on making people comfortable in front of the camera so their personalities shine through. Expect plenty of comedy; that’s my specialty.
I'm currently based in San Diego and available throughout Southern California for editorial assignments, portrait sessions, and events. You can review my professional experience below.
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January 2026 — Present
Published 40+ articles on breaking news, education, investigative property reporting, and science. Contributed 1,500+ archival photos to the newsroom database. Created video reports for social media, generating 65,000+ views. Authored the top-performing article of February 2026.
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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.
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Co-reported an investigative piece with Annenberg Media on UC San Diego’s body donation program and the U.S. Navy’s use of medical cadavers.
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Israeli Military Medics Are Training On Dead Americans
Al Jazeera’s AJ+ created a documentary that featured the investigation by other student journalists and me. We revealed how UC San Diego’s body donation program worked with USC to supply medical cadavers for the U.S. Navy’s training course, exclusively for members of the Israeli military.
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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.
Professional Experience
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.”