ABOUT

A bit about Tom

My photographic heritage roughly dates back to when my grandad, a keen photographer, gave me his mysterious-looking light meter in a little leather pouch. Things then geared up a notch when my dad let me play with his old beat-up Olympus Trip camera, complete with an illustrated guide (sun, clouds, half-sun/half-clouds) to exposure taped to the back. After a few more cameras lost to sand and too much fiddling I began to get serious whilst living and studying in Brazil. There, under the masterful guidance of Edgard Oliva, I began to hone my craft photographing sea forts, the fading, ageing grandeur of Salvador da Bahia's old railway lines and loading film reels the wrong way round in almost-dark darkrooms. 

Studying the work of the great Sebastião Salgado, Cristina Garcia-Rodero and Jean Mohr I was struck with the people and stories in their series of images and the potential these visual documents had for making an impact for social change. Since then, I have worked in a variety of other environments (entertainment, fashion, music, editorial, news, PR), but still carry that drive for telling a story with people at the centre. 

My current modus operandi is a somewhat fork-like three-pronged approach encompassing portraiture, social storytelling and photographing weddings (which is, in many ways, an applied version of the previous two). 

And I still treasure that little light meter to this day, but it gets more use now with my bulky medium format Mamiya than the nifty Olympus Trip. 

Education

University of Southampton (2005-2010)

BA Spanish and Portuguese (1st Class Hons)

  • -   Lyttle prize for outstanding academic achievement
  • -   School of Modern Languages ‘Spanish’ Prize for outstanding achievement in Spanish
  • -   Dissertation research project on how Bloco Afro ‘Olodum’ use the creative arts and innovative pedagogic strategies to alleviate and tackle poverty and racism in North-Eastern Brazil and globalisation’s impact upon this process.

 

MA Transnational Studies (Distinction) 

  • -   Awarded Sue Wilson Scholarship
  • -   Awarded prestigious Fernão Mendes Pinto Scholar Bursary provided by Portugal's Camões Institute
  • -   Researched and wrote masters dissertation on the contemporary transnational pilgrimage route, the ‘Camino de Santiago’, in Northern Spain/Portugal

 

Universidade Federal da Bahia (Brazil) (2008)

  • -   Studied photography in the School of Fine Art under Edgard Oliva; Salvador, Brazil.

Awards

  • -   Winner of Talenthouse Creative Invite for Tomorrowland Festival in Belgium, 2012. Official photographer at festival featuring David Guetta, Calvin Harris, Fatboy Slim & Skrillex. 
  • -   Finalist in Triodos Bank Social Vision Photography Competition, 2011.
  • -   Winner of British Heart Foundation, Independent on Sunday ‘Red for Heart Photography Competition 2010’ (first prize in student category and a second image highly commended)
  •    -   Gallery in London Eye
  •    -   Feature in Independent on Sunday
  •    -   Experience with Getty Photographers inc. Chris Ryan, Robert Daly and Martin Barraud 
  •    -   Interviewed for Student Events website 


Featured in


Interviews


Exhibitions

      • The Art House Southampton (October 2009 / November 2010)
      • ‘Liminal’ Exhibition in the University of Southampton (July 2010) 
      • University of Southampton research celebration day (March 2010)
      • British Heart Foundation Gallery by City Hall / The London Eye (January 2010)
      • Corsham ‘Pound Arts’ Gallery (October/November 2009)
      • ‘Exposed’ Gallery, University of Southampton (February 2009)
      • Tarrafada Gallery (Salvador, Brazil 2008)
      • Alliance Française (Salvador, Brazil 2007)


Clients 

Air Traffic, Luke Leighfield, Atlum Schema, Jose Vanders, Newsquest, Independent on Sunday, CHAME, Family Creative, Latin Link, WOMAD Festival, Greenbelt Festival, Tomorrowland Festival, Get In PR, Good Fruit, National Farmers Union, University of Southampton, School for Social Entrepreneurs, Shedlight Productions, Want Her Dress, YMCA.



Testimonials

"The photographic works by Tom Price cause such a joyful stir in me that I am compelled to gush forth with superlatives and gusto about his work.  As an artist who has been lucky enough to have had Tom photograph my work, these words come especially easily, although my enthusiasm restricts my ability to be concise.  As an attempt to sum up his masterful eye and youthful brilliance, I can, in short, say he is a genius."

      - The very generous Laura Ellen Bacon

“Your images are wonderful. You really had a feel of the festival and explored every nook and cranny. Choosing has become almost impossible!”
     - WOMAD Festival

“This was a strong category, but Tom’s photograph really stood out. The photo is experimental with the use of light, which does not feel contrived and has interesting composition.”
     - Sophie Batterbury, Judge and Independent on Sunday Picture Editor

“...stretched the brief, the obvious picture was not taken and this created some very original and interesting shots… We loved the experimental nature of the images showing an impressive and strong skill set”
     - Tom Hind, European Head of Content for Getty Images

"IT'S AMAZING. I love it, you're incredible. Thank you, thank you. So striking!"”
     - Jose Vanders, Musician

“We felt the photos were the real attraction of this blog”
     - David Wolf, Prospect Magazine

“Tom – these are AMAZING!  Thank you so much… We always have a difficult time getting strong photos for news releases.  These photos will sell the story by themselves practically.”
     - Press & Publicity, The University of Winchester

“start to finish they were great pictures… I was delighted with the image that we have put on the front page. It was a great shot.”
     - Simon Davies, Assistant editor, Wilts & Glos Standard

“That’s the kind of stuff that I’m talking about… this is pretty cool”
     - Jeremy Cowart, celebrity photographer (Britney Spears, Imogen Heap, Sting), USA

"Tom is everything I need in a photographer. Always full of great ideas and concepts, extremely organised and easy to deal with, he is a thoroughly lovely chap. Tom has been my first port of call for promotional or live photography for the past three years, and I wouldn't consider using anyone else."”
     Luke Leighfield, musician

“Tom's outstanding level of professionalism and direction is fuelled by his passion for photography, making him a pleasure to work with. He devotes 100% of his time and attention to deliver a product that will exceed expectations”
     - Kino Feuer, musician.

“Rad Photo”
     - Bryce Avary, The Rocket Summer