A unique photographic style is one of the benchmarks of a great photographer. In 2007, Tom Hoops, was working as a web designer in Thailand, unfamiliar with names like Richard Avedon, Helmut Newton, or Paolo Roversi. But, after borrowing a friend’s camera one afternoon, a new creative passion emerged and, for the past six years, Tom has been refining a style and building a body of work that is both instantly recognizable and uniquely his own. His dramatic black & white portraiture and brilliant editorial work have earned him an ardent following and are increasingly in demand, particularly in the world of fashion. I got the chance to sit down with Tom to talk about how his work has evolved, the importance of shooting what you love and why he wants his photography to be like a black polo neck.

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SHOW NOTES

On developing a unique style: “You should shoot what you want to put on your wall… I want dramatic, dark, powerful photos. That’s what I’d like on my wall, so that’s what I want to shoot. That’s what I should be shooting.”

On staying true to yourself: “If you don’t do what is essentially you, in terms of what is your creative vision, then what you’re going to produce is going to be a bit weak.”

When asked whether photography has made him a better person: “I don’t know if it’s made me better. It has made me more observant and I think it’s made me very keenly observant about people.”

CONNECT

Visit his website: http://tomhoops.com

Follow him on Twitter: @tomhoops

Follow him on Instagram: @tomhoops

Music in this episode: Please Listen Carefully (Jahzzar) / CC BY-SA 4.0