It was great to sit on the front porch and talk story with Tom on a breezy afternoon wind afternoon, with the windchimes chiming and life in full bloom. We talked surfing, because we both love it and frequent the same surf spot at Hanna Park. Born in Alabama and raised in north Florida, Tom has spent a life telling stories and fostering creativity with his work at the Shepard Agency. About four years ago he pivoted at the company to focus more on photography, an artform he fell in love with at UNF with professor Paul Karabinis, and has since delved into the medium. His work first caught my eye on Instagram (find him @tom.in.ab); his photographs had a pop to them that was technically brilliant, but that were also captivating in an intuitive way. His pictures tell a story, and frame things in a unique way that really brings the viewer into the image. Go look at his photographs of Rock Springs Run and I guarantee you'll want to jump right through the frame into those beautiful crystal clear waters. Tom is doing some really important work documenting the effects of climate change in northeast Florida, and sharing the beauty of our natural world of which we are a part of, and whole health we depend of=n for survival. I super appreciate all he does and thankful that he's sharing his story with us. You can find more of his work at his website (click here).