Hey! Meet this Artist I Know.

The artist I decided to interview was my dad, Tom Thomason. He's very artistic with his photography, and while it isn't my own primary form of art, I've always looked up to him and tried to follow in his footsteps when it comes to that field. So here is the interview I had with him.

Me: So, starting off with a somewhat general question... What is photography to you?

Tom: It's a way to keep my memories alive and to share my experiences with others.

Me: When did you take up an interest in photography?

Tom: When I began traveling a lot in my job (1986) and seeing more of the world.

Me: Was there anyone or anything that got you interested in photography?

Tom: As I stated earlier, traveling to new places and seeing new sights gave me a desire to capture these images and to begin experimenting with different techniques to bring these images to life.

Me: Did you get any professional training in photography, like a class, or is it something self-learned and self-trained?

Tom: I got some assistance from my brother who is a professional photographer. He taught me the basics of 35mm camera usage such as usage of f-stops, shutter speeds, film speeds and the general use of lighting along with some creative tips such as the use of filters. Then I basically self taught myself the creative aspects of using various filters and different camera settings to enhance the visual effects of the shot.

Me: What inspires your photography?

Tom: Mostly the beauty in nature; waterfalls, flowers, mountain vistas ( I once shot nearly 200 pictures of nothing but tulips, trying to capture their beauty). Also, I enjoy making scenic memories of my travels, especially the historic sites in Europe. As you can see, most of my work is scenic photography with little emphasis on people.

Me: Do you have any particularly favorite photographers or influences for your work?

Tom: As with most people who have an interest in photography, Ansel Adams did inspired work with scenic photography.

Me: What materials do you use?

Tom: I use my old manual Minolta 35mm camera and various Cokin filters. I prefer to try to create my images in the field rather than photoshop digital images.

Me: Have you ever tried making money off of your art? Were you successful?

Tom: Mostly my photography is for myself but I have had minimal success selling some work at craft fairs and to friends.

Me: Have you ever entered (or won) any contests with your art?

Tom: I entered a contest once at a photography store but I didn't win anything.

Me: What are some of your favorite subjects for your photography?

Tom: Scenic views - waterfalls, flowers, mountain vistas, seascapes. Architecture - historic buildings, bridges, lighthouses.

Me: Where are some of your favorite places for your photography?

Tom: The outdoors - National Parks, mountains, coasts (especially the Pacific Northwest), flower gardens, historic sites.

And following that are a few of the favorite pictures he's taken:

Dreamscape, Keukenhof Gardens, Netherlands















Grand Canal, Venice















Mirror Lake, Mt. Rainier, Washington















Tulips, Keukenhof Gardens, Netherlands















Sol Duc Falls, Olympic Peninsula, Washington