Today we’d like to introduce you to Thomas Crowder.
Hi Thomas, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My parents gave me my first digital camera when I was 9 years old and from there I always had a love for photos but my focus was more on sports at the time from then through college until around April of 2018. I was leaving a dealership after purchasing a brand new car and was involved in an accident. During recovery from the accident I started back doing some work with the camera but with close friends and family only. My line brother DJ Chill asked me if I was interested in capturing some content of him for his IG and from there, the rest is history. I would go to the clubs every weekend in Nashville, TN, where I was living at the time and capture the local artist and celebrities that came through the clubs in the area. This work helped me land my first big job with a company based in Los Angeles, CA, GBK Productions, I was asked to work several events showcasing celebrities reviewing products during the Super Bowl in Atlanta 2019 and I went on to do another event with them during Grammys 2019.
As work continued that same year and even through the pandemic, I branched my way into the hip-hop scene and networked my way to going on tour with Jeezy. Rick Ross reached out to me shortly after the tour and asked for me to come out and shoot some content for him and that lead to me shooting the first ever Rick Ross car show along with several other events and became a foundation for a great working relationship. With all of these experiences & jobs combined, it’s expanded my art beyond just a picture but I’ve been blessed enough to shoot in some of the biggest concert venues, legendary moments, long hours of travel, and have full access to exclusive events for high-end celebrity clientele.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Of course not. Nothing is ever smooth. My biggest challenge is that I have a family. My wife & I have been together for almost ten years and married one year. We also have a 7-year-old son & 3-year-old daughter for which I am a very active parent. I coach my son during football & baseball season all while traveling and working. That accident I spoke of also left me with a herniated disc that can cause some severe back pain and immobility which is never fun because I hate to not be working or doing something. Working with people and just trying to always be fair and stand on my word always presents challenges in business. Making sure when I got the opportunity to be in “that room” I took full advantage of it. I can recall a time where my camera and flash completely stopped working on me in the middle of the biggest part of a concert but somehow I was able to make it work. So from being away from my family, technical issues, and even missed opportunities all presented challenges but I never not once didn’t remain grateful for every day that I get an opportunity to chase my passion and live it as my daily reality.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m more of your run & gun photographer but I am also well-experienced in studio & product work and I’m working my way through the videography scene. My business first started with family photos, maternity shoots, and graduation shoots was my biggest money maker. I don’t really have a specialty I love all aspects of content creation. If you come to me with an idea, I will take my time with you try and make that idea a reality. I’ve worked with brands such as Courvoisier, King Palm, Belaire, clothing brand Underdawg, Trap Museum and the list goes on. I would like to say I’m most known for concert photos, celebrity lifestyle photos, and graduation photos. My work ethic sets me apart from others. I pride myself on being courteous, empathetic, and having a fast turnaround time. I set realistic expectations and present myself in personable way.
I’m most proud of everything. It’s been a long almost five years. Of course, there are plenty of things I wish I’d done differently in business & in my personal life but you only get one life and with this life I have, I want to see memories made & experiences had.
What are your plans for the future?
My plans for the future are to just keep shooting for sure. Any brands, content creators, artists, celebrities, etc looking to work hit me up. I’m looking forward to doing more video content of me working in the field, personal blogs, and etc.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.tc7kphotography.com
- Instagram: @tc_7k
