Theo Thomas

Describe your journey with photography.

Like most people, my photography journey started with a phone. Trying to catch cool sunsets or interesting situations — that interest sky rocketed when I got my first flagship smartphone, the Google Pixel 2. I spent every minute of everyday trying to take pictures of everything. I’m pretty sure I still have some of the first photos I took with it. Eventually, I was gifted a Nikon d3400, the camera that’s taken all of the photos on my Glass profile, and the rest is history. Now I try to capture the beauty of the things I see and the people I know.

What have you learned along the way that you wish you knew earlier?

Improvement takes time. It’s so easy to end up comparing yourself to people that have been doing this for so much longer than you without realizing it. It's unavoidable in the creative industry. It's an important balancing act of recognizing what a healthy amount of comparison is and when it becomes too much. Peace comes when you recognize that and know that if you keep at it, eventually you’ll be in a place where that comparison won’t be detrimental to your work or your mental health.

How does your location shape your style?

My environment, the Caribbean, has shaped my style dramatically. For obvious reasons. I photograph what’s around me! When it comes to my style, it’s very influenced by film and the feeling of nostalgia. Trying to evoke that emotion in people. My location just happens to contribute to that feeling a lot. When we think of some of the happiest moments in our lives, we often think of vacation with our families or going to the beach or some adventure with our friends. At least, that’s how it is for me. My environment is primed for that feeling.