“Capturing Reality with Light”

The Skinny on Award-Winning Photographer Tom Sapp

Article By Christy Cash

Ear-piercing guitar riffs, pounding bass lines, bright lights, crowds of fans, the flash of a camera and the feeling of being on stage…. When does it get any better? How about being behind the scenes with the job of capturing that feeling and documenting it for the world to see? It’s quite an amazing job, indeed. In the real world we call it getting paid to do what you love. People around town had been talking about a professional photographer doing live shots of bands at local Wilmington venues. The word was out that this guy had graduated from the most prestigious photography school on the east coast. After seeing some of these live photo shoots in person and going through hundreds of his band photos it was obvious that these photographs were destined for greatness. Curiosity at its highest, I decided an interview with Tom Sapp was one that I did not want to miss.

Chosen as the NC and SC Photographer of the year, Tom Sapp is known as one of the top photographers on the East Coast. Having graduated from the Hallmark-institute of Photography in 2002, Tom went on to winning awards almost instantly. The prestigious Fuji Masterpiece for Digital Mastery became his that same year and then he went on to win Connecticut’s 2003 Award for Creative Photographer of the Year. Plus, Tom has been a featured photographer for several well-known publications and organizations such as Business Week and Forbes. As a matter of fact, he was one of only eight photographers in the Southeast to be featured in Forbes Magazine for a full year! Then, when featured at OneModelPlace.com for a full month, over 1,200,000 people viewed his listing! Wow! So what does such an amazing photographer do with his time?

In the winter, he spends his time working on projects that are more for fun. Then, in the spring and summer Tom dedicates most of his efforts taking portraits of weddings and often travels here and there and back again for his clients. Most hear of him through word of mouth and others notice his featured photographs on the TheKnot.Com and in the Cape Fear Wedding guide. However, in this interview I wanted to uncover the creative side of Tom Sapp and take a peek into the most interesting pieces in his portfolio. Turns out that not only has he earned top-notch credentials, his client’s range from high profile musicians to some of the sexiest models in the world.

Adored by many for his natural ability to capture the beauty of some of the most respected models in the profession, Tom has contracted jobs working with people like MAC Makeup Artist, Elizabeth Tolley (www.etmakeup.com) and FHM Model, Sena. FHM Magazine is known for its illustrations of some of the sexiest women in the world. Impressed by his work ethic, I asked Sena what it was like to work with Tom and how the addition of his photographs into her portfolio helped her contract jobs with FHM.

This is what Sena had to say:

“Tom is an amazing photographer... a true professional…
A friend of mine in Raleigh- Nick, told me that he'd met an amazing photographer in Wilmington called Tom Sapp and insisted that I call him to set up a shoot... I usually don't work with unknown photographers and have very limited availability for time exchange offers ... But I was very impressed after seeing Tom's work and portfolio, so I contacted him to see if he'd be interested in working with me.

Tom was very enthusiastic from the get go and immediately started trading ideas with me. We finally linked up a month later and had an incredible shoot! Tom has an eye for creating art... he made the shoot feel effortless and honestly, they're some of the best pictures I've ever taken! I can't wait to work with him again!

As far as the FHM gig... I was spotted at an event last year by one of the editors and was in touch about possibly being featured in the magazine. I sent them some pictures but nothing really came of it. However, I was so proud of my pictures from the shoot with Tom that I sent a couple of them to Emily DePrang-the editor at FHM. To my great surprise, I got a call from her the very next day... and lo and behold I'm in going to be featured in FHM!!! They liked my photos so much that they want to work with me on a couple of different projects... It's so exciting!!!”

Tom started out as any young artist would; by tapping into the creative resources Wilmington has to offer. Promoting the beauty of the city is a given for Tom, and he agrees that this place is not like anywhere else. After seeing his photos, I began to see downtown Wilmington in a new way. Large 4x6 foot prints of his photographs are on display at the Roudabush Café. Smaller prints, 30x40 or less are displayed in Realty offices and Port City Java’s all over Wilmington and Carolina Beach . Using Photoshop CS, Tom adjusted the tonal range and color so that the photographs appear as he saw them in his vision at the time of capture . You will never see anything like it. To see life through someone else’s eyes as a 4x6 foot presentation is simply amazing. You may view Tom Sapp’s wonderful imagery at www.TomSapp.com.

After speaking with Tom I realized that he is at the top of his profession. He has a natural ability to give life and personality to a moment in time. Although he is known mostly for weddings and portraits, he doesn’t stop there. Tom involves himself in all kinds of different projects with no discrimination. Every shoot is a new adventure, a new chance to create something different. Each image is so real you feel it. They impact people and leave something behind to reflect on. With each creation he leaves behind a memory of himself.

Tom explained the philosophy he had about his work. “ Our experiences and the people we encounter in life make us who we are. When you look at my images I want the viewer to see a part of me, what life is like through my eyes. When I give an image to one of my subjects, it represents an experience we have shared, a memory. Photography is more than a job…it’s something I want to be remembered for. Remembering my name isn’t important to me. What is important is the feeling you get when you see one of my images. My goal is to share my experiences by creating an emotion in my viewers. If you can experience the emotion I had at the time the image was created simply by seeing it on the wall or in other finished presentations, I have achieved my goal.”

 Me: Wow, you really have of putting human emotion behind the work that you do. Tellme about the most interesting work you have done so far.

Tom: The most interesting job that I have done was for metal artist,

Shane Smith. He owns On The Grind Metal Designs and he came to me while I was in film school. See, in film school I learned how to shoot metal really well, but it was the hardest thing. They teach you that there’s only one thing harder than shooting glass, and it’s metal because it’s reflective and it reflects everything in it. I never thought I’d be a metal photographer. Then I got a job with Reed’s Jewelers and by shooting diamond rings I taught myself how to shoot metal really well. Shane saw the images and asked me to do some photographs for him because he’s a grinder. He grinds metal. Places like Gold’s Gym pay him to put metal along the walls with designs with different patterns and textures and he makes really cool metal furniture for furniture stores and art galleries. He’s continuously getting work. I did a photo Journal of him making all his stuff. He’s a wonderful person and a great artist. The website is www.onthegrindmetaldesigns.com.

Me: That’s really cool. You know, I met you for the first time when I saw you photographing bands at Lucky’s. Since then, I have worked with a couple of bands that use your photographs for publicity. How did you get started in that?

Tom: I do a lot of weddings and portraits during the spring and summer. There are not a lot of weddings during the winter around here so this past winter I decided to do something really creative. I wanted to photograph all these crazy and different people… anybody I could, anybody I thought was interesting and tried to capture they’re interestingness.

“One day somebody came up to me and said ‘you do the photographs of hot chicks! I’ve seen your stuff all over MySpace.’

I replied, ‘…on occasion when the situation appears to be a win/win… ’

Then the guy said, ‘Think you could take photographs of the bands?’

I said, ‘sure.’ Then I met Amiss, Silver Judas and Root Soul Project. I started doing it every week, almost every other day.”

Me: So far, you have done photos mostly of Wilmington bands. What are some of the recent accomplishments you and your subjects have shared?

One band I’ve photographed called ZoSo had a feature in Rolling Stone. Amiss and Medusa Stone are each releasing an albums with my photography and digital art. Medusa Stone’s album was produced by Tommy Brothers, known for his work with Screen Gems Studios. Amiss is currently recording with Gregg Scott at Pyramid Studio. Photographing bands is definitely one of the more interesting aspects of my job. I love it. I created a website called WilmingtonBandPhotos.com to share my experiences with the community. Amiss and Medusa Stone are the featured bands on the website right now. Links to DJ’s, Venues, and local free magazines are listed as well.

As far the wedding industry I have been selected to photograph the wedding of Robbin Meyer, Daughter of John Meyer who is the Editor of Cape Fear Wedding Guide. This guide is one of the two primary sources for wedding information in the Wilmington area.

Me: I had a great time looking through all your photographs. Just one more question: What are your plans for this winter?

Tom: I have a few jobs lined up but mostly I want to relax after having a super crazy summer. Winter is a good time to get caught up with production work and focus on learning the current trends in the ever advancing digital photography industry.

Me: You are truly an artist, Tom! Thanks for your hard work!