About Tommy Schultz: Adventure Travel Photographer, Videographer, & Writer

Hi, I’m Tommy

An adventure photographer creating award-winning photo & video stories for people who care about the planet.

By Pak Gary

Creating a sustainable future for the next generation means inspiring people to care about the planet before it’s too late. With the emotional power of photography & video, I create stories for organizations & companies that put the planet first. I share my experiences from some of planet earth’s most endangered places. I donate my work to organizations and people making a difference in the field.

Hi, I’m Tommy – I’ve spent my life exploring the world’s most beautiful environments.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been inspired to spend as much time as possible outside and experiencing the natural beauty of our planet.

Learning how to fly fish for wild trout the Blue Ridge mountains of my native Virginia while still in high school connected me to the environmental issues threatening fragile habitats.

In college, I studied Environmental Sciences which led to my first ‘real’ job after graduation working for the environmental NGO Trout Unlimited.

In my mid-twenties, I accepted an assignment with the Sustainable Island Development program in the U.S. Peace Corps, serving as a volunteer for 30 months in the field with the marine biologists of the Silliman University Marine Lab.

Upon completing my Peace Corps service, I was asked to help out with the Photovoices International project – an innovative program sponsored by National Geographic which documented the stories of environmentally & culturally endangered areas through the power of photography.

In 2009, I launched myself as a freelance photographer, specializing in telling the stories of the people and wildlife living in the world’s most beautiful (and usually endangered places).

I create photo & video stories for organizations and people who care about the planet and preserving earth’s natural beauty for future generations.

I’m inspired by the emotional connection a photo or video story can have with someone. My goal is to create work that matters, connects with people powerfully, and is a force for positive change in the world.

On assignment in Sri Lanka for Patagonia / Photo: Yanik Tissera

 Even with all the dark forecasts about the existential threat posed by climate change, I search for stories of inspiration and hope. This path has led me to collaborations with National Geographic, Patagonia, The North Face, The World Wildlife Fund, and many more.

Thanks for taking the time and visiting my site today – please read further to find links to some of my favorite stories or learn how I went from a small town in rural Virginia to traveling the world as a photographer. You’ll also find links to some of my favorite projects.

Favorite clients:

How can I help you?

Selected clients:

Freediving with whale sharks in the Philippines – photo by Steve DeNeef

How did Tommy become an Adventure Photographer?

Fifteen years after accepting a Peace Corps assignment in the Philippines, photographer and writer Tommy Schultz is still exploring the islands, environments, and cultures of the Coral Triangle.

On television

Check out my TV debut as a judge on the Canon / History Channel show – ‘Photo Face Off’.

Join the Adventure.