Spent the last day of 2015 looking back through the highlights of one of the most productive years I’ve ever had exploring the world with a camera.
From more than 20,000 photos taken this year, this gallery includes 162 of my favorite images from the islands of Indonesia back home to the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.
Highlights included assignments with Patagonia and The North Face to create collections of adventure travel images that have already showing up in their stores, catalogs, and websites. Had the chance to shoot with the world’s best surfers including Rob Machado, Gerry Lopez, Belinda Baggs, and Dave Rastavich on some of the best waves in the world. It’s had to overstate how awesome it is to have the chance to work with people who have pursued their passion and taken huge risks to follow their hearts and do what they love. Sometimes I’m not really sure how I got so lucky to be doing what I love too, but all I can say is that I’m very thankful to be here.
Other highlights from one of the best years yet: Publishing my first feature in The Surfer’s Journal with a story about my friend Mega Semadhi, one of Bali’s top pro surfers and a reincarnated high priest of Bali’s Uluwatu temple. My first cable tv show appearance as a co-host / judge on Canon’s ‘Photo Face Off’ show on the History Channel. Being in front of the camera was a really fun experience and all I can say is that I’d love the chance to be on another tv show 🙂 Shooting three magazine covers for Action Asia, Garuda Indonesia, and Tiger Airlines. Writing and photographing features for Asian Geographic Magazine on the Orangutans of Borneo and the Komodo Dragons of Indonesia. An assignment to explore the undiscovered side of Flores — one of the most beautiful parts of Indonesia. Also planned and launched a Stand Up surf board paddle trip to the beautiful Visayan Islands with one of my favorite clients, FOOL Moon SUP. Seeing a coral reef from a paddle board is an experience I won’t soon forget, and the images we created on that trip are some of my favorites from the entire year. Also returned to the Philippines for an awesome dive trip with Atmosphere Resorts in Dauin, near my old home of Dumaguete. Had some amazing mornings and evenings of snorkeling with the gentle sea turtles of Apo Island and spent some time with many families of ‘Nemo’ clown fish. Last but not least, I made it back to Virginia for a long-overdue trip home to see family and friends, making a trip up to the Green Mountains, New York City, the Shenandoah Mountains, the Chesapeake Bay, and caught a Dave Matthews Band concert in Atlanta before flying back to Bali. As I left, my brother and sister-in-law were just about to welcome the newest member of our family into the world and meeting little Stella is at the top of my list of things to do in 2016.
Have also put together a full HD version of the slideshow that is designed to look good on big screens, check it out if you want to get a more immersive experience with the photos — it’s about ten minutes so I hope you might enjoy it or share it with any of your friends / family who love travel and being outdoors. You can also download the full HD version of the video from my Vimeo channel if you want to have a copy to watch on your tv at home.
Taking off on the first trip for 2016 in a few days — SUP paddling on the Upper Mekong in Thailand — more photos to come soon!
Best, Tommy
This slideshow is also viewable as a full 1080p HD video, Just click HERE now.
