Thomas Fore - Biography

Biography

Thomas found his way into photography in a rather round-about manner. He acquired his first camera, a Kodak Instamatic, in elementary school and it served him well all the way through his freshman year in college at the University of Arkansas. Then, while taking a summer archaeology course, he was introduced to 35mm photography, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Following grad school, Thomas found employment with The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. In addition to his regular duties, Thomas used his photo skills to produce images for the tire factory's training department. He was then promoted to Public Relations Manager, a position that required many photographs for local plant and corporate publications. At about this same time, Thomas began producing photos for the local United Way organization in the form of brochures and slide presentations, highlighting the various agencies the United Way served, and he also created his own wedding photography business.

In 2002, Thomas re-invented himself as a high school English and History teacher, a position he maintained until his retirement in 2018. Upon relocating to Rio Rancho, New Mexico in 2019, Thomas has been very busy in the local art scene, having displayed photos in art shows in Rio Rancho, Corrales, Placitas, and Albuquerque. And, in what has to be described as a highlight in his photo career, Thomas has served as an official photographer at the last two Albuquerque International Balloon Fiestas.

Artist Statement

I do not consider myself an artist in the conventional sense. I cannot draw or paint or sculpt. What I can do, though, is come upon a scene somewhere in the world and, using my camera, I can translate three dimensions into two, and if I do it really well, I create an image that captures the beauty or drama or whatever it is that made the original scene special to begin with.

For my own photography, I practice the “What I see is what you get” philosophy concerning photographic purism. I strive to capture each image in such a way that it can stand on its own merits without the need for too much digital enhancement. Without consciously trying, I have settled into floral photography. It's easy to hit a target that doesn't move, but it's not so easy to take a stationary object like a flower and decide what it is about that living thing that should find its way onto a printed page. There is so much to consider: Color, detail, texture, time of day, lighting, shape, camera angle, choice of lens and choice of camera settings. These choices - and more – hopefully create a finished product that the viewer will recognize, and, if successful, become a work of art.