We had the good fortune of connecting with Thomas Harris and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Thomas, what is the most important factor behind your success?
I feel like its such a cliché to say this, but it’s consistency that will make or break your brand. Just like life, your brands success will have its ups and down, there will be times where you feel unstoppable and times when motivation is not enough to keep you going, this is where resilience comes into play.

Often times people think of resilience as the ability to continue on, no matter what. When in reality resilience is defined as “the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness”. So it truly means knowing when to stop. Knowing when you need to take a step back and reassess difficult situations. With success often being a long-game we have to apply patience and most importantly consistency to see success.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
As an artist, I think we ultimately strive to share our experiences or feelings with others and I’ve found that I can best do that through the medium of film photography. When it comes to inspiration, I find myself most inspired anytime I’m away from home, somewhere I’m not used to. So I’ve turned into a bit of a nomad the past few years roaming the world with my camera, taking photos and documenting my experiences. As with anything, if you do it long enough you’ll look up and realize you have quite a bit of experience and in my case a large body of work. I’ve been told that I make emotionally rich, immersive images that truly capture the essence of a person or place.

My current focus is on capturing the black gaze, documenting African diaspora, and travel with a focus on indigenous peoples. At the moment, I’m probably most excited for my upcoming partnerships with galleries and collaborations with luxury hotel and resort companies.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If we’re in NorCal we’re crashing in Downtown Sacramento at the Citizen, headed to Midtown Bakery for the best baked goods, then Ella Dining Room for Happy Hour bites and drinks. Quick day trips to the Bay, Las Vegas and LA are a must to experience all there is to offer. Great weather, nightlife and beaches.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to acknowledge my family, friends and loved ones who have ceaselessly cheered me on, even when I found it hard to do it for myself.

Website: https://tomshotta.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tomshotta/

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutSocal is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.