Lightbox Images Photography by Thomas Cooper

Thomas Cooper
25-Year Photojournalist, Idealist, Naturalist

It was in Cambodia when I first witnessed the truly unforgettable and enduring human spirit. I captured it in photograph and it became art. It was in Africa when I came face to face with wild and primal creatures exploring the world in which they were born to run. I focused my lens and within an instant, the indescribable experience could be shared. It was at a rural high school in Littleton that I witnessed the grief of an entire community. Crushed and confused, I breathed deeply and captured the raw emotions with my camera. It was my hope that the images would elicit a compassion that would bring us all a little bit closer as people. The images of that fateful day at Columbine ensure that we never forget.

I am a storyteller. My voice is my camera. My words are the images that develop. I speak less and observe more. I am grateful for the gift endowed upon me – an eye that sees what others don’t, a passion for a life that others take for granted, a need to preserve history so others can keep their memories alive. I don’t have a career, I have a passion. And, I am thankful that my passion has graced the pages of more than 30 publications including National Geographic, Sports Illustrated, the New York Times, Time Magazine and The Boston Globe. To many, these copyrighted images would be considered major life accomplishments, but to me they are just a small contribution to helping create a more inclusive, understanding humankind.

Through my lens and with my unique perspective, I can preserve a moment only felt by a love-struck bride and groom; I can show the world what it’s like to dive with great white sharks; I can turn fashion into fine art; and I can let the world know how it feels for a poverty-stricken, sick child to love and be loved. Bringing the news to life with photographs is something most anyone can do, but telling a life story in one frame is something only an artist can do - an artist with 25 years of experience watching the world and wondering how he can make it just a little bit more beautiful.