PhotoSeek.com distills 40 years of nature travel photography and tips by Tom Dempsey, a photographer based in Seattle, Washington, USA. Hear Tom interviewed in a 30-minute Public Radio podcast (KCHO, Chico, California). 

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Tom Dempsey, Photographer
Email: tom @ photoseek.com     (without spaces)
Linkedin.com: Tom’s profile:  www.linkedin.com/in/photoseek
Twitter:  @PhotoSeekTom

Join Tom’s photo workshops in Seattle and in the Alps with Alpenwild.com.

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Biography for photographer Tom Dempsey

Born in California, Tom bought his first camera in 1978. During a memorable nine-month trip around the world in 1981, he captured the wonders of New Zealand, Nepal, Norway, France, and Switzerland on color slide film. A move to Washington State motivated him to publish his images in magazines and books. Switching to digital cameras after 2003 increased his creativity with instant feedback and freedom from the tripod. Encapsulating 30+ years of experience, Tom’s book “Light Travel: Photography on the Go” teaches and inspires outdoor photography by revealing the magic of portable cameras. His website PhotoSeek.com illustrates practical nature travel advice with evocative photography. 

Commissioned work

• I photographed a 112-mile trek across “England Coast to Coast” (read my article) on commission for Wilderness Travel, 2017 July 23–August 5.
• As an Artist in Residence for Alpenwild.com, in August 2016, I captured 4000 images in Switzerland for company promotion. Alpenwild is the world’s largest provider of English-speaking tours in Switzerland. In response to my photos, Alpenwild founder Greg Witt said “These are absolutely stunning—I couldn’t be happier. Some of us in the office today going through your 342 favorites and each one brought back a lot of memories and also generated a lot of excitement as we discussed where and how we can best use these for maximum impact.“
• For the University of Washington School of Drama from 2009-2013, I captured 3600 “Day in the Life” scenes of people, plays, classrooms, and theaters.
• In summer 2011, Gary Scott of  Right Path Adventures hosted my one-week photographic workshop in the Dolomites of Italy (click to view trip images).
• In Switzerland and France for two weeks of summer 2005, I captured trekking images on commission for Ryder-Walker Alpine Adventures.
• Join my photo workshops.

Tom’s Publications

Inspired by travels, mountain wilderness and natural patterns, Tom has published 200+ images worldwide, and authored the book Light Travel: Photography on the Go (2010, 2009) which teaches and inspires outdoor photography by revealing the magic of portable digital cameras.

My images have been published in the following media:

Published in architecture:

My favorite jagged rock image from Glacier National Park is enlarged twice onto a Calgary skyscraper! The image glows on two lightboxes wrapping 64 feet and 54 feet around the base of a tower completed by Axiom Builders in June 2019:

• SODO & Residence Inn by Marriott, 610 10th Ave SW, in Calgary, Alberta, CANADA (Corner of 5th St and 10 Ave SW; Google Maps).
  
  

  Two glass lightboxes display a jagged rock image by Tom Dempsey on the SODO & Residence Inn by Marriott, 610 10 Ave SW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, completed in June 2019. Tom photographed the rock in 2002: “Billion-year-old rock breaks into a jagged pattern in Glacier National Park, Montana. #02GLA-04-38.” Made of 30 glass tiles, the lightbox at left wraps the southwest corner 16.3 by 3.5 meters (53.6 feet wide by 11.6 ft high). The larger lightbox at right wraps the southeast corner 19.6 by 8.4 meters (64 feet wide x 27.5 feet high).

  

  Tom Dempsey's rock photo is installed on two large lightboxes at the base of the SODO & Residence Inn by Marriott, 610 10 Ave SW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Tom’s work published in books:

• National Geographic Traveler: Greece, 3rd Edition 2009 and 2nd Edition 2008
• Art and Archaeology of the Greek World by Richard Neer 2012, published by Thames & Hudson Ltd
• Discover Biology (Fifth Core Edition, 2012) W.W. Norton Publishers
• Moon Istanbul & the Turkish Coast 2010 guidebook by Jessica Tamturk
• The Rough Guide to Ultimate Adventures (Rough Guide Travel Guides) by Greg Witt 2008
• Dorling Kindersley Dinosaur Encyclopedia 2007
• Fuentes: Conversacion y gramática (4rth edition 2010) — a successful intermediate Spanish program from Cengage Learning (formerly Houghton Mifflin College division)

Published in magazines:

• Wilderness Travel Catalog
• National Geographic Books, Maps, and Digital Media
• Sierra magazine
• Nature Journal of Science
• Ryder-Walker Alpine Adventures Catalog
• Mountain Travel Sobek Catalog
• Eagle-Eye Tours Travel Schedule
• Portland Monthly, Saga City Media, Inc
• Made in Washington Catalog
• PC Photo magazine
• Royal Automobile Club of Western Australia, Perth
• Music Contact International trip brochure for Vermont Public Radio

Published on web and print media:

• I am an Artist in Residence for Alpenwild.com
• Amateur Photography magazine, London, UK
• Reuters News Pictures Service
• Right Path Adventures
• Adventure Lovers (adventurelovers.se), a Swedish adventure tour company offering treks and climbs in the Himalaya, South America, and Africa
• Seattle Contract Bridge League: Nov 2011 NABC (North American Bridge Championship)
• Vajrayana Northwest, Tulalip, Washington
• Schmidt, Medical Doctor office, Seattle
• Schmidt, Dentist office, Issaquah, Washington
• Cottage Grove Rotary Auction 2008, Oregon