Need some inspiration? Meet Greg Thomason!

I first met Greg in 2015 when he traveled with me to India. His photography was more of a hobby then, but with a serious passion to take it further. Not only did I instantly admired his talent, but that he was an incredible human! He began investing heavily in his skills, found a mentor, and in a relatively short amount of time became a successful headshot/portrait photographer.  

Greg quickly developed a unique style and I can pick out his work without looking to see who the photographer is. Naturally his dramatic moody lighting style got my attention and I asked him to teach the flash part of the Spirit-N-Light workshop starting in 2018. He co-lead the Holi festival with me that same year and accompanied me to Chad in 2019. He brings an enormous value to the guest on any trip! This is why I am super excited about the special Signature Suri Expedition we will be leading together in 2023!!

Wodaabe young man at the Gerewol Festival in Chad

Learn more about Greg in this Q&A.

Share a little about your background and your recent photography journey of the past 5-6 years.

Wow, it seems like I have always owned a camera, even if I haven’t kept one in hand. My first camera was an Olympus my dad gave me in high school. We set up a darkroom together, and my love of photography was born. School and life happened, and I couldn’t always afford film, so my photography fell off until much later in life, when my dad gave me another camera at a time I was in a better position to shoot more often.

After gravitating towards headshots and commercial portraits for a few years, I had the opportunity to retire in 2016. I did, and turned a hobby into a career. I love this new phase of my life. I meet new people and help them look their best while capturing their personalities. The fact I’m really as much psychologist and interviewer as I am photographer keeps work interesting. I love travel, as well as learning about other cultures. This fits right in to my style of photography and relating to people, as it allows me to make intimate travel portraits when I am on the road. My work reveals I am no documentarian; I insert myself into the scene and relate to my subjects on a person-to-person level.

What pulled you toward photography and the genera of headshot?

Initially, I had dreams of being a wildlife photographer. However, grabbing my camera and taking two weeks’ vacations each year, was not going to take me down that road. People are everywhere. I could work full time and grab my camera on weekends to satisfy my photo urges. I’m a fairly social person, so interacting with people worked naturally with putting a camera in their faces.

Where do you see your photography going in the next 5-6 years?

My goal is to move towards more commercial entertainment work. I will continue doing headshot photography, but I want to flex my creative muscles a bit more. I enjoy teaching as well, and have started to teach a few workshops and trips.

Self-portrait

Many photographers dream of working as a photographer. What do you think was a pivotal moment in your journey that transitioned you into becoming pro?

There was no aha moment that struck me, but instead I had a gradual series of events that helped me become a working photog. I can’t understate the fact I was able to work, and eventually transition, while employed in a different career. This gave me the financial freedom to take my time. Just as important was the encouragement I received from several working photographers who felt I could be successful. In life, people thrive when they have support and mentorship. Photography is no different.

The equipment does not make the photographer but is critically important. What equipment is important in your work in photography (headshots, portraits, and travel photography)?

So true! The gear is there to facilitate the ability to make the image. Artificial light is important to me in what I do, and I use two types. For headshot work I don’t need the power of a flash, so I prefer using LED panels. Constant light lets me see what I am going to get, so I don’t have to think about the technical side of things while I am busy getting to know my subject. Often, my headshots sessions are more conversational than you might expect. I use flex panels from Westcott.

While there are now constant studio lights, I still prefer strobes for my commercial portraiture. I can get any size or style modifier, and still have the power for whatever shot I am making. Often, I mix constant and strobe. This is especially true with environmental portraits, including my travel work. Always, but especially when working fast on location or while traveling, I need light weight lights that can move with the scene.  My triggers and flashes have to be reliable, and have menus that are navigated easily. I can’t have my head buried in my gear while missing a fleeting look a subject may give me. For those reasons, my strobes and triggers are from Profoto.

Have you made the switch to mirrorless, and why or why not?

Right now, I am in a hybrid mode. I shoot Nikon, and had been waiting for them to release a flagship mirrorless camera, which they recently did. So, I do have one mirrorless, the Z9, but still use the D5, and D850. I love the eye tracking ability that is possible with many mirrorless cameras, including the Z9. The ability to see how the exposure will look prior to taking the photo is very useful, too. While I usually have a good idea of where the exposure will be, seeing it in the viewfinder has prevented me from blowing out highlights a few times. I will replace my cameras with mirrorless bodies, and transition fully, as needed. I have a lot of glass I don’t look forward to replacing, so right now I am using F mount lenses (Nikon’s SLR and DSLR lenses) on both style bodies. I use Nikon’s adaptor when using them on the Z9.In the future I will have the mirrorless Z mount lenses.

Words of inspiration.

Have fun and enjoy the experiences that come with having a camera in hand.

TRAVEL WITH US!

SIGNATURE SURI EXPEDITION 2025

only 6 guest

Our first private signature suri expedition in 2023 was so extraordinary we are offering it one more time – DETAILS!

This year Piper added the element of flash to her workshop by including Greg Thomason, who worked with us and explained how to use flash in many different circumstances. Most of us had never used flash before, and his way of teaching truly opened another door for me with my photography. The combination of Piper and Greg together made this workshop spectacular.” 

Missy Goldwyn