If The Shoe Fits
Theo's been lucky throughout his professional career to have held the role of photographer. Although, he wouldn't call himself one. From humble beginnings, he produced photography for a few companies he owned because it was cheaper than paying a professional. Event photography and creative media for advertisement materials were his forte. People might say frugal, but he knew what he wanted and most hired photographers wouldn't deliver even after catering to their excessively large fees. "We pay them in caviar and they still produce vomit. I'll do it myself", he would grunt after throwing proofs in the garbage. Some believe this is what lead him to pick up the camera.
Circa 1990s
This was in the early 1990s before digital photography had exploded. He used 35mm film, developed and scanned the images into photoshop for several creative projects. Flyer printing, Website development, and packaging for music media, etc. He was always working on something in his garage turned studio that was also adorned with original graffiti art. Theo painted many commercial murals with combined mediums of spray paint, acrylic, and airbrush in those days for companies like McDonald's, Disney, FastLane Skateboards, Amore Pizza, and others.
Resourcefulness
He taught himself Photoshop and the entire creative suite through hours and hours of experimentation and reading. He was fortunate enough in the early 2000s to become an art director for an inc.100 publicly traded company that owned several Apparel and Lifestyle Brands, The Cherokee Group. Theo was the graphic designer, web developer/webmaster, "media production guy" who could produce all things in creative media from audio to television commercials, streaming video presentations, and roadshows. Theo became the internal photographer by default and finally had access to a high-quality digital camera. Theo shot models, fashion media, runway shows, on-location shoots, product catalog shots for Cherokee Clothing and Sideout Clothing primarily. Media that would ultimately land at Target Stores and Target.com, Mervyns.com, Tesco.com, and so on. Theo was able to play with all the high-end toys but none of what he created belonged to him. It was all property of the company, which is the price of admission in most cases.
A strange path to Photojournalism
In the mid-2000's Theo became a communications specialist for United Teachers Los Angeles, the second-largest labor union in the United States. He was the webmaster primarily, however, engaged in community organizing and aided the internal publication, United Teacher with editorial content in the form of Photo Journalism. This was part of the job requirement in the communications department at the union. Event photography and action photography (i.e. Protests and Marches). This furthered his passion for photography. Theo's work was published in the magazine and website. Upon leaving the Union, Photography would circle back to apparel and fashion over the next decade.
A Silent Creative Force
Brands, Brands, and more Brands. Theo's work developing and launching brands has become a signature, there are too many to list. While doing this work by 2013 Theo had finally purchased a DSLR. While not the high-end models he'd been used to working with at various employers. This was enough to start a Photo taking adventure. When asked his real passion is cinematography, film, and most things concerning its science.
That's what he's been doing for the past seven years. Everywhere he's gone his camera and gear have been in tow. The photo here is of Theo taking photos while on vacation in Rome, Italy. This website is dedicated to sharing Theo's work with everyone, showcased here on resen8.com are just a few of the thousands of photos he has amassed over the years through his travels. Photography is only one of his talents, he will never admit to this and has been quoted as saying;
"Once you declare that you are something making it a label, I.e. Dentist, Doctor, Pilot, etc. Then you are forced to live up to this expectation. It becomes a profession we must continually chase. An ego construct so to speak, our own personal prisons. Art and creativity are not meant to be stressful or competitive in my opinion. When we are forced to do something because of these make-believe labels we add to ourselves and others to associate with identity, we then create out of a different vibration. We create out of scarcity to hold onto the label, to maintain our identity that is accepted by society, desperately if required rather than creating out of our heart's center, so in my opinion, all this is, is therapy, that's it.
When I label it, it loses its magic. If I call myself a photographer, I will no longer take pictures. If I call myself a painter, I will no longer paint. If I say I'm a poet, then no poems will sing from my soul. I become more focused on holding onto the identity than on finding inspiration through a multitude of mediums. If I want to paint, I'll paint. If I want to write, I'll write. I will do whatever makes my heart sing, it may be unpredictable, it may not be conventional, whatever it is, there is a creative fire within me that yearns to be expressed. I can't flip inspiration on and off with a switch, it doesn't work like that. It's best described as a feeling, do this, and so I shall, internally there is no compromise! I don't claim to be a professional anything, just tapped into my creative soul and I am following its song."
