First things first: I’m originally from Yorkshire in the north of England and will always hold true to these roots. Even if since the mid 1990s I’ve lived in London, New Jersey and Singapore, in that order, no matter where I am, I will always be a ‘Northerner‘. There’s nothing like the driving grey rain along the ridge of a weather wracked moor to ground the soul.

The other label I carry is ‘Photographer’, specifically ‘Documentary Photographer’ because I need an answer to the question “…and what do you do?” to which I would feel dishonest replying with “artist”, or “recreational trail runner” or “drinker of fine ales”, though each of these could possibly apply at any given moment…

As a documentary photographer, then, my work has been published and exhibited internationally. I have worked in news and reportage and been commissioned variously as a photographer, videographer, and consultant for local and international NGOs. While photography is a medium I employ in most of my work – which extends across the disciplines of journalism, documentary and art – I am interested in all forms of creative expression and visual communication, and regard photography as just one dialect within this vast language.

Over the years I have become increasingly involved in education. From 2015-2022 I designed and taught the Documentary & Photojournalism curriculum at Yale-NUS College, Asia’s first liberal arts college and a collaboration between Yale and the National University of Singapore (NUS). I have also taught film and cinema courses at Yale-NUS and NUS and taught photography classes and workshops of various descriptions with the Objectifs Centre in Singapore, Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism and at the International Centre of Photography in New York. I’m an advocate of lifelong learning and in my own formal education I studied Fine Art at Goldsmiths College in London following this several years later with Photojournalism & Documentary at the International Center of Photography in New York. I also make an effort to read the occasional book.

At present, I continue to work on a variety of photography and documentary based social engagement projects, with a particular focus on environmental issues and the intersection of political economy, media, technology, and society. My current research explores the potential for immersive media as a tool for community-based resilience and environmental stewardship.

Tom White has spent the last twenty years working in the fields of art, media and academia. He is a visual communications educator, as well as a photographer in the journalism, editorial, advocacy and commercial spaces. He designed and delivered the Photojournalism & Documentary curriculum for Yale-NUS College in Singapore, and has also taught at the International Center of Photography and Columbia University in New York, in addition to instructing and facilitating various workshops and community-based social programs. Tom’s current research includes a focus on the potential of immersive and interactive documentary methods, and the continued importance of visual and media literacy. He’s been based in Singapore since 2011.

Website: tomwhitephotography.com

Instagram: tomwhitephoto

Others: https://parallax.asia/