Tom Medvedich is a New York-based commercial photographer who’s had some of the biggest names in basketball and hip-hop on the other side of his lens, such as LeBron James, Eminem, and 50 Cent, to name a few. Besides portraiture, he does still life photography for some of the finest luxury brands around. His unorthodox concepts impart character and complexity to his still life shots to produce stunning, well-executed, and compelling visuals. Join us in this interview as Tom walks us through his work, shows you how a pro takes an EDC photo, and speaks on his favorite gear in fantastic detail.
Since you shoot for so many different clients and you’re constantly changing it up between still life and portraiture, a day on the job must be really demanding. What’s it really like?
Being a still life and portrait photographer means I’m my own boss and I’m doing a lot of work day and night to keep the gears of my business moving smoothly. During the day, I’m at different studios and offices pretty much daily. I can be in Manhattan shooting for J. Crew on a Monday and then fly out to another state to shoot a basketball player the next day, come back that same night, and be shooting for Gilt Groupe on the following day. At night I do a lot of emailing, retouching, and paperwork. You really have to be focused, organized, and driven to succeed in this business. Photography has taught me so much about how to be better at life.
What influenced you to get your photography to where it is now and how do you stay on top of your game?
New York is pretty hectic and there are a lot of people working very hard to succeed. I feed off that energy. I love looking at other people’s work and thinking, “Man, that’s awesome” and “Now, I need to top that.” Also, since so much of my life revolves around work, I really focus on working with people that I enjoy spending time with. I strive to deliver the absolute best product to every client on every single job because I truly believe in putting your best self out there every day.
You’re really focused on your work and the effort definitely shows. What do you use your time and talents for when you’re not shooting on the job?
Obviously I’m into photography, but there’s occasionally time for other things than work. I like travel, organization, and home projects, so I wanted to start documenting things I’ve done and I started a fun side project called Tattooed Yuppie along with an accompanying YouTube channel. Although it’s still in its infancy, I’ll be dedicating more time to it in 2015. I’m looking forward to having that as a new outlet for myself.
What’s in your everyday carry?
Moleskine Weekly Planner – This particular planner has the days of the week down the left page and an empty, lined page on the right. That’s my favorite format because I can make notes for jobs on the right as well as right down things I need to get done for the week. My entire life is on my iPhone 6. I’m a heavy iCal user, but I like to have my day to day on paper so everything is at a glance. Plus there’s nothing more satisfying than putting a line through something on your to-do list.
I’ve been using a Leatherman Wave for about a decade on set and more recently a Surge, but I also just picked up the Juice S2. It’s a really great EDC tool because it’s small enough to not be noticeable, but big enough to handle business.
Eneloop batteries – I carry between 1-4 AAA and AA Eneloops on any given day depending on what I’m doing. Work does not happen without power.
Rolex GMT-Master II – My wife got this for me as a wedding gift and it’s my favorite thing on the planet. It reminds me of her and our awesome wedding. The bonus is that it looks great with a t-shirt or a tuxedo.
Spyderco Dragonfly 2 – I’m not the biggest knife fanatic, but I do have a need for cutting stuff pretty much daily. I wanted something that was tiny because I don’t think it’s necessary to have a Crocodile Dundee knife as an EDC blade. I also liked the orange because I think it’s a little easier for non-knife people to digest than an all-black tactical knife. At 1 oz, it’s so light you forget you’re carrying it.
Boo-boo Box – I have some back problems so I carry Aleve and Excedrine Migraine is the only thing that helps my headaches. I’ve got some Advil as well. I keep some extras because I like to have them on hand if someone I’m working with is in need.
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Paracord Keychain with Black Diamond Spring Gate Biner – Ever since I had house keys or a car I’ve had a keychain on a carabiner. I recently added this paracord so I don’t have to take the carabiner off my belt loop to open my door. After almost 2 decades I’ve settled on this really strong spring gate carabiner because there’s no gate to get misaligned like with the D shaped biners. Works incredibly well.
Anker 6,000 mAh Battery – My phone rarely dies but there’s days where I can’t plug in to a computer or I’m running around a lot and constantly emailing or making calls. This unit recently replaced my Mophie Juice pack which is much thicker and heavier with the same mAh rating. The Anker is also a fraction of the price.
Incase 6″ Lightning Cable – Sometimes it’s nice to not carry 3′ of cable.
Fisher Space Pen – I had heard so much about these pens that I almost hated them without ever trying one. Kind of like how my old roommate ruined Seinfeld for me before I ever saw an episode. And then after giving it a chance, just like Jerry Seinfeld, I LOVE this pen. It’s another thing that’s so compact that you don’t even realize it’s in your pocket. The best part is that when you open it, it’s a full size pen — and you always need a pen.
Olight i3s EOS – Another great item that is invisible in your pocket but gets used a bunch of times a day. I was on a plane two days ago rummaging through my backpack and I couldn’t see anything — until I remembered I had my flashlight in my pocket. Barely larger than a AAA battery, this light is bright enough to hang with the AA lights. It’s under $20 so there’s no excuse to be left in the dark.
Titanium Pico Widgy Pry Bar – Another example of a very hyped up item that lives up to its hype. How many times are you tearing your fingers up trying to open something? This weighs as much as 5 pennies and is only 2″ long. I hate key clutter, but this can hide on a keychain all day and comes in handy so much it’s ridiculous. Pays for itself when you realize how much less frequently your fingers hurt.
Why do you EDC?
Being a photographer means you’re somewhere different almost every day. I need to make sure that I have what I need to get the job done wherever I go. I really focus on making these items as compact and lightweight as possible since I have to carry so much gear on any given day. On a light day I’ve got a 20 lb backpack and on a more intense day I’ve got a 40 lb camera bag with 2 huge Pelican cases of lights and stands, etc. So of course, these items I’ve listed are part of a much larger system involving different cases and bags, but these are some highlights of what really makes my life easier.
Over the years, I’ve learned from my mistakes. When I was just starting out, I didn’t have enough batteries and then I’d have to leave a shoot to run down to a convenience store to get batteries. Stuff like that. Then I realized how much easier it would be to just have everything I need on me wherever I go. They say two is one and one is none, and that’s 100% true. Like when my almost brand new camera died on me for no reason and then I had to figure out how to get one within the hour. Now I just have a spare in my camera bag and I’ve never had a problem since.
Carrying so much random stuff as well as back up items definitely feels excessive at times, but when you have a bag filled with zip ties, velcro, multiple types of glue, etc, there’s really no situation you’re not prepared for.
You’ve clearly put a lot of thought into your setup. After years of refining your EDC, if you had to narrow it down, what would be your single favorite item in your current rotation?
My favorite item is definitely the Olight i3s EOS. I love having such a compact but incredibly useful tool on me at all times. It’s great for regular applications (not night time) because of the cycle of modes. When you turn it on, it starts in medium brightness, then high, then moonlight. This is really helpful since this is one of the only multi mode flashlights that doesn’t start on the dimmest setting.
What are some things that you’ve wrapped up that you’re most proud of, and what’s next for you?
Besides getting married in 2014, I had some really memorable shoots that made for an awesome year. I started off the year shooting Eminem, Dr. Dre, and Jimmy Iovine in LA for the cover of XXL, along with Kendrick Lamar and 50 Cent for other XXL covers. I also got to shoot Lebron for the cover of SLAM which was such a great experience. The Chia Co. sent me down to Nicaragua to shoot their CEO on a chia farm which was incredible as well. I always try to push myself to do more, so I’m hoping that 2015 will be a big year for me career-wise.
You’re your own boss, you get to travel the world and your talents are sought after by prestigious clients. What would you tell people who are striving for that kind of success?
First you have to do something you really love. There’s no such thing as job security anymore, so you have to find something you enjoy spending a lot of time doing, and turn it into a sustainable business. If you get good at something, eventually people will pay you for it. Then, work hard and be nice to people.
See Tom’s portfolio at his website, and follow him on Instagram for even more of his photography.
Photos courtesy of Tom Medvedich
