Meet Tom Mackie | Professional landscape photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tom Mackie and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tom, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
Upon graduating from a technical college with a degree in commercial photography I moved from the Midwest to embark on a career as a commercial photographer in Los Angeles. After assisting a few commercial/fashion photographers, I worked as a photographer for a defence contract company. Even though it was well-paid, I felt unfulfilled as a photographer. I was inspired by landscape photographers David Meunch and James Randklev to pursue landscape photography as a profession. While living in LA, I met my ex-wife from England and we decided to sell everything and move to England to start a career as a landscape photographer. It was a huge risk for me as I had never travelled much let alone beyond the USA. Once we were married I remember the immigration office stating that he wanted to see us again in a year to make sure it wasn’t a marriage of convenience. I laughed and the officer asked why I was laughing. I said do you think it’s convenient to leave a well-paid job with the gorgeous weather of Los Angeles to move to England?! He said, ‘Point taken, but I still have to see you in a year’.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Here’s an excerpt from my bio.

Moving to the UK in 1985, he pursued a full-time career as a landscape photographer. Working with digital, panoramic and large format equipment, Tom’s understanding of light and bold use of colour became a hallmark that established his reputation. The 4×5 field camera was his main format of choice until going digital in 2006. He used Canon’s until changing to the Nikon D800 in 2012 and now the Nikon D810.

“My aim from the first was to develop a clearly defined style of my own by simplifying images down to their basic elements, I consciously attempt to give my compositions more power.

”Calendar, book and magazine work followed from a wide network of clients. Architectural and travel commissions added to his repertoire and his role as one of the world’s leading landscape photographers was sealed by his inclusion in ‘The World’s Top Photographers: Landscape’, published by Rotovision.

His talents have also won accolades from The British Institute of Professional Photographers, the Ilford Awards and Business Calendar Awards.

Tom Mackie has had two books published by David & Charles: a best-selling ‘Photos With Impact’, ‘Tom Mackie’s Landscape Photography Secrets’ and his latest book ‘Digital SLR Experts: Landscape’ is a collaboration with four other top photographers.

He has written numerous articles for photography magazines and lectures to other professionals on the art of landscape photography. Tom regularly holds photographic workshops in the UK and abroad.

What do I want the world to know about my story? For me, it’s all about the journey of constant improvement in my craft while relishing every moment spent in nature. I want the world to understand that my brand isn’t just about capturing beautiful landscapes; it’s about embracing the process of growth and finding joy in the great outdoors. My story is one of passion, perseverance, and a deep connection to the natural world, and I hope to share that with others through my work.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
My favourite city is London as there are so many interesting historic parts to the city and such a diversity of food.

Borough Market for seafood at The Wright Brothers restaurant.
Covent Garden for street entertainment and individual shops.
Drinks at The Rooftop overlooking Trafalgar Square.
A city walk from Buckingham Palace through the beautiful gardens of St. James Park on to see Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey. Cross the river for a ride on the London Eye. Walk along the south bank passing the famous Globe Theatre, the Tate Modern and on to Tower Bridge and the Tower of London.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Landscape photographer and friend, James Randklev. When I worked at a photo lab in Los Angeles, I printed Jim’s large format landscape images to cibachrome murals. We became friends and he helped get my first landscape images published by the Sierra Club as he was a regular contributor before I left for England. Jim has always been supportive and encouraging with my work.

Website: www.tommackie.com

Image Credits
All images by Tom Mackie