It’s unbelievable that a year ago, we lost the wonderful Tom Stoddart. A great friend to those lucky to know him, an inspiration to photojournalists everywhere and a story teller to the world, through his thought provoking and moving work.
A selection of Tom’s photographs, 21 in all, have been carefully chosen from across more than 40-years of his unique work around the world and presents for the first time an opportunity to share a part of his legacy. Visit the specially set up Print Sales page on Tom’s website.
Each print is validated with a specially created Tom Stoddart Estate Archive certificate, embossed with his digital signature. It’s a unique opportunity to own a part of history, through this phenomenal archive of work.
A Legend Of A Friend To Many, An Inspiration To Many More and A Legendary Photojournalist To The World
It was with exceptional sadness that I found that earlier today, Tom Stoddart had passed away. Absolutely devastating news.
Photographer Tom Stoddart at the Coach and Horses, Kew Green. October 04, 2009. Photo: Edmond Terakopian
One of the most amazing people I had the absolute honour and pleasure to meet and count as a colleague and a friend.
We first met when I gatecrashed the National Geographic magazine’s party at Visa Pour L’Image, some time in the 1990s. Found Tom at the bar when I went to get drinks. With our beers in hand, we just started chatting like best friends, for probably over an hour! Kindness, wisdom, patience, all for the 20 something year old kid he’s just been practically accosted by! I was a huge fan of his exceptional work and from that evening onwards, became a huge fan of the thoughtful gentleman behind the camera.
I’m heartbroken. The world of journalism has lost a true great and all of us who were fortunate to know Tom, have lost a true and inspiring friend. Every conversation with Tom was always interesting and usually, had a lesson in life too, garnered from his experiences photographing some of the worst in humanity, whilst always finding how the best in humanity can shine through in those dire moments and places.
Photographer Tom Stoddart at his Perspectives Exhibition, More London Riverside. August 08, 2012. Photo: Edmond Terakopian
When I got in touch with Tom last year, to say we were putting together a fundraising print sale for Médecins Sans Frontières’ Covid-19 fund, he didn’t hesitate to offer one of his amazing photographs. More than any one of the 42 photographers involved, he would constantly check in to see how things were going leading up to the sale and if he could help in any way.
The first time I had heard of MSF (Médecins Sans Frontières), it was through Tom’s extraordinary work, documenting the famine and humanitarian crisis in Sudan in 1998. He had based himself at an MSF aid station, but had taken all the food and water he needed for his stay, as he refused to use up any resources which were there for the local population and the medical team who had gone to their aid. On his return, The Guardian newspaper published a selection of the images in August 1998, with one displayed prominently on the front page. At Tom’s request, the text included a phone for readers to donate to MSF. As a direct result of people seeing these images, more than £100,000 was raised for the charity. If memory recalls, Tom insisted the same conditions on other major publications and much more was actually raised. In fact the print that Tom donated to our print auction, was from this trip. A wonderful photography showing a rare moment of joy between siblings at Ajiep, in Bahr El Ghazal Province , south Sudan.
Through your exceptional work, ethos, compassion, empathy and depth, much admired and a true inspiration to us all.
We have all lost a legendary friend and a legendary photojournalist.
Rest dear Tom.
Photographer Tom Stoddart at his Perspectives Exhibition, More London Riverside. August 08, 2012. Photo: Edmond Terakopian
This short film interview with Tom is an absolute must watch.
Behind The Scenes With Tom Stoddart; Shooting A Campaign For The International Committee of the Red Cross And Red Crescent (ICRC)
A fascinating behind the scenes shoot showing multi award winning photojournalist Tom Stoddart shooting the “Healthcare In Danger” campaign for the ICRC, using a Leica S2 medium format digital camera. I really like this campaign as the studio shots are like I have never seen before; they have a gritty realism to them which immediately puts the viewer within the conflict zone feel and communicates the message.
The current campaign was shot around six weeks ago and follow on from the last campaign Stoddart shot for the ICRC around two years ago, using Leica M9 cameras.
Photographer Tom Stoddart at his Perspectives Exhibition, More London Riverside. August 08, 2012. Photo: Edmond Terakopian
One of photojournalisms most powerful authors, photographer Tom Stoddart is having an extremely powerful, thought provoking, moving, educational, photographically brilliant, emotionally shocking exhibition until September 11th, 2012 in an open air display at More London’s Riverside (by Tower Bridge and City Hall).
Photographer Tom Stoddart at his Perspectives Exhibition, More London Riverside. August 08, 2012. Photo: Edmond Terakopian
Having seen the Perspectives exhibition today, I cannot recommend it highly enough to anyone with any interest in the recent world history, the planet, people, photography, photojournalism and life in general. Although very familiar with Tom’s work, there were quite a few images I had never seen before. With 78 of his signature images on display, with subjects as diverse as future Olympians training in China, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the HIV / AIDS pandemic in Africa, hostilities in Iraq, the siege of Sarajevo to the horrific famine in Sudan, it’s an exhibition which should definitely be seen. Admission is free and the exhibition finishes on September the 11th.
Tom Stoddart’s Perspectives Exhibition, More London Riverside. August 08, 2012. Photo: Edmond Terakopian
Great news for admirers of the best in photojournalistic work; Tom Stoddart will be having an exhibition in London, called Perspectives. The outdoor exhibition will at More London Riverside (between City Hall and HMS Belfast, by The Thames), from the 25th of July to the 11th of September, 2012.
The exhibition is set to coincide with London hosting the Olympic games. Speaking about the exhibition, Tom says, “The world’s nations are currently joined together by a wonderful sporting festival whose motto is ‘swifter, higher, stronger’. I hope that people visiting the exhibition will leave with a greater determination to understand and help those with little access to clean water, food and medicines who, through no fault of their own, cannot run more swiftly, jump higher or be stronger”.
Photographer Tom Stoddart.
Perspectives is supported by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) who are highlighting the repercussions of peoples around the world caught in conflict or emergency zones not having safe access to healthcare.
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