We were lucky to catch up with Tommy Moore recently and have shared our conversation below.

Tommy, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

There’s something so special about feeling an image on a page. Feeling the grain of the paper on your fingertips, smelling the very specific scent that books–especially old books–hold within their covers, flipping page by page to discover what the next holds. The tangible nature of books is so much more intimate than any image that appears on a screen.

For a long time, I had so much work that sat dormant. Whether it was personal work or brand work, I had an archive that was sitting untouched on hard drives. Around me were so many incredible creatives that were all in similar boats. You photograph all the things, paint all the paintings, make all the music, but when the world shuts down, where does all that go?

My great grandmother was a landscape painter, and to this day my house is still filled with her paintings–I’ve even started getting my favorites tattooed. I always felt so drawn to the physical nature of these pieces of art that rested on my walls, standing the test of time. Along with those paintings, my grandmother’s (who was a librarian) old book collection rested on my shelf in such an elegant and dignified way. It was seeing the combination of these two things, that gave me the finally nudge forward to create a physical archive of sorts for my work and those around me who I loved and respected’s work.

Since the first days of conception some of the ideas have shifted, but the general idea of the mission remains the same. These books are meant to be as relevant and table worthy collections of work from creatives we love and respect in twenty years as they are today.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

DAYBREAK Magazine is a print publication that focuses on creatives in the outdoors.

I grew up in a touristy beach town along the shores of Lake Michigan. Summer’s were bustling small town paradise, and winter’s were cold, quiet, and snowy. As I got older, I found myself spending hours upon hours wandering the beaches and windy trails in the dunes regardless of what season it was. Around this time I was introduced to photography. It was a bit of a three-way street when I picked up a camera, because my grandfather was a film photographer of sorts, my mom found a lot of joy in taking photos, and one of my best friend’s who I spent most days was a year or two ahead of me on their photo journey (Cameron Smith is now a White House photographer). Picking up a camera, I found the same solace behind a lens that I did wandering all of those beaches.

Fast forward a few years, and that love of outdoors and photography have combined with my love of people and design. Most of my work now revolves around the lifestyle and culture of creative industries and the outdoors–specifically working where those two worlds collide.

In 2020 I founded DAYBREAK Magazine, which focuses on the moment those two worlds come together. To date, we’ve published 5 books, accounting for over 1,000 unique pages and 100+ stories printed.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

It’s not a glamorous approach, but all the while that I’ve been running DAYBREAK full-time, I’ve also worked full time in the architecture world. At this point, I’m within the design leadership core of the studio that I’ve been at over the course of the last few years. After nearly four years of maintaining two full-time jobs, it’s nearing the point where decisions are needed to be made to keep DAYBREAK’s path on it’s upwards trajectory. Holding the two jobs side-by-side at the beginning was definitely the only way to ensure I had the footing capital to get the book and company off the ground.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

On my side of things, the most rewarding aspects is helping to shine light on and share the stories and work that so many incredible people are creating. The outdoor world is home to so many talented creatives, and working to give an extra ounce of voice to people I respect is very fulfilling.

Contact Info:

• Website: daybreakpub.com or studiodaybreak.org
• Instagram: daybreak_mag or tommymoorestudio
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tommy-moore-253a65106/
• TikTok: @daybreakmag

Image Credits
Personal Headshot by Isaiah Gencuski @attackisaiah All other photos by Tommy Moore @tommymoorestudio DAYBREAK V.3 Cover Photo by Brian Lackey @brianlackey (photo of the complete book by Tommy Moore) DAYBREAK V.4 Cover Photo by Mike Borchard @mikeborchard (photo of the complete book by Tommy Moore)