We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Thom Kerr a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Thom, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear the story of how you went from this being just an idea to making it into something real.
For me, it wasn’t a business plan on paper — it was a creative calling. I started out as a child performer growing up in Australia, obsessed with fantasy, storytelling, and bold visual aesthetics. At university the turning point came when I realized I could merge those passions into image-making — creating visual worlds that weren’t just beautiful, but cinematic and narrative-driven. Photography became my portal.
The first real step was just picking up a camera and saying yes to every opportunity — even if I didn’t fully know how to do it yet. I’d style the shoot, direct the talent, create the set, and photograph it all myself. I treated every shoot like a production, even if it was low-budget. That energy and commitment to storytelling caught attention fast.
In the early days, I started submitting editorials to indie magazines around the world — Oyster, Black, and eventually big ones like Harper’s Bazaar and Glamour. Every feature became a calling card. The work started to snowball, and I began collaborating with musicians, actors, and designers who were drawn to my unique visual signature — bold color, surreal staging, and emotionally heightened performance.
What I had to figure out quickly was how to turn creativity into a sustainable business. That meant building relationships with agents, learning the business side of licensing and production, and staying ahead of creative trends without losing the weird magic that made my work stand out.
Over the years, I’ve expanded into music videos, short films, and full creative direction. But the heart of it is still the same — turning fantasy into something you can see, feel, and sell. Clients now come to me because they want more than just visuals — they want a world.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I’m Thom Kerr — a director, photographer, and creative visionary originally from Australia, now working internationally between the US & Europe. I specialize in creating bold, stylized, and emotionally resonant visual stories across fashion, music, film, and pop culture. Over the last decade, I’ve worked with artists like Iggy Azalea, Meghan Trainor, Cynthia Erivo, and Doja Cat, and my work has appeared in Vogue, Glamour, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, and Interview magazine.
My journey into the industry didn’t start with traditional photography training — it started with storytelling. As a child, I was obsessed with cinema, mythology, fantasy, and the theatricality of fashion. I came from a world where imagination was a survival tool, so when I discovered photography and directing, it became a way to turn dreams into tangible images. I taught myself everything I could — lighting, styling, editing — and built a distinctive visual language rooted in high-concept aesthetics, narrative styling, and an instinct for performance.
Today, I offer full-service creative direction: photography, film direction, brand development, music video production, campaign design, and concept development. Whether I’m creating a pop music video, a fashion editorial, or a campaign for a beauty brand, my goal is always the same: build a world that commands attention and tells a deeper story — whether it’s through surrealism, glamour, satire, or emotional vulnerability.
Clients come to me because they don’t want ordinary. They want something that breaks through the noise — something iconic, cinematic, and full of energy. I’m known for pushing creative boundaries while maintaining a strong sense of polish, professionalism, and emotional clarity. I’ve helped celebrities reinvent their image, emerging artists stand out in saturated markets, and brands connect with audiences in unforgettable ways.
What I’m most proud of is being able to bring fantasy into the real world — especially for people who feel like they don’t belong in the “mainstream.” My work celebrates individuality, queerness, creativity, and bold expression. I want people to feel seen — and I want my work to feel like a mirror that’s been dipped in stardust.
For potential clients, the main thing to know is: I bring big ideas to life. Whether you’re a pop star, a fashion label, or a creative agency — I will elevate your vision with concept-driven storytelling, bold aesthetics, and cinematic precision. If you want work that turns heads and tells a story, that’s what I do best.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
Resilience, for me, has always meant reinvention.
Early in my career, I became known for a hyper-stylized, high-gloss aesthetic — surreal fashion shoots, theatrical lighting, bold color. That visual language helped launch my name, but as the industry evolved, I realized I had to evolve too. What worked five years ago didn’t always speak to the new generation of talent or the changing tone of culture. If you cling too tightly to your “signature,” you risk becoming irrelevant.
There was a moment where I felt that shift — when the work I was being asked to do no longer aligned with what I wanted to say, and the clients I was attracting didn’t reflect the new direction I felt stirring inside me. I had two choices: play it safe and coast, or take a risk and adapt. I chose the latter. I stripped things back, embraced new collaborators, worked with emerging artists, and allowed myself to explore new formats like music videos, short films, and rawer emotional storytelling. I learned new tools, tapped into new communities, and kept saying yes to change — even when it was uncomfortable.
That resilience — the ability to believe in your evolution even when the industry doesn’t immediately catch up — is everything. You have to stay open. New artists, new technologies, new perspectives — they’re not threats to your identity, they’re invitations to expand it. And if you’re not willing to grow, the zeitgeist will move on without you.
What’s kept me in the game isn’t just creativity — it’s curiosity. That, and the unshakable belief that every new chapter has something even better waiting — if you’re brave enough to let go of the last one.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
For me, the most rewarding part of being a creative is the transformation. Whether it’s turning a rough idea into a fully realized visual world, or watching someone step into a version of themselves they’ve never seen before — that process of alchemy is magic.
I love collaborating with people who have a spark — a feeling, a story, a desire — and then helping them shape it into something iconic, something unforgettable. There’s nothing more satisfying than creating a moment that makes someone feel powerful, beautiful, or seen in a way they’ve never experienced before.
As an artist, I get to take fantasy seriously — to make dreams look like reality and reality feel cinematic. And on a deeper level, I get to make space for people — especially outsiders, misfits, and bold visionaries — to express themselves with no filter. That sense of freedom, that emotional connection, that visual impact — that’s the reward. Every time.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thomkerr.com
- Instagram: @thomkerr
Image Credits
Photography: Thom Kerr