Local Artist Profile: Tom Horton

Local photographer Tom Horton picked up his passion during a summer job at Grand Teton National Park in 1968 while a biology student at the U of U. “I discovered I was good at photography, so when I returned to the U I got into photography with the yearbook and newspaper, and added a journalism major.”

Ironically, due to an allergy to darkroom chemicals, Tom was forced to give up photography. Instead, for the next 30 years he divided his time between jobs involving journalism, technology, marketing and education. When digital photography was invented, Tom was able to take up photography again. “For a number of years I was doing both in parallel – teaching high school biology and improving at digital photography.”

When he shoots in the field, Tom says, he may be in awe of the scene, but the photo is only promising, not real, until he prints it. Very, very few of his thousands of photos get printed, which it as it should be. Self-editing and rarity are core requirements of art, and the need to print imposes that on him. “In my mind a photograph doesn’t really exist until it comes off the printer. So, printing a photo is really my moment of greatest satisfaction.”  

His career took him to several different countries but while working in China in 2011 he bought a place in Park City thinking it would be a good place to eventually do photography full time. He relocated permanently to Park City in 2015.

“I have a portfolio on the web at https://furthertofly.com but you get the most photos by following me on Instagram @further2fly”.  Tom has also exhibited and sold work at regional art festivals including Utah Arts Festival, Kimball Art Festival, Art Elevated at Swaner Preserve and occasionally Park Silly Market. “I've had local exhibitions periodically. Last year I was at Red Butte Garden and Park City Library.”