Tom G. O’Neal Biography

As a young man with a profound fascination of all things creative, Tom immersed himself in the study of painting and design. He attended both the Chicago Art Institute and the University of Illinois. Near the end of his college career, Tom began to transition into photography. The application of design and composition theories from his prior studies to the process of film capture was a natural segue. The world of the camera was particularly fascinating to Tom because of its mobility. He regarded this new medium as a portable canvas and never looked back at his easel. This developing passion became the focus of a lifelong career.

Along with his burgeoning talent as a photographer, Tom also had an instinct for timing. He immersed himself in the intense Los Angeles music scene that exploded in the sixties. He found himself in great demand by several high profile rock and roll stars. Ironically, he applied both his photographic and graphic design skills in the creation of over 80 album covers, including the iconic Déjà Vu cover used by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. Other notable groups were the Rolling Stones, Steppenwolf, Joni Mitchell, Poco, Crazy Horse, the Mamas and the Papas, B.B. King, and The Three Tenors. He developed relationships with entertainers that created opportunities for many years to follow.

The seventies found Tom searching for a change in genre. Perhaps his intuition once again was a factor, for he shifted his focus to photojournalism and set off to work in Africa. There he was hired by the Peace Corps with key shooting assignments in the Congo. His horizons were broadened by exposure to international politics and human interest assignments. From Africa he traveled to Paris and London where he absorbed and photographed the European art scene, meeting interesting people and exchanging ideas. He experimented with light and shadow, developing techniques that remain innovative and contemporary in the current environment.

Ready to have a more permanent location, Tom returned to California and set up a studio on the Monterey Peninsula. He continued to work with people, but also found inspiration in still-life and landscape photography. Even with this new base, Tom searched for fine art photography subject matter in frequent travels. From the saturated color palette of Mexico to the ethereal hues and shadows of Venice, Tom revels in the process of creativity.

The TGO Photography Studio and Gallery provide a full spectrum of services. Along with his fine art photography, Tom specializes in wedding, commercial and portraiture. Tom observes that from rock and roll to weddings, the rare milliseconds of the moment can never be recreated. He knows that intuition and timing are still the most important factors in his job, and have always served him well.