Billy Tompkins

Billy Tompkins got a crash course in cool when he attended his first Rolling Stones concert in New York City at age fifteen and got to go backstage, camera at the ready. Soon after, the Queens native began his photography career with rebellion worthy of the rock n’ rollers he loved: he started smuggling his camera and other gear into concerts and shot away without official credentials.

Later, after a professional career he jump-started with his work on UN Magazine, he became the real deal, shooting The Who, The Cars, Dave Matthews, and a lot more in work so noteworthy that Hard Rock has showcased his photography in their hotel lobbies. Then he went on to expertly capture the high drama and passion of boxing, shooting big-time matches like those of Cano and Shane Mosely, among many others.

Billy’s work has a classic edge; he began to shoot digital relatively recently, and he still has a deep love for film. Then again, he’s always ready to embrace anything that will take him to the next stage of the game…wherever that may be.

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