Today I said goodbye to my second home of the last decade. This magical space and its owners welcomed me in 2012 during my freshman year at FIT when I was only a naive and clueless 17 year old. Tom, my mentor, was the kindest and sweetest soul who inspired, nurtured and changed the lives of all those around him. Although he was 84 when I met him, and spent just two and half years together, he managed to not only train me as a photo assistant, but to be the best version of myself as a human as much as an artist. Prior to his passing in 2014, he left me his camera and wished for his studio to remain open for my studio partner and I to continue creating as long as his angel of a wife, Doris, was still with us. If you’ve known me long enough you know how special this space is, and if you’ve known me long-long enough, you know how magical Tom and Doris were. Over the last 10 years this space allowed me to play and learn lighting, do many many tests, photograph my first story and many more after, hold countless meetings, parties, and experience laughter, excitement, love, inspiration, cries and more. Today Tom’s name hangs on top of my chest, while his stories, mentoring and care direct my path. His legacy continues through all those who were lucky enough to know him.