Location: San Francisco Bay Area and thomasbroening.com.
Duration: Five years.
Staff: I regularly work with a great crew: Rosemary Richards does the styling, Kadija Sallak does hair and makeup, Jonas Olsson is the first camera assistant, Susette Blackwell casts and FatCat Digital does the retouching.
Education: B.A. in photojournalism from Indiana University.
Cultural Influences: Mark Rothko, Gram Parsons, Robert Maxwell, Notorious B.I.G., Sean Kernan, Larry Burrows, Maverick Cinema, Richard Misrach, Steen and Steen, white gospel music, Timothy Archibald and Dan Winters.
Environment: I live on a beautiful little street in Oakland with my wife and three daughters (with another one on the way).
Philosophy: Sometimes I feel like I was born in the wrong century. I believe that beauty still has a place in our culture. I try and honor the people I photograph. If I make a subject look human, poised and a little regal, then I have probably made a pretty good picture.