Biography
Tom is a designer and publisher based in London, UK.Book design is his primary focus and is founded upon the belief that making a book is both collaboration and response. Working together with artists to make a publication relies upon exhausting all possibilities in order to arrive at a best possible final form for the work to exist in.
Since 2022 he has been running Bluecoat Press, which is a London based publisher that specialises in making photo-books. At Bluecoat Tom hopes to maintain the respect that has been garnered over the past 30 years but also push the books into a contemporary space. There are many ways Bluecoat is working towards this, including diversifying the range of artists and works that they publish, and raising production and design standards across the board.
Moving forward Bluecoat Press is striving to be a positive force in the publishing industry, creating beautiful books to represent the voices of many different artists. Reaching beyond the arts and photography into the lives of people who cannot normally access books is something Bluecoat is aiming for as they grow. Creating more accessibility to art is key to growing its uptake and involvement by future generations. A passion which Tom also brings into his personal practic
In 2020 he co-founded Besides Press, a photobook publishing company which celebrates projects created with an impulsive curiosity, without deliberation and often without an audience in mind. This includes spontaneous side projects, playful collaborations, and offbeat experiments.
His photographic work is borne out of intuition and instinct as well as an acute appreciation for the physical world. His imagery often focuses on the potential of the unnoticed, and what we choose to ignore; either unconsciously or willingly. He explores this through series of images; which often focus on a single person, place or moment in time.
Education
BA Hons PhotographyUniversity of West england (UWE)
→ First Class Honours
Workshops, Teaching & Reviews
(2024) Offspring Photo Meet→ Portfolio reviews
(2024) Four Corners
→ One Day exhibtion and book launch for This Was Then by Mike Abrahams
(2024) The Photographers Gallery
→ Book launch for Vulcan’s Forge by Janine Wiedel
(2024) Martin Parr Foundation
→ Daniel Meadows Book Launch and in conversation
(2023) Martin Parr Foundation
→ Jamie Murray in converation with Tom Booth Woodger
(2023) KA Atyole
→ Look What I Brought You: UK Selection (Supported by The British Council)
(2022) Redeye
→ It's Your Business: Print and Publishing, Books and Zines
(2022) Besides Press Workshop at BOOM Satsuma
→ Gesture and Expression
(2022) UWE 1st Year Module Launch
→ Perfomance in the City
Links & Press
(2024) Time Out→ Faces of Notting Hill: these photographs document the 1960s Black British experience(2024) The Face
→ Six indie photobook publishers to up your coffee table game
(2022) Photobookstore
→ Photobooks of 2022 selection for Photobookstore
(2021) Photobookstore
→ Photobooks of 2021 selection for Photobookstore
Artists (A-Z)
Alison McCauleyBert Hardy
Billy Barraclough
Bruce Gilden
Charlie Phillips
Chris Hoare
Daniel Meadows
Dod Miller
Elena Subach
Ian Beesley
Jake Michaels
Janine Wiedel
Jamie Murray
Jill Freedman
Joshua K. Jackson
Josh Edgoose
Kavi Pujara
Kris Hollington
Leia Morrison
Luke & Nik
Marketa Luskacova
Marilyn Stafford
Martin Amis
Martin Salter
Matt Stuart
Michael Alberry
Mike Abrahams
Niall McDairmid
Nick Gervin
Nick Gervin
Rob Ball
Robert Darch
Tami Aftab
Publishers (A-Z)*
Besides PressBluecoat Press
Lido
Photo Editions
Plague Press
Setanta Books
Note
This websites purpose is to be a complete archive of Tom’s work, but also a learning resource for anyone who may need it.All the material and technical specifications of the books are available. If you have any technical questions or queries please get in touch.