| Contact Thomas Kachadurian |

I have been in publishing in various forms since 1985. My first serial publication was in 1988 when I became the art director and photographer for Traverse magazine. I left that position in 1994 and began my freelance career. History from the Hearth, one of the first books I photographed and produced was for the Mackinac State Historic Parks in 1997. I didn’t know then, but it was the first in a series of cookbooks that would feature my photographs.

At the same time I was working on my first book. Over a two year period I wrote essays and made photographs for Views from the Sleeping Bear, which was published in 1998.  It was a golden time for publishing and the book sold out the first printing in 4 months. The publisher immediately requested a second book.

I went to the only other place I knew well, Mackinac Island. Again over a two year period I biked, hiked, and rode all over the island. I wrote and photographed people and places. I slept on friends floors and in their attics. I was a regular on the Arnold Line ferry, and I learned to hate the smell of fudge. Because my first book sold well I had more control over Views of Mackinac Island. The book was released in November of 2000.

While I was spending my many hours on Mackinac Island I met my friend Jeff Dupre who wanted to start a magazine. I was quick to sign on and was the Art Director for Mackinac Living for it’s entire ten year run.

My work with Mackinac Living was seasonal and in the same time period I had many other projects. I continued to be a photographer for Mackinac State Historic Parks. I worked extensively with the Public Museum of Grand Rapids both as a photographer and as an art director for their books. I also worked on Michigan State University Press books as art director. As part of the MSU Campus: Buildings, Spaces, Places book project I photographed every building on the East Lansing campus.

In 2005 I was contacted to produce a book on Traverse City. For the Traverse City book I had complete control of photography, editing, and design. Released in 2006, Traverse City: From Farmstead to Lakeshore is my favorite of my three personal books.

After Traverse City was published I decided to give up design work and focus (see what I did there) exclusively on photography. I did just that for three years. At the end of 2008 I was contacted by one of my former colleagues from Traverse magazine to help her with a national title she had taken over as publisher. After I few lively conversations I was back into design work and became Art director for Spirituality & Health. S&H is a bi-monthly national magazine and became a major part of my work for the next four years.

While I was part of the S&H team I also began what became a series of cookbook projects. I was the photographer for Cooks’ House: The Art and Soul of Local, sustainable cuisine (2009), Kitchen Alchemy (2010), and How Fustini’s Do Fustini’s (2012). For Kitchen Alchemy I had the opportunity to to make the photographs inside a rustic farmhouse in Hexam, England, the home of chef and author Phillippa Lee. Phillips, it turns out, is my spiritual sister across the ocean.

| Contact Thomas Kachadurian |