Inspired by the traditions of his New Jersey Italian-American heritage, Tom developed a passion for food culture and home cooking at an early age. At Emerson College, he earned a bachelor’s degree in visual media arts with a specialization in documentary production, a study that greatly influenced his work. He pulls inspiration from cinema verité—combined with stylized studio lighting—to create delicately balanced visuals that tell impactful stories. In 2012, he began exploring diners through a documentary photography lens, which culminated in a scandalously delicious viral food photography blog called Diner Porn. In 2016, a Diner Porn book was self-published in collaboration with his partner, writer Alecia Eberhardt-Smith, featuring stories and photo essays from 25 diners across America. Tom’s work has also been published in The New York Times, Bon Appetit, Food52, and 2016’s The Pizza Book, for which he was the cookbook photographer.