Yorktown Grad 'Living the Dream' as Photographer

He has toured the United States several times with a band, traveled to Canada and Australia for photo-shoots and has had his photograph featured on ABC's 'Dancing with the Stars."

Tom Falcone, a 2010 Yorktown High School graduate, has been living the dream ever since he picked up an old point and shoot camera when he was 16. After high school Falcone attended the New England School of Photography and graduated in May, 2012.

Since then he hasn't stopped working.

Falcone said he considers himself a documentary photographer – capturing everything in front of his eyes, what he sees within people and how they live through struggle, achievements and love. 

"I photograph people, touring musicians, specifically," Falcone said. "For me, it is getting to know the people to see their flaws, see what and who they really are, then capturing it. Producing something you can feel within a photograph is my main objective every time I shoot."

In 2011, he was hired by a band/label called 'Mayday Parade' on Atlantic Records to do documentary photos on the road with the band over the summer. Immediately after graduating college, he continued with the label and did two full U.S tours and a quick Australian tour with the band.

Falcone has done freelance work for Alternative Press Magazine as well as multiple major record labels such as the Atlantic Records, Warner Brother Music, Razor & Tie, and others. 

Falcone currently lives in Michigan where he is documenting a folk band. But being far away from home is not easy and he said he misses his family and friends. 

"There is a lot going on in Yorktown that I don't get to do," he said. "Staying in touch is the hardest part. Majority of the day I only have a couple minutes to call friends at home, that is if we are even in the same time zone too. The most rewarding experience would be to travel the world, getting to document my life and look back with stories to tell friends and families."

And he's got plenty of stories to tell. 

"Never in a million years would I have thought to see a photo of mine on public television," Falcone said of his photograph that appeared on ABC's 'Dancing with the Stars."

He shot that photograph for a band he met on a tour – 'The Summer Set' on Razor & Tie (record label).

"Little did I know, the lead singer wrote a song about this girl named Chelsea Kane, who he was dating at the time, and she starred on the show, sang the song and there my photo was," Falcone said. "Before airing the photo, ABC contacted me with releases, a lot of paper work and all that jazz."

He credits his family for their support for his passion for photography while he was in high school and was just starting out his career.

"They drove me everywhere, made sure I was safe, bought me equipment when I needed it, everything," he said. "It's cool now because my parents come and hang out when I'm tour with the band, my dad talks motorcycles with them while my mom makes sure the tour bus is clean. Funny how things work out, but they are most supportive."

Falcone's mother Katie said she and her husband Nick saw early on Falcone's love for photography and the perseverance that he had while photographing. They always told him to follow his dreams.

"Thomas is one the most easy going kids that you would ever meet, every parent should have a child as kind, caring and driven as he is," she said. "His personality reflects the work that he does."

To get to where he was, his parents said, he has put "lots of hard work, drive and determination." When there were high school parties and days at the beach, he would pass them up due to a prior photo commitment. He graduated from high school on a Saturday and the next day he flew out to California to start an 8-week job with Vans Warped Tour – missing all the graduation parties with family and friends, his parents said. 

While he was a senior at Yorktown High School, his mother said she received a call from the attendance office to confirm his absence for the day.

"My heart skipped a beat," Katie Falcone said. "I knew that he went to school that day. I began to panic, calling his brother and all of their friends. No one knew where he was. Three long hours after that phone call – Thomas called to say 'Mom, I'm on MTV's Silent Library.'"

His career path has put him in touch with various famous people like Nicole Richie, the owner of Glamour Kills Clothing, We Are The In Crowd, All Time Low and Mayday Parade to name a few, his parents said.

This past November, while on the road he was invited to Green Bay Packers quarterback Arron Rogers' home for Thanksgiving dinner. 

"Despite that he is 'nearly famous,' Thomas will never brag to anyone of his friends," his mother said. "When he comes home from being on the road, the front door revolves once again and he picks up where he left off."

Even though there were people who supported him from the beginning, there were those who doubted him, the young photographer said. But he never gave up on his dreams.

"Honestly, I never really cared if people discouraged me or not, I loved what I was doing and went for it," Falcone said. "Here I am."

What's next for Falcone?

He will fly home to meet up with a Disney Records band called Allstar Weekend for a couple weeks, then back to his second family Mayday Parade until mid-May. He also plans on going to Europe, Japan and the Philippines by the end of the year.

"Follow your dreams," Falcone said. "Put your mind to something and do it. It's weird how things work, but people notice hard workers, and that's what I am. Work hard to achieve your goals, and stay inspired."

Check out Falcone's website at http://www.tomfalconephoto.com and blog at http://www.falconephoto.tumblr.com

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