My name is Tom and I'm a photographer.<\/strong><\/p> I walk around the streets of Cardiff looking for people whose style stands out. When I see someone who looks cool, I stop them, give them a compliment and take a quick portrait.<\/p> That\u2019s the project.<\/p> It sounds simple, but those small moments are what it\u2019s really about. A stranger noticing someone else, stopping for a second and saying something positive. Sometimes people laugh, sometimes they\u2019re surprised, sometimes they don\u2019t quite believe me. But almost always they walk away smiling.<\/p> What most people don\u2019t realise is that this project started because of my own struggles with social anxiety.<\/p> For a long time the idea of approaching strangers felt almost impossible. The street felt loud, unpredictable and intimidating. This project became a way of pushing through that. One conversation at a time.<\/p> What started as a challenge slowly turned into something much bigger.<\/p> I realised how powerful a simple compliment can be. People rarely get stopped in the street just to be told something good about themselves. In a world where a lot of attention online is negative or critical, those small positive moments matter.<\/p> So that\u2019s what I try to do.<\/p> Notice people. The phrases that come from those interactions have now turned into the merch you see here. Things like Tom Said I Was Cool<\/em> or I've Been Tom'd<\/em> started as little jokes with the people I photographed. Now they\u2019re a way for people to wear that moment.<\/p> At its heart though, My Name Is Tom<\/strong> is not really about clothes or photography.<\/p> It\u2019s about confidence. Sometimes all it takes is a stranger saying:<\/p> \u201cYou look cool.\u201d<\/p>"},"borderRadius":{"id":125969765,"value":"#{text.border.radius}"},"textColor":{"id":125969766,"value":"#{text.color}"},"backgroundColour":{"id":125969767,"value":"#0000"},"truncateHeight":{"id":125969768,"value":null},"template":{"id":125969769,"value":"text"},"padding":{"id":125969770,"value":"6"},"fullWidth":{"id":125969771,"value":"0"},"fullBackgroundColor":{"id":125969772,"value":"#{text.fullBackground.color}"},"published":{"id":125969773,"value":"1"},"conditions":{"id":125969774,"value":"[]"}}},{"id":4989962,"type":"newsletterSubscribe","published":1,"size":{"x":12,"y":0},"order":8,"items":[],"properties":{"padding":{"id":125969775,"value":"6"},"spacing":{"id":125969776,"value":"64px"},"font":{"id":125969777,"value":"#{newsletter.title.font}"},"title":{"id":125969778,"value":"Don't miss out."},"copy":{"id":125969779,"value":"Don't miss out on the latest product launches and updates. Sign up to our newsletter"},"stacked":{"id":125969780,"value":"0"},"backgroundColor":{"id":125969781,"value":"#0000"},"textColor":{"id":125969782,"value":"#{newsletter.text.color}"},"primaryActions":{"id":125969783,"value":"0"},"formBorderRadius":{"id":125969784,"value":"#{form.border.radius}"},"buttonBorderRadius":{"id":125969785,"value":"#{button.border.radius}"},"borderRadius":{"id":125969786,"value":"#{newsletter.border.radius}"},"mailingList":{"id":125969787,"value":72186},"template":{"id":125969788,"value":"newsletterSubscribe"},"fullWidth":{"id":125969789,"value":"1"},"fullBackgroundColor":{"id":125969790,"value":"#{newsletter.fullBackground.color}"},"published":{"id":125969791,"value":"1"},"conditions":{"id":125969792,"value":"[]"}}}],"properties":{"title":{"id":125969718,"value":"About Tom Wilkins"},"isStorePage":{"id":125969719,"value":"1"},"ogImage":{"id":125969720,"value":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/7k9jjknqewyzmwdsc8agnkpjojxc6ybo6vcg3mdayhfg7o40.jpeg.jpg?w=1200&h=auto"},"description":{"id":125969721,"value":"My Name Is Tom is a street photography project based in Cardiff. I walk around the city spotting people with great style, stopping them for a quick portrait and giving them the compliment they deserve."}},"labels":[],"published":1,"sitemap":1,"divisionId":426319,"edited":true}
Celebrate their style.
Raise them up for a moment.<\/p>
It\u2019s about connection.
And it\u2019s about reminding people that the way they show up in the world can be noticed and appreciated.<\/p>