(© Tom Hussey)

When Dallas photographer Tom Hussey graduated from SMU in 1987, he had no idea how he would make a living in photography.

Now, 24 years later, he’s considered one of the best photographers in the world.

Earlier this month, Hussey was named one of Adweek magazine’s “Talent 100” creative people in the advertising

industry.

In fact, he made the top 10. Adweek magazine readers voted on online portfolios and selected Hussey out of more than 2,760 graphic artists, photographers, typographers and illustrators.

A film production major and photography minor at SMU, Hussey now works as an advertising photographer in Dallas.

Was this what Hussey had in mind when he graduated from Meadows? Not at all.

“I knew I didn’t want to be a wedding portrait photographer and I knew I wasn’t really cut out for the arts scene,” he said, “I needed a way to pay for this photography habit that I had acquired growing up and at SMU.”

After earning his masters at Rochester Institute of Technology in New York and teaching at the college level for six years, he found his answer: advertising photography.

While he didn’t get into photography thinking he wanted to run a business, he enjoys “the creativity and solving problems that come about in production.”

And for a photographer in the advertising world, coming in the top 10 of Adweek’s competition is “a heck of an honor.”

“Adweek is one of the premier trade publications in the advertising industry,” Hussey said. “I was just really blown away that I was selected.”

He was especially surprised since he didn’t even enter the contest.

“I didn’t even know the ‘Talent 100′ existed until Adweek’s creative director called me saying, ‘Congratulations, you’re in the top 100.'”

This success can be partially attributed to Hussey’s SMU education.

“My time at SMU was so valuable,” he said, “The teaching philosophy was less about teaching you things and more about teaching you to think for yourself.”

That SMU philosophy of “thinking for yourself and solving problems on your own” has served Hussey well and he accepts one of the Industry’s great honors.

“I’m in advertising, and advertising is about promoting a brand, and the brand I promote is Tom Hussey Photography,” he said. “But it’s hard for me to trumpet from the hilltop (pun unintended).”

(© Tom Hussey)

(© Tom Hussey)