Meet Zane Meyer-Thornton: Visual Documentarian

We had the good fortune of connecting with Zane Meyer-Thornton and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Zane, have you ever found yourself in a spot where you had to decide whether to give up or keep going? How did you make the choice?
It’s a matter of being in tune with your feelings and acknowledging the changes we go through. Quitting something is OK. Its more important to do things for yourself than to continue on with something your hearts not in because you feel some sort of expectation to do so.

In short, people choose creative fields because its how they enjoy spending their time. If one day you don’t enjoy the craft anymore, move along and find something new.

Social medias done a good job at convincing people their identity is tied to their career choice, when its not the case at all.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Photography is an engine for curiosity. It brings me closer to people and places I otherwise would probably never speak to or frequent. Those experiences have become a source of humility overtime, because I’ve realized I can’t produce any work I find worthwhile without a person or a place being interesting or alluring. I have a tendency to stay in my own little world and unlike other art forms, photography brings me out of my little bubble and back into reality.

Most problems I’ve experienced in the professional industry came from a sense of feeling I deserved an opportunity. The road started to clear itself when I chose to focus more on my work, and less on outcomes. When you’re worrying about what the future holds, or reminiscing on past experiences, it takes you out of the present moment, which is the most important thing in photography. The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
The Corsair newsroom at Santa Monica College is a really special place to me. The advisors, Gerard Burkhart and Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins have created an environment that is conducive to learning and self improvement both in storytelling and life.

That was the first place I really made friends who were interested in photography and it was essential in my growth. People like Daniel Bowyer, Jose Lopez, and Jayrol San Jose really treated me like a little brother and showed me how to improve my skills while also looking out for me, making sure I stayed safe.

I couldn’t envision a better place to lay my roots.

Website: ZaneMTPhoto.com

Instagram: @ZaneMT

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zane-meyer-thornton-427a68167/

Image Credits
Zane Meyer-Thornton Captions: 1. “Tarantulas aren’t as dangerous as they are made out to be,” said Diana Terranova, one of the numerous demonstrators at the Los Angeles Natural History Museums 32nd Annual Bug Fair on May 19, 2018. 2. After he graduated high school as the only three sport athlete in his county, Michael Cooper started working as a coal miner. Though the job is extremely dangerous and he lost many friends to mining accidents, the financial burden of having to raise his four children on his own kept him coming back to the mines day after day. After a 20 year tenure, and four serious neck injuries, Cooper decided to retire. Nowadays, he helps raise his grandson, Lance, while his son attends college classes. Nothing is closer to Cooper’s heart than his children, “If any of my kids became a coal miner, thats the only time I’d whoop ’em,” said Cooper. 3. Civilians who were infuriated by the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis Police Officers on May 25, 2020 vandalized the General Sessions Court in Nashville, TN on May 30, 2020. The group formed after a peaceful protest organized by local activists marched through downtown Nashville. 4. Many families in North Nashville, TN were without shelter, food, and water after a devastating tornado ripped through their homes in the early morning of March 3, 2020. 5. Migrants seeking asylum inside the United States temporarily live at a shelter setup at El Barretal, a former night club on the outskirts of Tijuana, Mexico on December 1, 2018. Bags of goods are distributed because numerous migrants lost their belongings due to flooding caused by heavy rainfall at another outdoor-shelter located in the heart of Tijuana. 6. Shelby Mathews was diagnosed with Dravet Syndrome, a rare and deadly form of epilepsy when she was four months old. Along with the seizures that are common amongst all forms of epilepsy, this debilitating disease has lead to developmental delays, which makes communication challenging for her. According to a report by the National Institute of Health in July-August of 2018, Medicinal Marijuana can greatly benefit individuals with Dravet Syndrome because of its anti-convulsant properties. Though her mother would like to provide this treatment for her, Medicinal Marijuana is illegal in their home state of Kentucky. 7. Hoop Dances are traditionally performed as a way of storytelling in the White Mountain Apache tribe. Other tribes like the Navajo and Gila have adopted hoop dances in their culture after all three tribes were forcibly relocated to the White Mountain Apache Tribe of the Fort Apache Reservation in North Eastern Arizona.