Meet Tom Korbee | Photographer & CEO

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tom Korbee and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tom, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Starting my own business was something that came about organically. I had shot portraits of a number of friends who were famous, working actors when I was just starting out. I did all of that for free. When their agents and managers started calling and sending all their clients to me I realized there was something to this. I launched my website quickly and I was off and running.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am proud to not be known for only one thing. I am first and foremost, a musician and performer. I studied acting and music for years and my degree is in acting from CCM. (The University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music) I grew up writing songs and doing theatre so after graduating I moved to NYC and landed a great agent, manager and booked a huge show very quickly. After a couple years, Jenn and I moved to LA and continued “living the dream.” Some days it was a nightmare. No one who attempts a career in acting and music has instant success. I had many tear filled calls home while standing in the middle of Times Square or Hollywood Blvd. But with all of the struggle, the successes have been wonderful and I can’t imagine it any other way. Many creatives find “day jobs” to keep a roof over their head while they claw and fight to bring their dreams to reality. I am no different. I just hated “day jobs.” I can’t NOT be creative so I found that photography could fulfill both the creative side and also pay the bills. My days are filled with creativity. If I am not holding a camera and shooting for one of the major companies I shoot for, then I am in a recording studio working on new music because my wife and I are producers/songwriters and are planning a new major release and tour for our band KORBEE.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I have been a tour guide so many times since moving here in 2004. The favorite spots have changed over the years so here’s my current go to’s:

Malibu. My favorite beach is the Broad Beach / El Matador stretch. It’s magical.
Eats: Izakaya on 3rd in West Hollywood is my favorite Sushi spot. The baked crab hand rolls are insane.
The Belmont. They have a great burger and during the week it’s not too overcrowded.
Drinks and chill: My house. I make a great Manhattan.
Night out: The Comedy Store and The Improv. I love these places. We have many friends who are amazing comedians and the vibe and history in these rooms is so cool and uniquely Hollywood. Also,
Music: Hotel Cafe. We have sold this room out many times with KORBEE. It’s a great place to see bands, songwriters and you never know who may show up. Also, if I have the opportunity, I will see just about anything at The Greek. It’s one of the coolest venues I’ve ever played.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I never planned for “photographer” to be on my list of titles. I also never would’ve had success without two people – Jenn Korbee, my wife and Mark Motz, one of my best friends. Mark is a journalist in Cincinnati and was the one who got me started shooting. He spent years shooting sports and covering all sorts of things for different outlets in the midwest. My first pro shoot was when I assisted him shooting in Madison Square Garden for the N.I.T. tournament while I was in college. I ruined dozens of rolls of film but I loved the experience. We still laugh about my shots from that trip. He got me started shooting and how to understand the camera. Once I got a real camera, I had to practice. My wife happens to be gorgeous and she got roped into being my muse; although I think she enjoyed it. I figured if I couldn’t take a good photo of her then I should find something else to do. Luckily, I could. She was on a TV series at the time and needed pr photos all the time so I practiced every day. I took millions of photos and photoshoots were a daily occurrence in our Hollywood apartment. She put up with a lot of frustration, bad creative ideas, awful lighting, and the occasional light stand falling on her.

Website: tckphoto.com. korbeemusic.com

Instagram: @tckphoto. @korbeemusic

Youtube: korbeemusic