TOPHER
RILEY

Self taught San Diego based photographer specializing in Wedding, Portrait, and Event Photography.  Topher is a very happy upbeat individual who enjoys being in the moment more than anything else.  He has a unique eye and a creative flare that makes every image different from the next.  His shooting style is very adaptable and fluctuates depending on the wants and needs of his clients.  His humorous, laid back, friendly attitude will make you feel like you have been friends forever as he photographs your wedding day, engagement, portrait session, or corporate event.  Half the time, you wont even notice him at your event as he blends in capturing those candid moments that everyone loves.

How I got to where I am today...

Born and raised in San Diego, I am lucky enough to call this beautiful city my home.  I grew up in Cardiff, a small beach town twenty five miles North of Downtown.  At eighteen years old i had to make a decision, it was either go to college and work, or move to Australia to go lobster fishing.  Those weren’t my only options but these two seemed like the best route to take…

You're only young once, so Australia seemed like a great experience and the right choice for me.  The idea of traveling, working, surfing, having fun, and acting like a lunatic for a couple years sounded like a dream come true!!  The friendships made, the long hours of back breaking labor in harsh conditions, the lack of sleep, the island bucket showers, and a few too many beers any time I could get my hands on one, was a once in a lifetime experience.  I spent two seasons lobster fishing out of Geraldton, WA.  I worked on the hardest working boats in the fleet.  Working for $500 a week, staying out at sea for 3-5 days at a time, while the other deckhands would make anywhere from $500-$3000 per day.  Lets just say i was a slave…

After living in Australia for two years, i really discovered my passion for photography.  I seemed to always have a thing about the composition of photos and what i thought looked right and wrong.  I used to love making surf movies of my friends growing up but I didn’t think much about taking photos, until i came across the Canon 400D.  I purchased the 400D with a twin lens kit, 18-55, and a 70-300.  I was so excited to have found something that brought me so much joy in life.  I always dreamed of having a top of the line camera, but never researched DSLR’s so i thought this camera was top of the line!  It wasn’t about the quality of camera i owned, it was simply owning a camera that made me smile.  Thanks to lobster fishing, this was the first time in my life that i could afford such a toy.  The first thing i wanted to take photos of was surfing, lucky enough for me, I lived in Australia and there just so happens to be waves in this country….  Little bit of sarcasm…. and there’s people who surf in this country too!!  Crazy fact right!?!  So i put the camera to use and loved every second i spent behind that camera.

After finishing up my second lobster season, i moved to the city of Perth, West Australia.  After living in Geraldton, with a population of 27,000, it was a great place to live while i was fishing, and the friends i made were great, but i needed the city.  I was working out in the bush on the gold and nickel mines relining mills.  I worked for a company called TME, if you look at their website the photos make it look fun and easy…  Not a fun or easy job, if you enjoy swinging a sledgehammer or manning a 30-80 lb. rattle gun above your head, while the power and weight make your body feel like your causing an earth quake, you should sign up for the job…  Crazy experience, it was then that i realized moving back to San Diego seemed like a great place to live and carry out my dreams.

I worked for my dad growing and selling palm trees.  When i think about palm trees i think big tropical paradise, right?  So imagine working for my dad, hardest worker i know, doesn’t believe in tractors or bobcats, and doesn’t believe in the phrase, “that’s impossible. ” I have torn my body to pieces working for him, completed tasks that would normally take 5 or 6 people to accomplish, but only got paid for one mans wages.  I’m not complaining, i appreciate everything my parents have done for me and how hard they make me work.  It kept me dreaming about becoming a photographer and getting paid for what i love to do, i found it hard to be able to afford the equipment while working for my father.  Its an expensive hobby, let alone career.

As I continued to dream about my future, I had some days where I had to leave the nursery early, whether it was a sunset I wanted to take a photo of, or a work out to open up the endorphins.  I kept losing motivation at work, i didn’t love being at the nursery planting palm trees or delivering them either.  Spending time with my father was the only thing i enjoyed about work.

Out of know where, my brother offered me a job, he told me they needed me there straight away, so I bought a flight that day and left the next night.  After 24 hours traveling and lay overs, four hours driving, i got on the boat that night at ten pm, had a seven hour steam to the gear, woke up and started work.  I was back fishing again alongside my brother.  Fished for two months, and came home with a big smile on my face and a good looking bank account.  Since then, i have been able to pursue my dream as a photographer and i haven’t looked back.

Being in the moment is, for me, what makes life worth living.  It is important to capture moments in time that will become memories forever. Behind every photograph is a story.  Part of taking photos is capturing the essence of the person or place or time in a way that the eye would perhaps not be able to see.  A camera is capable of not only capturing and preserving that moment, but providing a means to review past experiences.

Every time i pick up my camera the whole world stops, things move in slow motion, capturing moments and timing them perfectly is what my life is all about.  We will always share memories with friends and loved ones, but as time rolls on memories can, and will fade away.  I am here to provide a service to friends and family, to assure them that the memories and moments are captured and remembered for ever.