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The Tom Project

Uncovering the archives of the late Tom Pritts, one photo at a time.

By Ellie Pritts

January 28^th, 2026

discovering tom

My uncle Tom Pritts would be turning 63 today. I knew him for 28 of those years, all while he was already an adult; his personality and life experiences long since set to make him the man he was up until he died. I knew him to be quiet and kind. When I was a kid he reminded me of a better looking Dustin Hoffman, an opinion I sadly never shared with him. He'd probably think it was hilarious. We shared a passion for astronomy and later, photography. But it was only after interviewing his siblings that I learned just how much Tom influenced the lives of us all.

an eagle scout lands in the dark room

What initially began as another merit badge on his path to becoming an Eagle Scout turned into a lifelong passion. By the time Tom discovered photography, he was already an accomplished athlete. He was a natural at nearly any sport that took his fancy. He was not your typical jock, though. He was an introvert in every sense of the word and I was surprised to learn, quite the romantic. His mysterious nature was only enhanced by his introduction to photography and countless hours spent in his darkroom. It's no wonder that Tom was such a hit with the girls when he was a teenager.

"I truly believe he was ahead of his time"

By the time Tom graduated high school, his love for photography had blossomed into a serious pursuit. He started studying at the School of the Art Institute in Chicago, where he honed his craft and vision. It was there that he moved away from Ansel Adams inspired photography to a more abstract, gritty aesthetic reminiscent of filmmaker Stan Brakhage. He took a variety of classes, excelling at many disciplines. He studied there for over 6 years.

a fork in the road

By the time Tom was in his mid 20's, he was married and wanted to start a family. His decision to pivot career paths to computer science at this time was a naturally understandable one. Over time, photography took a backseat to being a wonderful and caring father to his two daughters. It's because of this that I had little knowledge of the extent of Tom's incredible talent by the time I was born years later. While I'm sad I didn't get to see these amazing photos when he was still around, I'm determined to get his work out there in the way I'm sure he would have if he'd made a life in photography.

defining legacy

Tom was the oldest of 5 children, a natural leader that they all looked up to and admired. He was an undeniable influence on all of them.

My uncle Rob told me how much Tom's influence shaped his life. Tom gave him the confidence to pursue acting. Rob's pursuit of acting and film led him to an inspired life; he founded his own production company, was the first of our immediate family to leave the midwest for L.A. and now is an accomplished and recognized director. His son Evan inherited his passion and is now a talented filmmaker in his own right. As kids, Tom and Rob's interest in photography in turn heavily influenced their youngest brother, my father Tim. He went on to study photojournalism at the University of Iowa, and it was he who convinced me to take my first photography class. That was 15 years ago, and I'm now a professional photographer who by some miracle has managed to make a living out of it. I think it's safe to say that I wouldn't be where I'm at in life right now if it wasn't for Tom.

raw talent

Ever since Tom's death last year, I've been slowly restoring and in some cases creatively editing Tom's photography. Most of these photos were never seen outside of the family, some of us never saw them at all until the funeral.

I spend an inordinate amount of time consuming photography, whether it be my own or others. I love Tom's work, and would love it even if he weren't my uncle. It's undeniable that he had a real eye and a true talent in photography. I'm so proud of him, even now that he's gone. I'm grateful that I've had the opportunity to see and work with his photography. I'm beyond in debt to him and and his influence on our very creative family. We can all say that our lives would have been very different if it wasn't for Tom.

thank you

Thank you for taking the time to read and see who Tom was. There are still tons of negatives that need scanning and I look forward to sharing more of his work with the world in the future. I'll be posting new edits on the Tom Project Instagram page as well.

If you're interested in learning more about Tom and what he was like, please check out Rob's tribute video: vimeo.com/154759830

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