Get your photo taken like it’s 1999! On a stretch of Beverly Boulevard that’s constantly evolving, one studio has remained beautifully frozen in time. Step inside Tom’s One Hour Photo Studio & Lab, and you’re instantly transported back to 1999. It’s a place where photography is still tactile, intentional, and deeply personal.
“I do it old school. 1990,” he says simply. “I’m Tom. Everybody – they know me.”
From Local Photographer To Viral Icon
Tom became a local celebrity almost overnight after photographing Casey Musgraves. When she shared the images, his work was suddenly introduced to a global audience, sparking a renewed love across Los Angeles for his unmistakable style.
Since that viral shoot, there’s been a quiet revival in L.A. with photographers and subjects alike chasing the nostalgia, drama, and authenticity that Tom has preserved for decades. But while many were quick to notice the cool aesthetic, few realized just how hands-on Tom’s process truly is.
Every Backdrop, Painted By Hand
With over 200 hand‑painted backdrops, this place really feels like a time capsule. What we didn’t know, until Tom showed us himself, is that every single backdrop in the studio is painted by Tom.
He estimates he’s created around 200 of them over the years. In the back of the studio, he points to paint marks splattered across the walls. It’s a visual archive of his process.
Want a splash of color? Tom has that covered too. He uses DIY lighting gels made from cardboard cutouts he crafted himself, allowing him to control the mood and tone of each portrait without relying on modern digital tricks.
In an era dominated by Photoshop, presets, and filters, Tom has stayed the course.
One Of The Last Of His Kind
It’s not just a regular photography session. It’s participating in a historical art form. Tom is one of the last photographers in Los Angeles still working in this classic studio style. When others adapted to digital manipulation, he chose preservation instead.
His studio is a living time capsule, still operating on Beverly Blvd, where you can have your portrait taken exactly the way it would have been decades ago.
A Self-Taught Artist With A Singular Vision
“I love L.A. I always stay here in L.A.,” Tom says. “I don’t know anywhere else.”
Originally from Vietnam, Tom has lived in Los Angeles for 39 years. When he migrated to the U.S., he became fascinated by studio photographers he saw working with nothing more than a paper backdrop and a few colored lights. So he bought a camera and taught himself everything.
“I learn, learn, learn, learn, learn,” Tom tells us.
From painting his own backdrops to mastering lighting and poses, Tom built his craft from the ground up. He started by shooting parties and weddings before eventually opening his own studio, where he now shoots every single day.
The Master Of Poses
You don’t just take a photo — you step into a timeless cultural moment. People don’t come to Tom with a Pinterest board or a pose list. They come because they trust him.
Tom will tell you it’s all about the poses, and he is undeniably the master of them. You never know what he’s going to do next, and that unpredictability is part of the magic. He directs, adjusts, and transforms his subjects in real time, creating portraits that feel both playful and timeless.
But in our opinion, it’s not just about the cool poses. It’s all about Tom.
📍 Location: 4158 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90004