Hi, I’m Sam,
San Diego
is my hometown.
It’s the community that’s embraced me ever since my family immigrated to the United States from New Zealand when I was just three years old.
It’s the community
that took a chance on me
as I cut my teeth
as a photojournalist.
My early assignments were covering communities for Voice of San Diego.
By 2016, I was flying aboard Hillary Clinton’s campaign plane covering the historic election for The New York Times.
As everyone aboard that plane can tell you: life comes at you fast.
In 2018, I joined the staff
at my hometown paper,
The San Diego Union-Tribune
In 2019 and 2020, we produced an Emmy-award winning documentary about the campaign finance scandal that upended the political career and family dynasty of Congressman Duncan D. Hunter.
After the documentary was released, I took the helm of the newspaper’s photo and video staff, where I served as Director of Photography and Video before forming Uptown 11 Studios in late 2023.
So, why Uptown 11?
Well, back when our neighborhood, Normal Heights, was originally developed, the number 11 trolley line is what connected residents by bringing them from downtown San Diego up to Adams Avenue.
In that spirit, we’re proud to connect San Diegans by helping local businesses and brands tell their own authentic stories.
