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Gwilym Thomas
Ticket to Ride
Context
Ticket to Ride sits at the very start of my journey into photography and videography, and it is where everything really began. From 2014-2020, I worked full-time with Ticket to Ride, managing snow operations in France and delivering ski and snowboard instructor training, performance courses and catered chalet holidays. Alongside the winter programme, I also designed and ran surf tours in the Philippines, operating in Siargao across several consecutive years.
This role gave me access to some of the world’s most iconic snow and surf destinations, and while my day-to-day responsibilities were firmly rooted in operations and logistics, I began documenting the places, people and experiences around me. What started as a personal interest quickly became a passion, laying the foundations for my approach to adventure sports photography and videography
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Gwilym Thomas
Strategy
There was no formal content strategy at the time, but the intention was always to capture real moments from inside the experience. Being embedded within the operation allowed me to shoot naturally and unobtrusively, documenting instructor training, resort life, travel days and time in the water. The focus was on learning how to tell stories through photography and video, working with movement, light and fast-changing environments. This period became a practical education in visual storytelling and the realities of creating content while working on the road.
"We worked with Gwil for a number of years and it was fantastic to see how his photography and all-round media skills grew and evolved over that time. His role initially leaned more operational, but as his photography and videography developed, it played a key role in enabling TTR to market new locations and launch new trips, courses, chalets and lodges. This content became integral to how TTR grew and developed during that period."
Linley Lewis - Ticket to Ride Co-Founder
Execution
Over six years, I built a diverse archive of photography and video content captured across the UK, France, Spain, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Indonesia and the Philippines. Shooting alongside a full-time role meant adapting quickly, working efficiently and responding to whatever conditions the day presented, skills that now sit at the core of my professional photography and videography services. This project brings together a selection of images from that period, spanning snow sports, surf travel and behind-the-scenes moments, and represents the starting point of the creative path that ultimately led me into freelance work within the outdoor and adventure space.
