Tom Bird is an art director who uses photography as both a personal outlet and a medium to tell stories. Born and raised in the UK, currently based in Amsterdam and working globally.

His photographic approach was refined over a number of years spent documenting the growing skateboarding scene in the Palestinian Occupied Territories. Capturing the fragile freedoms of youth within an area of hostile military occupation helped to sharpen his sensitivity and taught him of the responsibility that comes with holding a camera.

His work has been published by the likes of i-D, Good Sport, STACK, Table Magazine, Essay Skate Mag, and exhibited as part of group shows in The Netherlands, United Kingdom and Czech Republic.

INDEX ︎︎︎

SERIES︎︎︎

1. SAHTEN صحتين
2. EL QUETZAL
3. THE RETURNEE العائدين
4. BEIGE BRITAIN

PUBLICATIONS ︎︎︎

CONTACT︎︎︎

hello@tombirdistheword.com ︎
@tombirdistheword ︎

SAHTEN صحتين
The SkatePal Cookbook

2020

‘Sahten’ صحتين (the Arabic equivalent of ‘bon appetit’) offers an unprecedented view into Palestine’s growing skateboard culture, told through the medium of food. The 184-page cookbook – a collaborative project with SkatePal – contains family recipes, personal stories and various other contributions from those across the West Bank who’re at the heart of the scene.

Here are a small selection of stills shot specifically for the book. 100% of profits contribute to the continuation of SkatePal’s youth programmes across Palestine. You can pick up the book directly from SkatePal here.

Shot in Ramallah, Nablus, Asira Al-Shamaliya, Jayyous, Tulkarem, and Jericho.

Running on Cargo