Photo by Hilary Swift
Phone: 760-533-9760
Email: samhodgsonphoto@gmail.com
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Hi, I’m Sam Hodgson, the founder and creative director of Uptown 11 Studios, a creative agency that tells stories on behalf of mission-driven organizations working to build a stronger San Diego.
Prior to starting Uptown 11, I served as the Director of Photography and Video at The San Diego Union-Tribune, where I helped grow a team of visual journalists and our digital-first storytelling approaches and culture. Before joining The U-T, I was a regular contributor to The New York Times.
In 2019 and 2020, I spent eight months producing an Emmy-award-winning documentary about the campaign finance scandal that upended the political career and family dynasty of Congressman Duncan D. Hunter and the race to replace him in California’s 50th congressional district.
I spent most of 2016 covering the presidential election for The New York Times, traveling to 20 states and more than 80 cities. I was embedded on and off for months with the Bernie Sanders campaign at the height of his rise and traveled extensively covering both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump's bids for the White House. After Trump's election, I spent months covering the transition of power for the newspaper.
Before becoming a freelance photojournalist in 2011, I spent about five years working for the online, nonprofit news source Voice of San Diego. There, I was the sole staff photographer. I focused on documenting quality-of-life issues and underserved populations in San Diego.
I graduated from San Diego State University in 2006 with a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Political Science. I was awarded the Presidential Leadership Award by Associated Students for my rigorous coverage of the campus community.