Thurston Imhoff | 2025 Sawyer J. Boyd Creatives Grant Recipient

Thurston Imhoff accepting his award outside The Sunset Project office in August 2025.

In August, The Sunset project was honored to announce Thurston Imhoff of Alpena, Michigan, as one of five Sawyer J. Boyd Creatives Grant Recipients for 2025!

Thurston is a photographer and emerging videographer dedicated to capturing stories through still images and film. He began his creative journey during the pandemic through a photography class and now aims to expand into new environments, including underwater photography.

We recently sat down with Thurston to discuss his unique story, why he applied, and what he hopes to utilize the funding for. Check it out below!

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Hi Thurston, can you introduce yourself quickly to those who may not know you already?

Howdy, my name is Thurston Imhoff. I'm from Alpena, Michigan. My creative pursuits are photography and videography.

How would you describe your creative interest to someone unfamiliar with it?

The creative pursuit of photography is about encapsulating a special moment in a still frame, showcasing the raw emotions being felt, and telling a story in the process. Videography is a new pursuit for me, which has luckily blossomed into a new passion for me. With it, I can tell stories more vividly and cinematically through film.

What initially inspired your interest in this space?

During the pandemic, I was allowed many new options and routes via online schooling, so I took a photography class. Through which I borrowed some gear and started my journey. Through this class, I was able to find a new creative passion for myself and a new way to showcase my art to the world.

What's one of your most memorable experiences or milestones from your creative journey?

I pay attention to the small things, and one of those small things is whenever someone I took a photo of uses it as their profile picture, or if they repost it or use it. It's small things like that where someone appreciates your art enough to use it that make me love what I do.

Thurston, and his family pose for a photo together at the Sawyer J. Boyd Creatives Grant Recipient Ceremony in August 2025.

How have challenges or setbacks helped shape your creative process?

Living in such a small town with limited gear feels like I don't have many options to shoot or good enough gear to shoot with. Causing me to sometimes doubt myself if a photo doesn't work out, thinking I'm not cut out for this. But these challenges have caused me to become more resourceful and optimistic about the outcome of my shoots.

How do you envision your creative interest evolving over the next year?

Within the year, I plan to expand my photography portfolio tremendously, pushing new boundaries for me while doing so. Along with recording and editing more videos, I want to start a more professional-grade social media account to promote my art.

How do you plan to utilize your grant funding to further your creative interest, journey, and process?

With this grant, I plan on getting a professional-grade mirrorless camera to boost the quality of my photos. Along with that, I hope to get underwater housing for the camera so I can expand my photography into new areas such as marine life. As of right now, most of my gear is borrowed or rented, so getting my camera set up will allow me not only to be able to get better overall quality but also have a sense of ownership over my gear.

Do you have any advice to share with someone looking to pursue their own creative interests?

No matter the gear or setup you have, if you have a dream to become something or do something, start it. Don’t doubt yourself when the photo comes out badly or your idea didn’t turn out as you believed. Learn from those troubles and build up from them, believe in yourself, and don’t push yourself down. No matter the dream, big or small, anything is achievable when you put your mind to it.

Are there any social media profiles, websites, or other resources where our readers can follow your journey and support your work?

My main photography account is on Instagram with the handle @thurston.jpeg. In the future, I plan to expand onto other platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook to showcase my creative endeavors.

Is there anything else you'd like to share about The Sunset Project, or your experience in the Sawyer J. Boyd Creatives Grant program thus far?

The Sunset Project is a wonderful non-profit that I hope anyone and everyone who has a creative study finds and applies to. Having an opportunity like this in a small town like Alpena is phenomenal for anyone interested in the arts, and I would just like to thank this team again for everything they have done for me and my fellow artists.