Sam Hodgson - Photojournalist

04/08/2026

Homies.

01/04/2026

A NYC December with my favorite people in the world.

10/21/2024

Some major news from Uptown 11 Studios: today, we've launched a new platform for visual storytelling in San Diego called "Developing Stories." It's featured on the brand-new website we built for our friends at Safelight Labs. With their partnership, we'll spotlight San Diego's best photographers who develop and process their film at the company's Adams Avenue lab. Our first features include a Q&A with a photographer who has been documenting San Diego's mom-and-pop shops and a post of my own, where I developed 10 canisters of film that had been tucked away in a drawer in my home and unearthed long-lost memories. Take a look, and please subscribe to follow along!

It all begins with an idea.

07/09/2024

The chefs at my neighborhood café were the first to take a chance on the vision for Uptown 11 Studios.

On Sunday, bica celebrates its first anniversary — a milestone reached through grit, determination and with the support of a whole neighborhood. It’s become a beloved destination in San Diego’s food scene for local chefs, foodies, coffee heads and anyone looking for a place to meet a friend or colleague in an environment that’s both elevated and comfortable.

I’ll be there to celebrate, and I hope you will, too. That’s how we grow community: together.

Happy birthday, bica.

Last year, the day after Thanksgiving break concluded, I walked into my new neighborhood café and proclaimed boldly: “Hi, I’m Sam, I’m starting a creative agency.” The barista greeted me warmly. Out on the patio, I met one of the chefs, who took note of my camera bag, and was kind enough to...

01/12/2024

Six weeks ago, I finally dove into my post-newspaper creative life as the founder and creative director of a yet-to-be-named, clientless, creative agency.

My very first course of action was walking up to my neighborhood café, introducing myself and saying I was starting a business.

Funny, so were the chefs at the café. They had a new shop opening weeks later and wondered if I could get the websites and full marketing presence off the ground for both restaurants in a week.

Last weekend, Uptown 11 Studios delivered, providing full-service photo/video/storytelling and PR services to our client Butcher's Plate as we built out their website, all in under a week.

If you or someone else in town needs this type of service to help your business get off the ground, or your brand needs a refresh, reach out. We're excited to tell San Diego's story while uplifting its businesses and brands, one serving at a time.

Meat and Heat. Greens and Potatoes.Ethically sourced. Seasonally rotating.Simply seasoned. Served with love. View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize That’s the concept behind Butcher’s Plate, a new meat-forward rotisserie house from the chefs behind acclaimed neighborhood café bica.We stood u...