In December of 2008 Photojournalist Kevin Vandivier founded TGOP and late 2010 Pulitzer Prize winning Photojournalist Skeeter Hagler joined Vandivier to help carry out the goals and vision that brought TGOP into existence. Both photographers bring years of incredible success in the field of photography to TGOP. Hagler began his career professionally in the early 1970's and over the years has won mutiple awards and has been published in many of the top magazines including National Geographic Magazine where he landed the cover on his very first assignment. Vandivier began his professional career in the late 1970's and would manage to win a few awards for his work as well. Vandivier also has been published in many of the top magazines including the original Life Magazine where he also landed a cover on his first assignment.

Vandivier credits much of his talent to the early mentoring he received from both Skeeter Hagler and Skeeters best friend Jay Dickman who has also won the Pulitzer Prize and continues to shoot for National Geographic Magazine along with founding the highly acclaimed Firstlight Workshops. In fact it was in part his gratitude for the mentoring he had received from others that led him to found TGOP where he would facilitate meetings to bring professional photographers together in community with emerging photographers.

The hope was that mentoring would happen as relationships were built through these meetings. Photographers learn not just how to take better photos, but how not to fall into traps where they work for free for inappropriate organizations and overall best industry business practices. In addition TGOP has encouraged both pros and amateurs in their ongoing projects through presenting 2 minute shows and having the work critiqued professionally.

Also as many professionals already know, nothing is more encouraging when someone admires your work hanging in a show. Then to top it all off nothing compares to when someone is willing to take very hard earned cash out of their pocket to purchase the work of a photographer and then hang it on the wall to look at and share with others for the next 15-20 years if not longer. So, to help facilitate amateurs and some pros to enjoy this kind of experience TGOP finds professional venues willing to hang group shows consisting of juried works from TGOP members in each city biannually.

Currently, TGOP operates in four Texas cities, Austin, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio. At the same time TGOP will be developing various photo competitions and workshops along with expanding this websites utilitarine functions toward empowering photographers abilities to organize and strategically promote and sell their photography succesffully!