Tom R. Chambers is a documentary photographer, visual artist, curator, and educator. He completed a three-year tour as a United States Peace Corps Volunteer in the Arts (curator/archivist and initiator/instructor [“The McEwen Photographic Studio”]) for the National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe (1993-1995). While in Zimbabwe, he also received a U.S. Government Grant via the United States Information Service (USIS), Harare to exhibit the photo essay, “Southwest Of Rusape: The Mucharambeyi Connection” at the USIS Gallery.

American Photo magazine listed one of his documentary projects, “Dyer Street Portraiture” in the Notable Exhibitions section of its March, 1986 issue ("The black-and-white images record a diversity of common people in an urban habitat with an ambiance of film noir."). Chambers founded and directed a not-for-profit, photographic arts organization and gallery, “Viewpoint”, Lubbock, Texas (American Photo magazine reviewed one of the exhibitions at the gallery in its April, 1983 issue) (1982-1983). He also founded and directed a not-for-profit, photographic arts organization, “Photoreach”, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.A. (1990).

Chambers' photo documentary project, “Descendants 350” was shown throughout Rhode Island, and accepted by the Secretary of State (Rhode Island) as a part of the Rhode Island State Archives Permanent Collection (1990) (The project received a Governor's [Rhode Island] Proclamation).

His tribute piece (photo/mixed media/interactive work), “Mother's 45s” was selected through national search for exhibition as a part of the “Parents” show at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio (catalogue #: ISBN #0-932706-20-7) (1992). This work was also shown at Gallery One, Providence, Rhode Island (1990).

Chambers collaborated with Choi Ok-soo, a South Korean documentary photographer, by putting together a two-person show, "People to People" for the Kumho Art Center, Gwangju, South Korea. This was the first time in Gwangju for a Korean and American photographer to come together to offer an East/West perspective on the Korean People and Culture. The project resides as part of the center's Permanent Collection.

Chambers collaborated with Zhao Zhenhai, a Chinese documentary photographer, by putting together a two-person show, "Zhao/Chambers Joint Photo Exhibition". Zhao's photos cover the past twenty years throughout China, and Chambers' photos are from 2004 under the namesake of "The People of Longhu Town, China". This was the first time in Henan Province, China for a Chinese and American photographer to come together to offer an East/West perspective on the Chinese People and Culture.