ABOUT
Baxter Chelsom is a photographer and Division I water polo goalkeeper in his early twenties, living at the intersection of discipline and artistry at UC Davis. He is pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology with a minor in Photography.
His creative journey began at age eleven at the Cinematic Arts Academy at Millikan Middle School, where he produced five short films per year while taking honors courses. Several of these films earned recognition at international film festivals.
As water polo took center stage—playing at Harvard-Westlake and later with the USA Junior National Team—Baxter shifted from filmmaking to photography, where he found a new love and freedom in still images. His work blends the observational eye of a filmmaker with the sensitivity of a psychologist.
His work is rooted in subtlety—capturing candid moments, layered emotions, and the complexity of human relationships. He’s drawn to the small details that matter most; often shaped by insights from his studies in psychology. His project, Father & Family, was honored as a YoungArts 2021 finalist.
Baxter’s mind processes the world visually, he thinks in images rather than words. Photography has become his language; through his lens, he reveals how he experiences the quiet tension in ordinary moments, the intimacy of relationships, translating the unspoken into the unforgettable.