Sonny Tapia is a journalist and photographer originally from southern California. He currently works at the Helena Independent Record, where he serves as a staff photographer after previously covering education and criminal justice as a beat reporter. His work spans breaking news, features, sports, arts and community reporting, with a focus on strong visual storytelling and accurate, public-service journalism.

Sonny has reported from courtrooms and school district board meetings while also producing photography for daily news coverage. He has held roles as a reporter, photographer, editor and photo editor, including at The Current, formerly the Daily 49er and has completed internships in sports and nonprofit journalism. His photography and reporting have been published nationally, including by The Washington Post, and his work has earned recognition from the Montana Newspaper Association, the Society of Professional Journalists and the Los Angeles Press Club.

A graduate of California State University-Long Beach, Sonny is deeply passionate about journalism and telling stories that inform, represent and serve communities.