Tony has had a love of the ocean since his childhood, surfing at Saltburn by the Sea on the Yorkshire Coast of England and long summer holidays in Treyarnon Bay, a Cornish coastal village near Padstow. He was introduced to photography when at 16, was fortunate enough to work with renowned lifestyle photographer Graham Oliver (Solstock) based in Newcastle-upon-Tyne England.
Moving to Australia in the early 1980’s and living at Burleigh Heads on the Gold Coast, he was able to combine his passion for the ocean and photography. This has enabled him to travel and photograph all types of marine life: Great White Sharks and Sea Lions in South Australia, Mantra Rays, Turtles, Dolphins and Whales in Australia and Indonesia as well as the rare Hector Dolphins in New Zealand.
People often ask what keeps his passion alive and does he not get tired of shooting whales etc? His answer is a resounding ‘NO’! He has more motivation and passion to take photos today than any time in his life so far, each day there is something new to shoot. He has spent the last five years honing his skills in scuba diving and underwater photography, which has brought a whole new world alive for him. Travelling to Raja Ampat in January 2020 was a highlight for him, combining diving and photography. He says the ocean in that part of the world is truly incredible, the biodiversity of fish and coral is phenomenal.
When is he happiest? It’s when he has a camera in his hand whether above or below the water.
People often ask Tony where his favourite place to shoot is. His reply is ‘I have not been there yet, it still awaits my arrival – Antarctica’.