ABOUT

Tony Stewart Award-Winning Grand Master Photographer Christchurch

Having trained and worked as a secondary school teacher, Tony first became enthralled with photography while travelling overseas. Returning to New Zealand from adventures in over 65 countries, he took the opportunity to diversify his career by retraining at Christchurch Polytechnic.

Much of Tony’s work is Christchurch based, with frequent trips to other parts of the country. Wedding and commercial photography form the basis of his business, with assorted function, event, stock and portrait imagery also featuring prominently. For ten years, Tony also tutored part time in the photography department at Christchurch Polytech (then CPIT, now ARA).

In June 2005, Tony travelled to the highly respected Brooks Institute of Photography, Santa Barbara, California. This was a scholarship placement awarded annually by the New Zealand Institute of Professional Photography. In 2006, as part of ongoing award entries, Associate status within the Institute was awarded. In 2007, Master of Photography status was reached, followed in 2010 by NZIPP Fellow. Subsequent bars to Fellow has since been awarded.

Until early 2010, Tony was Regional Chairperson for the Canterbury-Westland branch of NZIPP (NZ Institute of Professional Photographers). This was a voluntary position held for three years, overseeing a local committee tasked with organising meetings, seminars, workshops & speakers for professional photographers. Following on this, Tony was part of the NZIPP Honours Council for a further five years, tasked with overseeing the national professional photography awards each year. Initially a co-uthor, Tony subsequently took on the the role of Project Co-ordinator for the NZIPP-RSA WWII veterans project in the latter stages on collation. This saw the collection produced as a final printed book.

In July 2018, Tony was awarded the coveted title of Grand Master by the NZIPP. This is the top award accolade of the Institute, and is the cumulation of many years of award success. He is as the first recipient ever in the Canterbury Westland region.

Tony continues his industry involvement as an NZIPP Iris Awards judge, and has presented at several amateur and professional photography events about New Zealand in recent years.

More recently, his enthusiasm for adventure has helped develop ‘In Pursuit of Giants’. This is a small collective of photographic friends, intent on getting out in the great NZ outdoors for a laugh, doing crazy stuff, all while taking photos and video of all the shenanigans!

www.inpursuitofgiants.co.nz