My photography story begins at the age of 15. I was fascinated by the ability of a photograph capture an emotion and a moment in time. To preserve a cherished memory as opposed to the uncertainty of the future. I enjoyed looking at old photographs and trying to understand what the photographer was thinking or feeling at the time and how the picture was made.
I was excited to find out that my school offered a course of study in photography. My parents agreed until we were told that my Kodak Instamatic camera was not acceptable and the purchase of a SLR camera and darkroom supplies was required. An expensive camera just wasn’t possible so I was not going to get a formal photography education. At that point I made up my mind to teach myself photography.
Around that same time a comprehensive book series covering all aspects of photography was published. It was the Time Life Library of Photography. Each month a new volume presented an aspect of photography until the entire collection of 17 volumes was published. I subscribed and began to receive my monthly volumes. I consumed each volume end to end and some volumes multiple times and to this day the collection sits on a shelf at arms reach in my office.
I went on to earn a degree in business data processing and was offered a position in this emerging field. By this point it was clear that I was not going to make a living as a photographer but that didn’t matter, I just loved taking pictures. It was my wife, knowing my passion for photography, who gave me my first serious camera, an Olympus OM-1. I loved this camera and with it I was able to put into practice what I had studied and happily shot away for the next two decades and still have it.
In my late 20’s a series of stressful events led to awakening of my love for nature. My mother passed away and I was struggling with the pressures of an extremely demanding job, continuing my education at night and working endless hours to provide for a growing family. Eventual it all took an emotional toll. A dear friend suggested an extended backpacking trip. Up to this point I was not an outdoorsy person nor did I have a desire to start, but he convinced me that spending time in nature would do me good. So off we went to Shenandoah National Park for nine days in the backcountry.
It took a few days to get in step with the pace of the natural world and beauty surrounding me, and a few more days and many miles of hiking to fully flush the noise of everyday life from my consciousness. It is then that I had, what to me was, a spiritual awakening. As I sat on a ledge overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains running off into the distance, I was overcome by an enveloping sense of calm. Something I had never experienced and I realized that nature was at the very core to my emotional wellbeing and I needed to preserve this feeling. That was the moment I raised my camera for the first time as a “nature” photographer.
A. Graziano Photography was established in 2008 as a means to address a growing need to formalize my photography activities. It has operated primarily as an online hub allowing me to present my work and provide a single outlet for people to view and make purchases while allowing me to maximize my very limited field time to create new works. From the beginning the overarching mission of my business has been to share my experience with the healing power of nature and to advocate for preservation by creating greater awareness of the natural beauty that surrounds us and to stimulate increased involvement in the protection of our fragile environment.
The year 2011 marked another milestone year in my journey. This was the year I traveled to Yosemite National Park and coordinated my trip with the Ansel Adams Gallery. I had a guide take me to the iconic spots partly so that I can pay homage to one of my inspirations but also to see how well I could photograph this awe-inspiring place. The result was two books – one titled “In the Midst of Creation” and a second titled “Ode to Ansel.” I managed to sell a few copies but more importantly the experience led me to my next life altering decision.
By this point we had put our three girls through college and I determined to devote my attention to my passion and we set a plan in motion. We sold our house in the congested suburbs of Nassau County and moved to rural eastern Long Island to a tranquil location bordered by a lake and state park and surrounded by natural areas, ponds and seashore to explore and photograph.
By the winter of 2014 I simply resolved to walk away from my old life and announced my retirement. My colleagues could not understand why I would walk away at the top of my game but the simple fact was that this was not the game I wanted to be in. I finally realized my childhood goal in 2015. It only took me 40 years. I may never know if this was the best decision but what I do know is that we should not ignore the passion that burns within us. For me, I gave up on many things along the way but this one flicker of light stayed lit and refused to go out. And so I will pursue my passion even if it turns out to be only for whatever productive time I have left.
Since making this decision, I have worked with multiple conservation organizations and made a considerable contribution of time and talent in support of conservation efforts. My photography has appeared in print, social media as well as broadcast media. I have exhibited my work at a number of galleries. I have organized and conducted photography workshops and expanded my business selling online and through a number of retail outlets. I was honored by being selected by the Andy Warhol Visual Arts Program as an Artist in Residence. It has been a busy and productive time and I feel comfortable saying that I have no regrets and I am moving forward.
As for my Getaway it was simply amazing. I have been very busy of late and haven’t had a lot of time to focus creatively. The minute I arrived for my Getaway at Machimoodus I felt a surge of creative energy that I hope is visible in the pictures I created. Having a few days of uninterrupted time provides a window for inspiration to kick start the creative process and I really needed that. Also in the last year I developed and am running a series of iPhone Landscape Photography workshops to get more folks out into nature. My Getaway time allowed me to experiment with new techniques and inspired some new ideas for the workshop including the thought of running future workshops based at Getaway locations. I even got a good start on a planned update to my book “Seeking Serenity”. The book is all about getting people out into nature. All in all a great time!
You can keep up with Anthony’s work on his Instagram, Facebook, and website.