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Tony Smith’s Festival and Travel Photography bio picture

About Tony Smith

Tony was born in Newport in South Wales in the UK with itchy feet!  At just 15 years of age he “ran away to sea” on a cargo ship to South America arriving in Buenos Aires in time for the latest coup.  Further voyages took him around the world working in the first class restaurants on ocean liners, including the maiden voyage of the first Oriana.  Back on dry land with the immediate travel bug out of his system he pursued a career in hospitality management that took him to Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), Johannesburg in South Africa and London before settling down in Winchester, England's ancient capital.

His interest in photography started quite seriously in his late 20’s with portraiture and promotional stuff for his business when he had his own “badly ventilated” darkroom.  Since 2000 photography has become his "second career".  It is clear from his work that Tony is a people person, with a love of wild and beautiful places. Nothing motivates and excites him more than being with people, especially at cultural and religious festivals - the more difficult the conditions the happier he is!

On seeing Tony's work Tom Stoddard, award winning photo Journalist and Honorary Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society wrote:

'Tony Smith's photographs reflect his deep love of places and faces. He is a traveller, who is happiest surrounded by similar free spirits at carnivals, festivals and celebrations. His simple uncluttered pictures beautifully illustrate the joy of being alive, and free'.

  Tom Stoddart - fellow photographer, traveller and human being.


Tony is an Associate member of the Royal Photographic Society (number 70395) following a successful assessment.

He has been checked by the Criminal Records Bureau disclosure certificate (number 001132149579) and cleared for working with children and vulnerable adults.

Recent travels have taken him to Nepal, Bhutan, India, France, China, Spain, Morocco the USA and Canada and the West Coast of Ireland.  He has attended Hindu, Christian, Muslim, Buddhist and Gypsy events.  Future visits will include South East Asia, South America and destinations in Europe.  He will be in Haridwar in India in April 2010 to photograph the Kumbh Mela, the largest religious gathering on earth.

His work has been exhibited and published in several publications and websites.

If you would like to get in touch Tony would love to hear from you, you might even wish to invite him to your festival or event?


Monthly Archives: August 2009

The Purton Hulks Graveyard

Between 1909 and 1970 over fifty schooners, barges, and Severn trows were beached on the banks of the river Severn near the village of Purton in Gloucestershire in England in an attempt to stop further erosion following a severe storm in 1906. The vessels were tugged from Sheerness docks nearby on the Spring tides and pushed up onto the bank creating the largest boat graveyard on mainland Britain.

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Birdman of Worthing 2009

The annual “Birdman” event is now held at Worthing on the West Sussex coast in Southern England, a few miles along the coast from it’s previous home at Bognor Regis. This post consists, mostly, of photographs of the “lovely loonies”, the courageous folk that dress up and throw themselves off the elevated pier into the English Channel to raise money for their favourite charities. God bless ‘em!

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Threatened Giant Donkeys of Andalucia

In the heat of the Costa del Sol, just a few kilometers back from the holiday beaches Marlene and Steven Byrd are working tirelessly to save an endangoured species - The Giant Donkeys of Andalucia. Despite listing them as a “breed in danger of extinction” both the national goverment of Spain and the local government, the Junta de Andalucia, refuse to help both financially and in any practical way. Read about their heroic struggle against the odds and see photographs of these beautiful animals.

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