We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Tony Peroni a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Tony, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

Like most people i learned through trial and error. I had limited but meaningful education in Photography and Video Production, but through pursuit of passion and as an outlet for expression, Ive worked on my craft every day to be better. I think everyone progresses at their own pace and through their own desire, so looking back, i wouldn’t change anything about the way I learned. In my opinion, editing/retouching is the most essential skill i possess. A photo is my canvas and photoshop is my brush. As much as i admire a candid, naturalist approach to photography, editing allows me to show the photo the way i see it when i first hit the shutter button. Technology is an obstacle, only because it is rapidly changing. The space is cluttered with one touch filters from a decent quality phone photo+app. The more technology advances, the more I tend to double down on the fundamentals and capturing photos that can stand the test of time.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a Photographer in the Tampa FL area. I range from landscape+ scenery to individual portraiture. I recently accepted a Position at an Orlando based magazine called Publica International. My photography is an extension of me, and for a long time, you couldn’t see me without a camera in my hand. I am more selective of my subjects these days and I typically will only take one or two extra bookings a month due to my already high work load. I only have one goal, and that is to make great art.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on NFTs. (Note: this is for education/entertainment purposes only, readers should not construe this as advice)

Big Fan. I think that if the Future is all going to be internet/ technology based, making a system of digital IP ownership is common sense. I can see a potential reality where the likes of youtube, twitter and tiktok become as relevant as Libraries are in the physical space. If i have the ability to monetize art or media outside of the google adsense infrastructure, and keep a larger percentage, that’s a no-brainer. I’m sure we’re close to a new social media platform that is web3 based, fully media integrated, and set on the blockchain.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

When i think of being creative, I believe it is everywhere. It’s in everything you do, whether you intend it to be or not. but if you are actively seeking the creative process, music always inspires me to seek an emotion. Reading Lao Tzu made me think differently, and I don’t think i can say it better than him. “We mold clay into a pot, but it is the emptiness inside that makes the vessel useful. ” and “The Master acts on what she feels and not what she sees. She shuns the latter, and prefers to seek the former. ”

Contact Info:

• Website: https://opensea.io/PeroniTony
• Instagram: @totony_photo
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/BakeshopCreations
• Other: https://rarible.com/123peroni

Image Credits
Veronica Lavery Courtney Davis Coralyn Perez Publica International