Join the Washington Native Bee Society & Tony Dickey as he takes you through his path to bug photography and beyond — discovering where the bugs are has taken him in unexpected directions. While he recalls his journey, he'll also share a bit of guidance about enhancing your skills or exploring new ones.
This is a free event and available through Zoom, register HERE.
About this event:
Photography is an inherent part of pollinator advocacy. Knowing who visits what plant, and where, matters. Why someone pursues the craft differs from person to person. Tony Dickey takes you through his path to bug photography and beyond — discovering where the bugs are has taken him in unexpected directions. While he recalls his journey, he'll also share a bit of guidance about enhancing your skills or exploring new ones.
When Tony Dickey takes pictures at a location, he now hears, "I was hoping to see you again this year." You will also see him tabling at public events, sharing his and other photographers' pollinator pics. He loves talking about bees and other pollinators because he really wants people to know that helping these essential denizens of our ecosystems often requires just a bit of effort to produce long-term effects.
Like many native bee enthusiasts, his interest began with non-native honey bees. A constant supply of wildflower seeds from a local beekeeping non-profit began an adventure into pollinators and flowers. Living on a converted homestead, the more he planted, the more pollinators began to appear at his West Seattle location.
Limited success with smartphones and tablets led to acquiring a digital camera just as mirrorless ones were becoming more mainstream. From the beginning, the photography has always been about the joy and wonder of discovering the world of insects and other pollinators.
The hobby is turning into a profession. Along the way, Tony has had the honor of speaking to hundreds of people about bees, other pollinators, gardening, and photography. He is taking the next step into professional photography to continue this path, and his work as an advocate will continue. Ultimately, he seeks to create a career path that helps enthusiasts like him flourish.
Tony currently chairs the Washington Native Bee Society Education Committee. He oversees the Pollinator-Plus Guild at Beacon Food Forest in Seattle. He has guided pollinator-focused education across a wide demographic and age range, and he now has a growing passion to widen interest in pollinators with a focus on younger generations.