About
Born in Penticton, British Columbia and a long-time Vancouver resident, Tony Gonda now resides in the lovely town of Comox on Vancouver Island. A photographer for over 50 years, he has an eye for the unusual and a love of the eclectic. He began his journey creating portraits and photographing weddings before progressing into photography as an art form inspired by some of photography’s greats such as Henri Cartier Bresson and Alfred Stieglitz.
In the beginning, Tony favoured working in black and white, processing his own film and making his own prints when he had access to a darkroom. That all changed in the late 1990s when he read an article about digital printing with high end ink jet printers like the Scitex Iris which was used for proofing in the printing industry. Tony had access to such a printer and could use it to experiment with digital imagery, printing his photographs on high quality watercolour paper. He was hooked! Never one to shy away from new technology, Tony found that the digital darkroom made so much sense to him. He was comfortable with computers, knew how to use all the software and had access to a printer. He started scanning his negatives and also explored the idea of digital cameras. At that time, high quality digital SLRs were still very expensive, but he bought a smaller, less expensive camera to test the waters. Finally, in 2005 he abandoned his Leicas and went completely digital. Embracing new technology and the digital darkroom, Tony is not afraid to try new ways of creating his vision.
From printing sets of images on distinctive types of paper, packaged within clever handmade paper boxes, to annually designing a calendar of some of his favourite images for friends and family, Tony is a believer that art should be accessible to all and doesn’t believe in the limited print.
With an introverted spirit and a sensitive eye, he seeks the striking and the curious. One of his greatest challenges is putting his visual sense into words - not an easy task for an introvert so he prefers to let the pictures do the talking. One of his most influential experiences occurred during a workshop in San Miguel de Allende, entitled “Zen and the art of Photography”. It was there that he received an ovation for one of his pieces, Garden Nymph (and discovered some of the best milkshakes and great deals on Botero reproductions!). The rich Mexican feel, colours and culture has been a significant source of inspiration for Tony. His work has appeared at the Exposure Gallery in Vancouver and the Port Moody Arts Centre in Port Moody as well as being displayed in private collections. One of his images also won First Place honours in the Photoworkshop.com “Artistic Nude” competition. An impeccable and expert eye for paper textures and precise framing, Tony photographs with an adventurous and inquisitive character and continues to experiment with new perspectives and techniques. To Tony, photography is a favoured form of creative expression and he perseveres in exploring inwards to capture the elusive muse. “There is something deeply gratifying in creating a satisfying image.” His unassuming personality, deep devotion for those he loves, generous spirit, infinite open-mind and a dark sense of humour all contribute to his photographs - and it shows.