My name is Tony Knierim, I was born in Decatur, Illinois. I currently reside in Jefferson City, Missouri with my beautiful wife Nikki, our two dogs Kapone and Koby, as well as our cat Kambell. I love life and I’m a pretty laid back guy. I enjoy spending time with my family and playing with our dogs. I listen to a lot of music, watch a lot of movies and enjoy reading about Asian Culture.
My parents knew early on that I had a passion for art. As a child and into my teens I spent hours on end creating artwork. I never stuck to just one form, always thirsty for new creative avenues to explore. To this day I still go absolutely crazy when I’m not able to express myself. As I found, photography is quite simply the best way for me to get my fix. From the first time I picked up a camera I knew this was what I was placed here to do. Now a days photography alone is my vice, I enjoy photographing anyone and anything I come in contact with. I believe these moments if not preserved will go forgotten. I want to provide a means for those who choose, to be able to look back at certain places in time and relive all the emotions surrounding that moment. I look at photography as a time machine, as long as you have these photographs to look back at from time to time you will never forget a thing.
I’ve been photographing the world as I see it for over ten years now and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy every second of it. I absolutely love bringing a smile to the faces of those who view my photographs. My goal has always been to provide a timeless image for you to cherish forever. Let’s face it; we seem to be traveling at the speed of light, at times not paying too much attention to our surroundings. Don’t let these moments expire without capturing them for you to review over and over though out your journey.
People have asked me what my thoughts about photography are, and also if I think photography is truly art, I say absolutely! I ask myself, before taking a photograph; do I want to look at this photograph twice? Or would I like to have this photograph hanging on my wall? I can set and take in a photograph for hours and even find myself reviewing my own portfolio over and over again. This in my opinion is what makes photography art. You can catch something different every time you view an image. A photograph is a mirror in a since or a window in time seen through the eyes of an artist.
We often see ourselves through photographs of our past. What better way to remember your past than through a photographic documentary so to speak, or better yet a window in time. You’ll notice in movies some of the most powerful moments are when the actor or actress is still and silent, it makes you wonder what is going through their mind. A great still shot can accomplish the same thing and make you wonder either what is going through the person’s head, or bring back thoughts that were going through yours at that moment in time.
The great power of photography gives us the basis for finding common ground, which other wise would not be possible. It sparks conversations and draws people to one another. Photography is so accessible and everyone knows how to read a picture, which for me is huge because I am able to reach out to a wide audience.
Remember, anyone can take great photographs. It has very little to do with the camera, rather your knowledge of the camera you use. It’s just a matter of capturing a moment in time. You don’t even have to control the moment rather observe and preserve it forever.
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