Tony Dawson w/ Super Cub

Photographer, writer and bush pilot Tony Dawson has intimate knowledge of Alaska's vast beauty and magnificent wildlife. An Alaskan resident for more than twenty years, he has dedicated his life to exploring his home state, recording beautiful images of nature unspoiled to share with the world. Born in Washington State, Dawson earned a B.S. in Zoology and Doctor in Veterinary Medicine degrees at Washington State University. He practiced in Idaho for two years before moving to Alaska in 1975 in search of wilderness. For the next three years, he flew to many Alaskan " bush " communities attending pets and sled dogs far from city-based clinics.

Publications, Credits, and Awards

This adventurous photographer has published photos and articles in many national magazines including ALASKA Magazine, Audubon, National Wildlife, National Geographic WORLD, GEO, Ranger Rick, Field & Stream, Outdoor Life, Stern, and Outside as well as in books from the National Wildlife Federation and National Geographic Society. Dawson has also worked on assignment for Audubon magazine, Field & Stream, and Germany's prestigious Stern magazine. He covered the Exxon Valdex disaster for Audubon, and one of his images from that shoot appeared on the cover of Newsweek. Another was selected for Time Magazine's feature, " Best Photos of 1989 ". Dawson was selected individually as one of only six outdoor photographers honored by the Nikon Outdoor Photographer's Showcase during two separate years and his work has been displayed at the NIKON Gallery in New York City.

Environmental Issues

Dawson was assignment photographer for Audubon Magazine's coverage of the Exxon Valdez oil spill, and amassed one of the most complete photo files on that event in existence. In 1991, he helped found Friends of McNeil River(FOMR), a nonprofit advocacy group for Alaska's world-famous McNeil River Brown Bear Sanctuary. As board member and spokesman, he wrote articles defending the sanctuary against conflicting commercial development, and helped file a federal lawsuit forcing safeguards, and spurred creation of a new 130,000 acre refuge adjacent to the existiing sanctuary.