Awesome news, everyone. Our own Tony Bynum was just given quite an honor. He has been chosen to be Montana's Guest Photographer for 2010-2011.

For folks who are not familiar with what a Guest Photographer is...The Guest Photographer program "enables the Montana Office of tourism to gain spectacular imagery while supporting and featuring the artist. The areas of focus are the unspoiled and spectacular glacier national park, small towns of high plains of Montana, and examples of breathtaking experiences by day, and hospitality by night."

Tony - again, congratulations. You have done us all proud.

James

PS I apologize for the cross post in the Facebook page.

Congrats to Tony, very exciting!

Diana

Hey Congrats Tony! That sounds like a wonderful opportunity.

Tony,
congratulations for this well-deserved honor. Having looked at a lot of your images lately, I can see why they would select you -- your work is really superb. Can you explain how this program works? Do they get to use your images in their promotional programs? And, besides the honor, what's in it for you? I don't mean that to sound negative. I'm just truly curious whether they will promote you as part of the designation.

Jim

Grats Tony!

Roman

Thanks james and thanks to all of my friends on this board . . . In short it's an invite only process. Then there's a selection process (send in a portfolio and artists statement) and then the state office selects the "winners." I will be providing 200 images for review over the course of the year (many of them will be new and based on what they need) of that they will keep about 25 that will go in the states collection.

Yes they do promotions. Last years photographers (there are two) got advertorial TV documentary commercials . . . here's the one's they made for them:

http://www.mefeedia.com/watch/30846592

http://www.mefeedia.com/watch/30846593

On the whole, it's a great honor and one that i'm sure will help open more doors and lead to some wonderful relationships! This project is about the people and the place and about capture what I believe makes montana so special.

I'll keep you guys updates throughout the year . . . Right now i'm getting ready for a 4 day trip down the upper missouri river though the new national monument . . . (I spent several years on a federal advisory council working on the plan for the Upper missouri river breaks national monument -- it was an appointment from the secretary of the interior Gale Norton.) So the place is very special to me, I've spilled lots of "blood" on that landscape already. . .

Thanks again for the support and the kind reply's!

Tony

Tony,
it certainly is a great honor and one that should open some important doors. And, frankly, it sounds like a lot of fun, too. Good luck and keep us posted.

Jim

Way to go, Tony. They picked the right photographer!

Hey OW, thanks for the post! It's nice to see you here. . . And I've always wanted to thank you again for all your help over the years. . . You have been a good guide and mentor. Some of the things you have done for me i have learned from and passed on as favors for other people. Thanks again for all of your help!

Tony

TF,

Well I saw the thread over on MM that Doug started, so I decided to stop by here and see what's going on.

And...pass it on is ALWAYS good to remember. That's how I got started 40 years ago. LOL