About Me

Tony Cervati

Picking up a camera does not mean shooting a print worthy image on each shutter click. It is more about the process of how the camera changes how to look at something, or observing the minute details of a subject that otherwise could have been missed.

I try to use the power of photography to find the extraordinary in everyday places, and to celebrate the wonderful magic of nature all around us. Images can portray the full beauty of nature, how fragile it is, and the need to be the best caretakers possible of our planet & all its inhabitants.

Chiefly I am drawn to subjects capable of flight such as birds, airplanes, or new and old spacecraft. In particular, our feathered friends bring me so much joy, peace, and calm when I watch them. I try to photograph them in as much detail as possible so I am able relive that moment once they continue on their way.

I hope you enjoy the images here, and thank you for being part of my photographic adventures!

Nikon Shooter

I shoot almost exclusively with Nikon gear. The kit needed for most wildlife and aviation photography relies heavily on fast camera bodies and significant telephoto reach.

My primary workhorse for these subjects is the Nikon Z8, which utilizes specific custom shooting banks programmed for "Birds/BIF" and "Wildlife/Airplanes" to quickly adapt to erratic, high-speed subjects.

This is complemented by other capable mirrorless bodies in the lineup, including the Zf and the Z50ii—the latter of which features a dedicated quick-access user mode specifically for birds and airplanes.When capturing distant wildlife or fast-moving aircraft, having the right optics is essential. The setup leverages the powerful reach and relatively light weight of the Nikkor Z 600mm f/6.3 PF VR S prime lens, alongside the highly versatile Nikkor Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S zoom. A lot of my aviation photography is done with two perhaps surprising lenses. The first of which is the Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 zoom, and the other is the fabulous Nikkor Plena 135mm f/1.8. Although using these makes finding the right shooting location imperative, the way these lenses - especially the Plena - make the airframes jump off the page is truly special.In addition to wildlife and aviation, my gear is also equipped for the intricate world of macro photography. The Nikon Z8 serves as the technological core for this work, utilizing its built-in Focus Shift shooting capabilities to automatically capture a series of images at minutely varying focal distances. This feature is paired perfectly with the dedicated Nikkor Z 105mm f/2.8 VR S macro lens, allowing for incredibly sharp, life-size reproduction of the smallest details.

As one of the things I get asked the most by other photographers is “What did you use to capture this image?“. To help provide a little more insight I have created a list of my kit here. Please let me know if you have any questions!