Today we’d like to introduce you to Anthony Sleiman.
Hi Anthony, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I moved to Miami from Venezuela 9 years ago, but it wasn’t after 5 years of living in Miami that I discovered the Everglades and fell completely in love with this unique ecosystem. The Everglades inspired me to buy a camera and start documenting my adventures and the magic that I’ve found in this place.
Now, 4 years after buying my first camera I became a Freelance photographer who specializes in capturing the Everglades at night. I have worked with many organizations that work towards the protection of the Everglades and have created tons of content and photographic work for the Everglades National Park. From panther encounters at 3 am to strange noises in the middle of the pinelands, I have experienced many unique moments under the stars.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
My journey as a photographer has not been smooth at all. I have encountered many obstacles and fears that I had to overcome to get to where I’m at today.
From losing the fear of being alone in the dark in a remote location to staying motivated to keep creating my photography work. Sometimes it’s hard to continue believing that my work can make a change in how we see the night sky and the Everglades in South Florida.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I specialize in photographing the Everglades at night. I am the person that you see going off-trail at 3 am just to take a picture of the Milky Way galaxy over the Pinelands, the cypress domes, or the Florida Bay.
Something that I am proud of is that four years ago I started running workshops in the Everglades National Park to teach people about the night sky and how to photograph it, now four years later, I have taught more than 70 people, sold out more than 10 workshops and done workshops with the Everglades National Park’s team.
To me, the night sky is a subject that many people don’t pay attention to, so I decided to do my best to educate people in Miami about it and teach them how to protect it. That’s why I started to work on a documentary called Night Lights that explores the effects of light pollution in South Florida.
What’s next?
I have so many plans for the future that sometimes is hard to decide which one I should take, but for now, I am focusing on trying to educate people about the beautiful ecosystem we have in South Florida with my work, so many documentaries are coming.
Also, I would love to start working on a night program for the Everglades National Park, that way we can show more people that the Everglades at night is a magical place and not just a place where alligators and snakes are.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.Anthsleiman.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/Anthsleiman
- Other: www.anthonysleiman.com
