Hi!

"I'm Anthony Spears, a fine art photographer based in Crete, Illinois, with over twelve years behind the lens. My work spans the intimate and the expansive — from the dramatic skyline of Chicago to the wild coastlines of the Yucatan Peninsula, the bustling midnight streets of Bangkok, and the intricate world of pollinators in my own backyard.

Photography found me early. At 14, my father handed me a Kodak 110 and something clicked — not just the shutter, but a lifelong obsession. I've been making images ever since, through college, a four-year stint in the Navy, a career in information technology, and now, in retirement, with more time and intention than ever before.

I'm drawn to moments that reveal something unexpected — a shaft of light breaking through storm clouds over the Caribbean Sea, a Great Egret striding through the surf with quiet authority, the extraordinary detail hidden in the curve of a bee's wing. On any given day you might find me photographing street scenes, architecture, or bees. It doesn't get much more satisfying than that.

Bees hold a special place in my work. Their resilience, their harmony, and their essential role in sustaining life on earth inspire me endlessly. Through my macro lens I aim to reveal their beauty in ways most people never get to see — and to remind viewers that the smallest creatures often carry the greatest stories.

Travel has also shaped my eye in profound ways. A trip to Bangkok with my wife Nicki opened up a whole new world of street and documentary photography. The city's vibrant energy, its glittering lights, its welcoming people — it was a photographer's dream. "I could lose myself and spend all day taking pictures," I told the Chicago Tribune. "I feel compelled to take pictures and if I'm not taking pictures, I'm editing them."

That Bangkok portfolio went on to earn me the 2026 Photographer of the Year award at Prairie State College's Christopher Art Gallery — an honor featured in the Chicago Tribune. My photography professor Rebecca Slagle said it best: "Anthony has a photographer's eye, meaning he instantly sees what will be a good composition and snaps the shutter." That same year, two of my coastal photographs were selected for the Earth & Ocean exhibition at Union Street Gallery, and I was accepted as a juried artist with the Tall Grass Arts Association.

Photography, to me, is about feeling the moment, finding the unseen, and sharing a perspective that moves people. As my wife Nicki once put it, watching me spot a cloud hanging perfectly over a silo in an Illinois field — "He can see the beauty in the moment. His mind is just going and looking for that perfect photo moment." I couldn't have said it better myself.

Fine art prints are available for purchase through this site. If something catches your eye — or if you'd like to discuss a commission — I'd love to hear from you."