World Photo Day is an annual celebration of the art, craft, and history behind photography. At UF/IFAS we have an outstanding team of photographers that capture the beauty of Florida through their lenses.

Tyler Jones joined UF/IFAS July of 2007.

Why did you choose this self-portrait?
I chose this portrait because it reflects what I currently look like right now, and it was a portrait from a fun memory when Cristina and I were taking citrus stock imagery up at the North Florida Research and Education Center in Quincy back in February. The trees were so loaded with, bright, perfect-looking fruit, and I saw this opportunity to get a casual on the job portrait where I’m completely surrounded by citrus. Credit where credit is due though, as I found the spot I wanted the photo, but Cristina was the photographer.

What drew you to photography?
While an undergraduate at the University of Virginia, I was spending all my free time rock climbing, kayaking, hiking, and partaking in the endless adventures that the surrounding Appalachian Mountains have to offer. I wanted to better document these exploits with more professional, visual storytelling imagery, so I began to teach myself professional photography. My goal at that time was to have photos that were similar in quality to what I would see in the likes of Outside Magazine and similar adventure lifestyle magazines.

What kind of impact would like your UF/IFAS photos to have?
I want the images I take for UF/IFAS to visually stand out in some way, to get the viewers’ attention, but I also desire to have those images be informative and useful in some way that contributes to the IFAS mission and in some small way betters the lives of Floridians.

Cristina Carrizosa, joined UF/IFAS May of 2019

Why did you choose this self-portrait?
A good self-portrait can capture your essence and goes beyond a beautiful or perfectly lit image. Creating this one gave me the opportunity to disconnect from everything for a couple of hours. I used long exposures, so I had to remain completely still for a few minutes, forcing me to be fully present in the moment and focused on getting an image that reflected the different ‘layers’ of my personality.

What drew you to photography?
I was fascinated by photography at a young age. I took my first photo at seven years old and got my first camera at 12. I always knew I wanted to work with different creative outlets and photography allowed me to bring together elements of design, art, music, fashion, and even food, together.

What kind of impact would like your UF/IFAS photos to have?
I would like the images I create to help promote and document IFAS’ mission in developing knowledge of natural, human, and agricultural resources.

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