Marquis Who's Who Honors Tony Zapien for Excellence in Photography

Tony Zapien, founder and owner of Evergreen Lens and Tony Zapien Photography, has been selected for inclusion in Marquis Who's Who — one of the most respected biographical references in the United States. The honor recognizes individuals for their position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in their field.

For Tony, that field is real estate and architectural photography — the craft at the heart of every listing Evergreen Lens delivers to agents across Bellingham, Whatcom County, and the Pacific Northwest.

A career built on service and collaboration

Earning recognition for both his artistic vision and collaborative spirit, Tony has established himself as an expert in real estate and architectural photography. He founded Tony Zapien Photography in 2019 and manages every aspect of the business — on-site photography, post-production editing, advertising, social media outreach, and maintaining visibility within the industry.

His approach is rooted in a commitment to service and creativity, values shaped by his earlier professional experiences. He finds particular fulfillment in collaborative projects that allow him to contribute artistically and work closely with others, believing that the greatest accomplishments arise when collaboration, service, and creative expression intersect.

A few of his notable projects include photographing Maple Recording Studio — an advanced modern-day musical recording space — as well as The Leopold, both in Bellingham, Washington.

From transcriber to photographer

Before entering photography professionally, Tony spent more than a decade as a transcriber for deaf students at local colleges. He attended classes alongside students and provided live captioning of all spoken dialogue, ensuring equal access to educational content. That experience instilled in him a strong sense of service and collaboration that continues to inform his work today.

Prior to starting his own company, Tony worked as a photographer and editor at C9 from 2016 to 2019, where he honed his technical skills and developed a deeper understanding of the real estate and architectural niche. It was through this role that he recognized the growing demand for comprehensive visual marketing services among real estate professionals. Observing that clients often needed to hire multiple specialists for a single listing, he identified an opportunity to provide a more integrated solution — one that would eventually become the foundation of Evergreen Lens.

A lifelong passion for the camera

Tony's academic background includes coursework at the Art Institute of Seattle, which contributed to his technical proficiency and artistic sensibility. His passion for cameras began during early childhood; he recalls being photographed at age two and frequently carrying a 110-millimeter camera with him throughout elementary school. Photography remained a hobby through his formative years, including high school photography classes, until his tenure at C9 revealed its potential as a viable career path.

Awards and recent milestones

Throughout his career, Tony has been recognized for both his skill and dedication to excellence. He was awarded gold at the Cascades Best Awards — which honors top-performing businesses and individuals in Northwest Washington — in 2025, and was nominated again in 2026. Among his most notable recent projects is an assignment with a California architect on renovation work at a hospital in Bellingham, a collaboration he regards as a significant professional milestone.

Looking ahead

Happily married to his wife Marion and a proud father of two children, Tony balances his professional pursuits with family life and personal interests as a musician, performing as a guitarist, vocalist, and producer.

Looking toward the future, he aims to focus on higher-end creative projects such as architectural work and builder collaborations that leverage his artistic vision and often involve travel. He intends to gradually step away from routine day-to-day tasks by expanding his team — allowing him to dedicate more time to both innovative assignments and his family.

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Evergreen Lens is a full-service real estate media team based in Bellingham, Washington, serving agents across Whatcom and Skagit County and beyond. From editorial photography and cinematic walkthrough video to drone, Matterport, and AI-assisted reels, we make the media that moves properties.