Today's Guest: Bob Sargent of Sargent Photography in Tampa, Florida
Today's Host: John Bentley
September 2007
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Bob Sargent Expert PageANNOUNCER: Welcome to the VTalk Radio's Photography Spotlight with your host, John Bentley.
JOHN: Today's program is sponsored by MorePhotos.com the online photo sales solution to professional photographers worldwide.
JOHN: Today we are in the Studio with Bob Sargent of Sargent Photography of Tampa, FL. Welcome to VTalk Radio's Photographer's Spotlight, Bob.
BOB: Thank you.
JOHN: Tell our audience a little bit about your photography business down there in Florida.
BOB: I'm a wedding and portrait photographer. I had been doing weddings for around 20 years and portraits for about the same amount of time, maybe a little bit longer. I started as a traditional and moved on into the photojournalism world. I covered both directions, I guess they'd call me bi-lingual when it comes to wedding photography, because some people can only do photojournalism where I can do the portraits and posing at weddings versus just tilting the camera.
JOHN: What types of photography services do you offer?
BOB: We do weddings. We do family portraiture. Beach portraits. High School Senior photography, and I'm also working on a modern type vargas style photography for the brides to do as gifts for their husbands.
JOHN: I also see on your website a number of couples photographed, I would imagine for engagement, whathaveyou.
BOB: Yes, I do a lot of engagement portraits at the beach and in the studio and if there's a park that they so desire, or sometimes we go to their home because they have really nice homes on the lakes and stuff here in Florida which does beautiful portraitures.
JOHN: You also have a portfolio of mystic models. So you do model photography also?
BOB: I do do some fashion photography. My wife is a high-end Salas, one of the local salons...mystic is a salon shop, Mystic Care, in Northdale, and she works there. She also helps me do hair and make up on brides, and portraitures she'll do the hair and make up on the women who desire to have that done.
JOHN: What about products that you offer through your business? Let's say I was a photographer and I wanted something special done with a certain picture that I have.
BOB: I do all kinds of digital restorations and digital creations. I'm a digital artist where I can do the, kind of the unique style as I was mentioning early, the vargas style. It's all kind of unique digital art work on all kinds of images cause we can make you look like the girl from the 50s or we can just bring it up to date and just make the new classic color or black & white image.
JOHN: Sounds very creative.
BOB: We try to be on the cutting edge and one of the leaders in the area in digital. I started the digital probably before I should of, but now I'm far ahead; where everybody else is trying to catch up.
J? How long have you been in business?
BOB: I've been in business for over 20 years. I've been digital now for probably six to seven years.
JOHN: And what about some of the communities and cities in the area that you service?
BOB: I do, throughout the state of Florida. I do a lot of Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota, Braydenton. I also do a lot of work in Vail, Colorado. Usually in August and September, I fly out to Vail where it's much cooler and do weddings on location in Vail.
JOHN: Are you willing to travel for a photo session?
BOB: Always willing to travel. We'll travel to do portraits or weddings.
JOHN: Are there any wedding facilities or banquet halls that you like to use?
BOB: In Tampa there's the River Front Marriott we use a lot. It's the most beautiful. We do a lot of stuff at the University of Tampa. It has really beautiful grounds, and it has the rustic type buildings.
JOHN: Can you tell our listeners your website information and contact information?
BOB: It's www.sargentphotography.com. You can reach me at (813) 930-7390 or you can email at rsarge1@aol.com.
JOHN: We are in the studio with Bob Sargent of Sargent Photography of Tampa, FL. You are listening to VTalk Radio's Photography Spotlight. We're going to step aside for these important messages, we'll be right back.
ANNOUNCER: Looking for a bridal show in your area? Visit www.weddingdetails.com for a list of upcoming bridal shows in your area. Visit www.weddingdetails.com tonight.
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ANNOUNCER: This VTalk Radio Spotlight is sponsored by morephotos.com, the online photo sales solution to professional photographers worldwide.
ANNOUNCER: We now return you to the VTalk Radio Photographer's Spotlight with your host, John Bentley.
JOHN: Welcome back to VTalk Radio's Photography Spotlight. Today we are in the studio with Bob Sargent of Sargent Photography of Tampa, FL. Welcome back to the program, Bob.
BOB: Thank you.
JOHN: Now we've been talking about your photography business down in Florida. Let's talk about your certifications. You're certified by a number of photography certifications. Tell me about them.
BOB: I'm a member of the Professional Photographers of America, and I've went through testing and the past test submits work to be viewed at by my peers and different things to be certified to prove that I'm a certified professional and my clients actually pay before they are getting. There are only a few selects of us in the area that carry that distinct certification. I'm a member of the Florida Professional Photographers' Association along with the Tampa Bay Area Professional Photographers' Association where I did serve on the board up until this year. This year I took a break and put more time into my own business.
JOHN: Why did you decide to become a photographer in the first place, Bob?
BOB: I just really enjoyed it. I've always liked photography as I was younger, and as I got older I got more involved in it. And one day I decided I was going to be a professional so I started taking classes and really working hard on it until I got to where I'm at today.
JOHN: Do you have any advice for our listeners? Maybe somebody wants to have their portrait taken; do you have any advice for them before they come in the studio?
BOB: Search out a professional photographer. One who has done some studying and knows what it is. It's very important, people don't realize the most important thing is a good portrait until, you know, it's terrible to bring this up because it's leaves a lot of unwanted stuff, but back on 9/11 when they went down, all the people had was people of their loved ones. If you were in New York, all you seen is people walking around with that portrait in their hands. You don't know how valuable that is until some natural disaster or something. It's a great gift. Parents love portraits of their children for Christmas, you know, even if you're in your 20s or 30s, it's always important. I knew this one gentleman who was in his 60s or 70s. Every time there was a new grandchild born, he would take that baby to the portrait place and have a portrait made of him and this child so that they would have a memory of their grandpa forever. There is no better gift.
JOHN: Yeah, that's a good idea. Now what do you do to make your clients more comfortable at a photo shoot?
BOB: I hope I'm somewhat personable. I try to...it's funny...sometimes I think I'm funny and I'm not, but I try to make people relax and get them talking. Keep it as friendly of an environment as possible. I'm kind of a laid back kind of guy so it's fairly easy to keep people comfortable. We talk and then we photograph, and of course, I'm digital so they can see them instantly and that way they can find out what they like and they don't like real quick so we can go on with the photo shoot and they can get the portrait of their dreams.
JOHN: What would you consider your most important goal when you're shooting a client?
BOB: To capture the essence of the person, it's not really about me; it's about them, and I want to bring out who they really are. That's about the most important thing to me...it's capture them so people can see who they really are.
JOHN: What makes Sargent Photography unique? What separates you from the competition?
BOB: The quality of the work that I do. The time that I spend to, you know, I personally retouch every picture that I do. I don't send it off to somebody else to do the final work. I do it and it all has meaning and depth to me so I guess that's about the only thing. Just that every portrait is a part of me.
JOHN: Would you kindly share your website and contact information once again for our listening audience, Bob.
BOB: It's www.sargentphotography.com. (813) 930-7390 and the email is rsarge1@aol.com.
JOHN: Ok. We have been speaking with Bob Sargent of Sargent Photography of Tampa, FL. You are listening to VTalk Radio's Photography Spotlight. Thanks for joining us, Bob.
BOB: Thank you.
JOHN: We are signing off from V Talk Radio's Photography Spotlight. Have a great afternoon everybody.
ANNOUNCER: You have been listening to the VTalk Radio Spotlight; only on www.vtalkradio.com. Radio for the 21st Century.
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