Bob Talbot – Iconic Nature Photographer & Underwater Filmmaker
As always, today we have another legend in the diving industry – actually he’s a legend in photography and film industries as well. I’m talking about the one and only Bob Talbot. It’s always a treat to interview these legends, but Bob is really special for me because I had his prints in my room before I ever became a dive professional. I have always loved his work and that’s why I still have three of his prints to this day!
Bob was drawn to the sea as a child. He got his first glimpse beneath the surface when he was eight years old and began diving when he was 13. A year later he was given a Nikono‘s camera as a gift and his creative fuse was lit. His iconic photographs were first published as fine Art lithographs when he was in his early 20s and soon became the best selling line of marine artwork in the world.
His images have also appeared in a wide range of publications from Time magazine to National Geographic.
At the age of 19 Bob began shooting motion picture film with a wind up Bowlex 16 mm camera. Since then his motion picture work has been featured in television productions that have taken him from Antarctica with his childhood hero Jacques Cousteau, to the arctic seal hunting grounds with Paul Watson, from the caverns of Grand Cayman with David Blaine to his beloved Monterey Bay for the BBC/PBS production of Big Blue Live.
Bobs feature film credits include Free Willy, Flipper, Into the Blue and Dolphin Tale Two. He directed and photographed the award-winning IMAX film Ocean Men Extreme Dive and acted as a director and cinematographer for sequences in the Academy award nominated IMAX film Dolphins. He recently completed work on his production Being Dolphin 4D and is currently working on his featured documentary film Fin.
Bob specializes in creating unique, highly immersive special venue media that speaks to his mission of connecting people to the sea. His clients include IMAX, Simex Iwerks, California Academy of Sciences, Smithsonian Institution, California Science Center, the National Aquarium and National Marine Sanctuaries.
For his advocacy work Bob has been presented with the environmental hero award by vice president Al Gore, the prestigious Sea Keeper award by HSH Prince Albert of Monaco, and the Ark Trust Genesis award.
He has served on the boards of the American Ocean Campaign, Earth Communications Office and on the board of governors for Oceana. He served nearly a decade on the board of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and was chairman of the board of trustees of the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation from 2008 through 2016
When asked why he is so passionate about ocean conservation Bob’s answer is simple, “the sea has given us life, it’s time we returned the favor.”
Items In This Podcast
- Nikonos camera at age 14
- Early photographs and films
- Encounter with Gray Whale
- Oceanmen filming goes wrong
- Being connected
- Landing on a shark
- How to be an ocean ambassador
- talbotoceangallery.com
- talbotfilms.com
Sponsor
Special thanks to our episode sponsor Aggressor Adventures
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