Bob Talbot

Artist Biography

F or over twenty years Bob Talbot's whale and dolphin photograph art, prints and posters have inspired wonder in people around the world. From the first time he ventured into the ocean with a snorkel at age eight, Talbot has been fascinated by the sea and the animals that inhabit it. Since that time he has made it his life's work to foster a respect for animals and to fight to protect their habitat. He is the recipient of The Environmental Hero Award presented by the United States Department of Commerce as well as the Ark Trust Genesis Award. Talbot is a board member of the American Oceans Campaign, Earth Communications Office, and Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, and works with many other environmental organizations donating images, time, funds and, most importantly, a voice for the planet and its inhabitants.

Capturing marine mammals on film is one of the most difficult disciplines in nature photography. Recording reality, as Talbot does, presents challenges not faced by artists who paint art, prints and posters on canvas. He has no control over his fast-moving and often shy subjects. When photographing at the surface his subjects and the boat are in constant motion, and the direction and quality of light are continuously changing. Of course filming underwater presents its own host of problems. All of which explains why Talbot will often spend weeks or months at sea waiting for all of these elements to come together.

Talbot's photograph art, prints and posters have been published in magazines such as Audubon, Time, Natural History, American Photographer, National Wildlife, Outdoor Photographer, BBC Wildlife and National Geographic, as well as numerous other publications. A filmmaker as well, Talbot filmed the wildlife sequences for the Warner Bros. series of FREE WILLY feature films and Universal Pictures' FLIPPER. He directed and photographed the IMAX motion simulation system film, DOLPHINS - THE RIDE and acted as director and cinematographer for sequences in the Academy Award nominated MacGillivray Freeman IMAX film, DOLPHINS. Most recently, Talbot directed and photographed the IMAX film Ocean Men. He is currently working on a 3D film for the giant IMAX screen.

Bob Talbot Art, Prints and Posters Collection