Edward Booth poses in front of the tools of the trade.
By Brandon Henry
As a native Californian, Edward Booth took part in a classic Californian pastime: Surfing.
It was this pastime that led him to discover his passion, and what would eventually be his future career.
As he surfed the Pacific waters as a teenager, he recalls his friend’s father, who would take photos of them as they surfed, and then sell the prints for a dollar each.
“I thought that was kind of cool,” said Booth.
So Booth, who at the time worked as a box boy at a local grocery store, saved up his money to buy his very own camera to do the same.
“I fell in love with it.”
Even though he worked his way up to management at the supermarket, he eventually quit in June 1962 to work for a local camera store and studio in Chula Vista, California, a suburb of San Diego.
The owner of the store supported his passion of photography by helping him through college to earn his associates degree and his teaching credentials.
However, after working at the store for a few years, he eventually moved on to start his own studio in a nearby house.
Today, Booth runs a professional portrait studio and photography business in Riverview with business partner Betty Huth, which offers executive and family portraits.
He met Betty on a trip to Africa. Once back in California, their professional relationship blossomed as they helped each other with their photographic endeavors.
Betty soon wanted to run her own retail studio. Booth, who was helping design studios for other photographers at the time, went up to San Jose to design her new studio. It was there where Betty made him an offer he couldn’t refuse- a 50% partnership in a studio business.
“Without any money, I’m there.”
“I was single, I had nothing holding me back, so we’ve been partners now for 23 years.”
Huth and Booth Photography eventually moved to Florida from California when Betty’s husband retired.
“Betty and her husband wanted to go someplace where they didn’t have to pay taxes, and the cost of living in Florida is a lot less than it is in California, especially in the San Jose area, so they decided to come here to the Tampa area.”
“But Betty didn’t want to retire yet. She wanted to have a studio and didn’t want to it by herself. So her husband paid for me to come along.”
In his 50 years of photography, Booth has earned several high ranking accolades in the photography industry, including a Master of Photography Degree and the Photographic Craftsman Degree. He is also an approved photographic instructor for the Professional Photographers of America and is a Certified Professional Photographer. Booth, along with Betty, remain to be one of the only photographic teams in Tampa Bay whom both received such esteemed recognitions.
For more information on Huth and Booth Photography and the services they provide, visit www.hbphoto.com or call either 447-9909 or 571-2100.
