When you first walk into Tampa Image Factory you instantly feel the space itself is ready to produce something great. The cool air inside the 3,000 square foot studio awakens the senses. Slowly you begin to notice the lights, cameras, soft boxes and diffusers standing at attention, while paintings and other background elements await their moment in the spotlight. Then you meet Joe… and you realize that Joe loves what he does.
Joe Sale, owner and professional photographer at Tampa Image Factory, is happiest creating memorable and lasting art through his photography. He specializes in capturing his one-of-a-kind perspective on people, places, businesses, and products, by translating their stories through his camera lens and onto prints.
Joe explains, “I created Tampa Image Factory, not only for my own studio needs, but to build a place where other photographers can grow, utilize the space and create. My goal is to create the “go-to” place for photography needs in the Tampa area.”
Born and raised in Tampa, Joe feels an intimate bond with the City of Tampa and its people. “I have always felt an immense desire to create, to innovate, to help people, to give and to grow.” He continues, “It took me 35 years to figure out the perfect way to fulfill my passion, through photography.”
In 2013, after a life-changing decision to quit drinking and partying, Joe traded his career in real estate for a used Nikon DSLR and began learning the ins and outs of composition and lighting. It was his drive to find a creative outlet, as well as his ability to help people, that lead him back to art and to developing deeper connections with people.
Today, Joe continues his passion for photography, and is creating lasting, memorable images for people and businesses. Through his dedication to photography and his love for the craft, Joe has successfully built a photography career in a relatively short period of time.
Most of the work that comes out of the Tampa Image Factory is commercial photography. This is where Joe is able to capture, translate, and tell the stories of businesses and its people. His goal is to make them look their best while also sharing a message that reaches the intended audience. “I love working with people, whether it’s executives, realtors, attorneys, doctors, or anyone that needs a professional look,” says Joe. He loves, “seeing their satisfaction and happiness with the look and feel of the photographs I provide for them.”
Joe also applies his creative eye to complex building structures, captivating landscapes, or simple ordinary objects. He values the quiet, solo time photography affords him to continue to develop and perfect his craft. Joe says, “I try to do something other photographers aren’t doing, whether it’s a different perspective or a unique technique, I like to stay in my own element when it comes to photography, create my own style, and build a demand for it.”
Although he never formally studied photography, his self-taught journey has been extremely satisfying. By not limiting himself to one type, or look, or feel, Joe has been able to happily – and creatively – choose his own adventures.
Joe accredits the positive interactions with his as what keeps him motivated to do more with his art. Having one of his artistic creations become a part of a family’s home, for it to hang on their wall, evoke emotion, and for it to be seen daily, is what drives Joe to create and continue his photographic endeavors.