Edson's Barbershop
After leaving Japan and relocating to Tampa, I decided to open up my photography business again. The hardest part about being the new guy in town is finding people willing to work with you. Rather than waiting for an opportunity, I decided to take a chance and approach the guys at Edson's Barbershop with the idea of doing some portraits for their business. What drew me to the shop was not only the atmosphere and the lighting, but the old fashioned way they ran their business. I came here on a whim for a haircut one day and was also treated to an old fashioned shave with a straight razor. They were excited about the idea of the shoot so we set up a time and place to make it happen.
Edson is the owner of the shop and recently moved his business to a new building in South Tampa. One of the nicest guys in the world (and a huge soccer fan), he gave me a tour of his place. He pointed out that the seats for waiting customers were 94 years old. Some of the pictures on the walls dated back to the 1940's and 50's.
As I was we were talking a couple of his customers came in. These were gentlemen that followed Edson from the old shop to his new location, a testament to the great service the guys delivered to every customer. I managed to get a few pictures of Edson at work and also talked a little soccer with a customer from Ghana.
I stayed out of the way while Edson worked his magic. A little bit later, Glenn, his other barber walked in for work. Glenn was my barber when I first visited the shop for a haircut. He was easy to remember because had some great stories about his time in the Navy during Vietnam as well as working in Alaska as a diver. Best story: he was shot in the hand by a sniper, saved from being shot in the head by swatting at a mosquito. You don't get stories like that everywhere!
I had a great time with the shoot and want to thank the guys for inviting me into their shop. If you're in the Tampa area and in need of a Man Salon, be sure to visit Edson's Barbershop at 4007 South MacDill Avenue. You can find out more about their shop here: http://www.edsonsbarbershop.com/ Don't miss out on the best cut in town!
