Brent Smith

I have been serving Manatee County Florida for over 20 years as a law enforcement officer. I began my career as a part-time Bailiff with the Manatee County Sheriff's Office in 1999. I left the sheriff's office for a full time police officer position with the Bradenton Police Department. Seeking better opportunities, I left BPD after nearly three years, and served with the Pinellas Park PD before coming back to Manatee County as a full time Deputy Sheriff in 2003, where I have spent the last twenty years serving in patrol, traffic enforcement and undercover narcotics work. I picked up a camera around 2015 and taught myself the basics of photography and digital imagery. I started photographing lightning storms and have since been developing my skills as a portrait artist, photographing weddings, portraits, and business headshots. Assisted by several well-known, influential & prominent photographers and educators in the professional photography industry, I have been developing a skillset to carry me forward into retirement as a successful and competent photographer. I am (as of early 2023) building a headshot, portrait and wedding photography business and plan to continue serving Manatee County and surrounding areas as a part-time photographer until I retire from the sheriff's office. It would be amazing to photograph portraits and weddings all over the world in retirement...