Rob Birrell

Rob Birrell, was born in Dundee in 1965 (hard to believe I know … both! Rob). As the son of an RAF man, he had a nomadic childhood which took him over a large part of the British Isles and beyond, from the Shetland Isles, to Western Super Mare to Hong Kong amongst many others.

In 1999, having spent 10 years in Glasgow, he moved to Durham to be with his, now, wife Jane. He lives in High Shincliffe and has a 4 year old son Matthew.

After 18 years working in IT Rob took the plunge in 2005 to try and make a go of Professional Photography. He studied for an HND in Photography at Sunderland College which he gained with Distinctions in 2007. In 2009 it became evident that make a living out of photography was a real struggle and in July 2009 he returned to part-time employed work in IT with Durham Constabulary. He still takes on professional photographic commissions when he’s not at the police.

MY PHOTOGRAPHY

I came to photography through Landscape Photography, with many years of hill-walking in the Scottish mountains. Winning my school photography prize twice was a high point in an otherwise unremarkable school career.

As I spread my wings into adulthood the landscape photography developed into travel photography, taking me all over the world from South East Asia, India, Africa, Europe, to South America. The travel has been curtailed for the moment by family life but I definitely plan to get back to it when Matthew is older.

Studying at college introduced me to other genres of photography such as Social Documentary, Portraiture, and of course Creative Commercial. I’ll turn myself to any of these with equal enjoyment.

THE  BIGGEST INFLUENCE

My dad introduced me to photography but it was probably my school biology teacher, Keith Brocklehurst who encouraged me most and introduced me to the dubious pleasures of darkroom working back at the start of the 80s. More recently our own Mavis Ord was a huge inspiration in my early digital work.

MY FIRST CAMERA

A Hunter 35, 35mm viewfinder camera which was a rebadged German Steiner Steinette. This was closely followed by a Canon TLb, and then a second-hand Canon AE1 Program when I was 18 which served me well for about 16 years. In fact it’s still going strong now.

MY FAVOURITE CURRENT KIT

I’ve bought all the Pro Kit (thanks to the Arts Council), and have a Canon EOS 5D (mark 1) with 24-105mm F4, 16-35mm F2.8, and 70-200mm F2.8 Pro L series lenses.

I’ve recently purchased a Canon EOS 550D with a Sigma 18-250mm lens and have rediscovered the pleasures of lightweight, uncomplicated photography. I’m loving it!

MY FAVOURITE PHOTOGRAPHERS

Very difficult as I’m not big on studying the “Greats”. Certainly Henry Cartier-Bresson, Sebastio Salgado, Steve McCurry, Annie Leibovitz, Bill Brandt, Fay Godwin, Martin Parr, Colin Prior, Colin Baxter and then a whole heap of commercial photographers such as Andy Glass and Drew Gardener. Quite a diverse range of influences I’m sure you’ll agree.

I am constantly inspired by the photographs of David Trout, John Brown and Tony Griffiths.

ME AND THE DPS

I joined towards the end of 2004 (I think). I quite quickly had a modicum of success and won the B section . I peaked in 2006 with 3 awards that year largely fuelled by my college work. In the same year I won Student Photographer of the Year with Professional Photographer. Briefly I was known as the guy that did the “weird” photos but it seems that Angy has taken over that mantle … well weird lass at least. As standards have risen in the club my successes have dwindled somewhat but I now concentrate on taking photographs to please myself rather than judges.

My latest success was winning the 2010 Lambert Hedley Cup with my black and white image “Stef”.

THE 3 THINGS I ENJOY MOST BEING A MEMBER OF THE DPS

Camaraderie, Learning and Inspiration and all these are encompassed in the excellent assignment group, which truly has rekindled my joy of photography.

AN AMBITION

To have a solo exhibition at a well known gallery.

THE PEARL (Advice to budding photographers)

Concentrate on shooting what you like, well, regardless of what others say. You are your own hardest critic and that is how you will improve, by learning to be self-critical.