Alan Sparrow Chairman of the UK Picture Editor Guild and director of the UK Picture Editors Guild awards has announced a new venture he is involved in. Working with ex Daily Mail Graphics Editor and former Metro colleague Bret Painter-Spanyol they have launched Fleet Street’s Finest Ltd. a web site that pays homage to press photographers and their work.
‘Attending various events I was often shown, the latest photo taken by retired photographers.
“What will you be doing with that?” I would ask and invariably the answer was –nothing.’
‘It might have been a wonderful picture from dawn in Richmond Park, a misty view across the Thames or dramatic sunrise in Essex. It seemed to me that there was a need to showcase their work. One photographer might only have a few pictures that he or she had taken recently, not really enough for a web site, but if we created the web site then here was a shop front for them and their work.’
‘Asking around it seems that there was not only a desire to display current work but also pictures from their own archive that are often collected together in a drawer with little or no marketing. Often all that is theirs from a life times work employed by agencies or newspapers where the copyright was retained by their employer.’
‘I have always been and continue to be a fan of press photographers and their work. Their work is so often the main focus on a newspaper page and yet so often unattributed’ said Alan Sparrow
We believe that the work of the press photographer, has for too long been undervalued and here is a chance to be acknowledged for fine photography not just for your durability on a doorstep.
The site is to sell photography to the public. Striking images of historic moments and sporting achievements. The perfect gift for celebrating sports fan or fan of silver screen. Pop stars, movie stars, idols of all sorts framed and delivered to your door. Beautiful scenery from Italy and views from the UK ready to hang on your wall.
Owning a photograph by a working photographer has great kudos, not only can you admire work from the past but see the current work as part of your news consumption. As their work appears in papers and on web sites you will be able to follow their daily exploits.
It is rewarding to be able to point to a picture on your wall and tell the story of how the picture was taken and the circumstance of how it came about.
We will reflect the seasons of the year and anniversaries and expect our contributors to be responsive to changing trends and events.
We will encourage working photographers who contribute to Fleet Street’s Finest to blog about their work on the site and to promote their twitter feed or Instagram account.
Fleet Street’s Finest will have blogs and interviews with photographers and picture editors with the contributors and we are excited by the quality of photographers who have committed to be contributors so far.
Fleet Street’s Finest is a web site to allow press photographers to display and sell their image to the public. Photography has gained attention by the recent interest from celebrities such as Elton John and maybe finally the work will get the recognition it deserves.