John Robertson Photography - My Blog

A spotlight on diversity

One of the most memorable assignments I worked on was for The Telegraph, covering a story about a single block of flats in Wolverhampton where families from 20 different nationalities lived side by side. It was a powerful example of how communities can thrive through diversity.

I photographed Jamaican resident Pertenax James standing proudly at the doorway of his apartment. The timing could not have been more perfect – as the evening sun dipped lower, it cast a warm, spotlight across the entrance, wrapping the scene in a quiet beauty. For me, it was one of those moments when photography and storytelling align naturally.

I was working with the brilliant reporter Adam Lusher, who sadly passed away a few years ago. Adam had an incredible ability to connect with people, to listen and to draw out stories with compassion. During the assignment, we were invited in for dinner by an Armenian family. They didn’t have much, but their generosity was overwhelming – they insisted on sharing what they had. That meal remains one of the most humbling experiences of my career. Looking back, that day in Wolverhampton was not just about capturing images or writing words. It was about people, hospitality, and the reminder that dignity and kindness exist everywhere, often in the most unassuming of places.

Raising hare

I've just finished reading Chloe Dalton’s excellent book ‘Raising Hare’. It has recommendations from three of the people I've photographed, so I thought it must be good! Michael Morpurgo, Chris Packham and Angelina Jolie. The book bought back memories of a Guardian assignment from many years before.

It had been an early start to go out with the hare coursers in the Cambridgeshire countryside, near the appropriately named Huntingdon. I’d been expecting a ‘hot landing zone’ but in fact and despite the fact that I didn’t try to hide which newspaper I was working for, the hare coursers climbing into a tractor trailer with me couldn’t have been more welcoming. This was way before the ban on hare coursing and fox hunting took effect in February 2005. It was a crisp winter morning and a rather posh lady called Remeny offered me a slug of homemade sloe gin to keep the cold at bay as we rattled across the fields.

Loading up my film cameras with Ilford black and white film I waited while the greyhounds and whippets had their protective jackets removed and were made ready for the coursing. Remeny and some of the others I had chatted to told me that only one in four of the hares chased by the dogs actually died and that often it was the weaker or diseased hares that didn’t make it. The dogs were very excited. So excited in fact that one of the owners received a bite from the needle sharp teeth of his own greyhound.

Keeping my opinions to myself I carried on and watched as ‘the slip’ happened. The 50 yard start given to the hare, flushed out by beaters, before the dogs are let loose. A frantic chase ensued as the hare leapt, skipped, jumped, weaved about literally ran for it’s life. I watched several of these chases and yes, the hares did get away from the dogs. Inevitably one didn’t and there was a horrible squeal from it as the dogs bit and tore into it. I can still hear the child-like scream it issued at the moment of it’s demise. Rather sickened by that I walked back across the fields to my car with a set of photos that still sell, even just the other day.

Sadly illegal hare coursing still goes on across the UK. Such beautiful creatures- I saw one not far from my home in Northamptonshire this month, in a cornfield. Chloe's book is well worth a read, espcially for lovers of the countryside.

Past work

Honoured to see my photo of Mikhail Gorbachev featured in Arts Industry magazine, accompanying a piece by my former boss Alan Sparrow—ex-Deputy Picture Editor at The Guardian. Always a pleasure to see past work resurface in great company.

Finding Light in Still Moments: Creativity at Breakfast

As a photographer, the rhythm of work ebbs and flows with the seasons. Summer, especially during the school holidays, often brings a noticeable slowdown in commissions. Families go away, and many commercial clients take time out. The calendar opens up in unexpected ways. But what I’ve learned over the years is that creativity doesn’t follow the same schedule. It doesn’t take a break just because the bookings do.

This Friday, with no early shoots or meetings, I took the opportunity to enjoy a quiet breakfast at my local Café Nero in Market Harborough, Leicestershire. Normally, the café is bustling — a popular pitstop for commuters, families, and shoppers. But this morning it was unusually peaceful.

As I sat with my coffee, I noticed the morning light slicing through the window, casting long shadows across the tiled floor. The floor itself — a geometric, black-and-white pattern of diagonal triangles — suddenly came alive in the sunlight. A nearby table had a simple wooden chair pulled out, its curved back catching the light just so. There was a graphic quality to the scene that stopped me mid-sip. I reached for my iPhone — the only camera I had on me — and captured the image you see here. It’s a simple photo, taken in a fleeting moment, but it reminded me that creativity doesn’t wait for a booking or a client brief. It shows up in quiet cafés, over coffee, in the ordinary places we go every day. Photography, at its core, is about seeing — really seeing — the world around you. So yes, work may slow down in the summer months, but that doesn’t mean the creative thought process stops. These moments of calm are an invitation to observe, to notice, and to create without pressure. The light will always find a way in — even during breakfast!

'F'

Im back home after dropping the car off for a very expensive repair and service ;-( Whilst waiting for the bus I did a quick walkabout in Kettering, a place I rarely visit these days, and chatted to 'F', a skateboarder from Barry in Wales who now lives in the town. He kindly let me take a portrait of him on my iphone and he reminded me of the Tusken Raiders, or Sand People as they are sometimes known, from the film 'Star Wars-A New Hope'. In the film they wear abundant clothing to protect themselves from Tatooine's twin suns. Little chance of that in a rainy Kettering first thing this morning!

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