Paul Barker

Paul Barker has worked as professional newspaper photographer since 1989, when he got caught in the middle of a riot whilst on work experience for a local paper. He rose through the ranks in the traditional way, freelancing for local papers the Telegraph and Argus and the Yorkshire Post, before moving on to a small local agency, then a large local agency, a time in London and then back north.

Eventually he became a stringer for the Press Association for 5 years, then a contract freelance for Agence France Presse for 6 years. After that he moved on to work mainly for Sunday titles, mostly the News of the World and the Sunday Times. In over 20 years he has seen all the changes in the industry, from the technology involved to the style of stories covered and the way the whole business works. He has covered many major news and sporting events including The funeral of princess Diana, the Live 8 concert, European football championships and Champions League finals.

Prior to becoming a professional photographer after finishing university, Paul spent two years traveling around America as an itinerant rock climber before getting a crew position on the yacht and sailing home. Whilst working for AFP he also ran and played in a Pink Floyd tribute band which went from playing in pubs of Bradford to being an international touring show. (Look out for these as books yet to be written.)

Paul lives in the heart of Yorkshire’s Bronte country near the village of Haworth and is married with 2 children. Besides photography and writing he enjoys potholing, bell ringing and small bore rifle shooting, in which he has competed at a high level winning various national titles and shooting for England.