Steve Poole
Steve Poole, photographer.
Steve Poole was born in London, and despite excelling in art, he left school at 15 to begin an electrician apprenticeship. In 1983, yearning for experiences beyond the ordinary, Steve and his wife Tricia sold their house, bought a boat, and set off from Lymington to explore the world by sea. The three-year journey proved to be transformative, and on returning Steve was emboldened to pursue the career in photography that he had dreamed of since his schooldays. He was soon travelling the globe to cover top level sport, major fashion shows and era-defining news events. Subjects included Kate Moss, Nina Simone and Sir David Attenborough, with Steve’s work regularly appearing in glossy magazines and television segments, as well as being permanently exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery.
However, the call of the New Forest was ever present, the starting point of their life-changing voyage. In 2010, with their children grown up and pursuing their own paths, the couple moved permanently to Lymington. Steve found a new creative direction, rediscovering his love of photography as he began creating images of local people among the New Forest’s varied landscapes. The project became ‘Uncommoners’ shot over a two-year period and culminated in an exhibition at St Barbe Museum and a coffee table book available for sale from www.steve-poole.com/uncommoners.
Behind the scenes: Uncommoners
Behind the scenes of the New Forest there is a dedicated and eclectic mix of people, each helping to care for the Forest’s landscape, wildlife and habitats. From commoners, ecologists and archaeologists to farmers, community volunteers and Forest keepers, Uncommoners seeks to show a side of the New Forest that often goes unseen. This exhibition of photographs from Steve Poole is drawn from portraits of people supporting New Forest nature in his book, supplemented with new portraits commissioned specifically for the New Forest Show.
The exhibition aims to take you behind the scenes of the New Forest: looking in depth at the amazing rare species and habitats behind the views and the people working behind the scenes to care for them.
Find out more about Steve Poole and ‘Uncommoners’ on his website: www.steve-poole.com/the-new-forest
