Bristol Photographer - Ben Birchall

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Professional photography isn't just a career - it's a way of life. I've been shooting for three decades,  mostly as a press photographer and have covered thousands of newsworthy stories from the very frontline of photojournalism. Over the years I've embedded in warzones covering conflict and travelled to many countries gathering news.

I'm currently a staff photographer at PA Media and cover the whole of the South West UK - and beyond. I regularly contribute images to national news headlines and still really enjoy pointing a camera at Popes, Presidents, Prime Ministers and Royalty, although the global pandemic has reduced much of the travel and usual rotas I cover week-to-week. Visit the News Portfolio section where you can see examples of my work assignments.

During the pandemic I've continued to carry on shooting news every day while working, but I've also had much more downtime to rekindle my love of photography outside the news agenda. I've found more spare time to shoot for personal pleasure. Long forgotten negatives and hard drives from my freelance days have been dragged from the loft, downloaded and revitalised using modern darkroom techniques. Check them out.

I've recently become a CAA qualified small drone operator, which has opened up a whole new world of creative photography and I'm enjoying shooting for myself outside the news cycle. Capturing art through the viewfinder allows me to use the full spectrum of darkroom tools Adobe Lightroom can offer. I'm loving and embracing the realisation of photography as artwork again and hope you enjoy the results of my photographic journey too.