PETE DOHERTY

A point and shoot that sparked a lifelong passion

I’ve always been quite visual - photography was just something I took to at the age of 11 with a simple point and shoot camera. One of my earliest shots was of a protester getting arrested, which in retrospect, looks newsworthy.  Whether luck or instinct I think it confirmed I had an eye for a shot. It also marked the beginning of something else; a gradual realisation that I had a talent for photography.

I was voracious for information, often in Longsight Library soaking up all I could find on photography. That obsession evolved into a career mostly rooted in music photography with shots of musicians, artists and the occasional politician along the way.  My work has been published widely, both in the UK and internationally: The Guardian, The Times, The Observer, The Wall Street Journal, New Yorker and magazines like NME, Mojo and Q and many more. Also in books, magazines, on TV and in record artwork.

/// I’m always looking for strong compositions whether that's framing a face or a fracas ///

My photography work spans decades and ran parallel to a graphic design career. I also have a BA in Fine Art all of which is quite eclectic and usefully feeds into how I work and shoot.  I’m always looking for strong compositions whether that's framing a face or a fracas aware of how images compete for attention on noisy pages whether in traditional or digital media.. 

When I’m not behind a camera, I might be off on a walk in nature, hanging out with friends or thinking up new ideas. I might also be found strumming a guitar along to a track, often a Neil Young one. Barking dogs are the usual giveaway, I blame the tuning...