Howard Barnett

Howard Barnett is a British, Photographer, Wedding Photographer Leeds Yorkshire UK, Artist, and Award Winner from Yorkshire. Howard Barnett is a Sony, Fuji, and Nikon, prize winner UK. [http://www.1dp.eu Web Link]

"'LifeThroughA Lens"' Howard Barnett had an interest in photography from a young age and would take his camera with him wherever he went. “My father introduced me to photography as a way of making money. If I saw anything unusual I’d take a picture. The first picture I had published was of a car accident. The Yorkshire Evening Post paid me £30 for it, I was only 12,” recalls Howard. He went on to become a member of the Leeds Amateur Photography Society as a teenager where he won several awards and wanted to become a fully fledged photographer but followed his father’s wishes and got a secure job.

He got a job at Sony where he became a qualified electrical engineer before going to Israel for a year when he was 20. On his return Sony offered him the chance to become a Managing Director for one of its subsidiary companies. “I enjoyed very much working for Sony. It allowed me to see photography from a technical point of view,” says Howard. “One of the perks was getting access to some of the latest photo technology around.” On a business trip to Tokyo in 1984, Howard used a digital camera for the first time. “Even though the picture quality was primitive compared to today’s standards, I felt I was holding the future of technology in my hands.”

Whilst at Sony, Howard still had the chance to go behind the lens and took shots of celebrities such as Noel Edmunds, and members of the Royal Family. “I was fortunate because the company knew I had a keen interest in photography and asked me to do various things.” He also rubbed shoulders with a few music stars, albeit without realising. Whilst demonstrating camera equipment at a showroom in London, he got chatting to an avid photographer who turned out to be Roger Daltrey, frontman of rock group The Who. On another occasion he met a group of strangely dressed men at a hotel reception. “They seemed like odd chappies and invited me along to a party, saying they were popstars. I had no idea who they were and declined the offer. It was only Brian Ferry and Roxy Music!”

Howard took the plunge two years ago and left his secure job to embark on his dream career. So far, Howard has photographed in excess of 300 + events, from weddings and Bar Mitzvahs through to corporate events, and has won awards from Nikon and Fuji. He’s also worked at many of the region’s major venues including Rudding Park and Ripley Castle. Technical capabilities and artistic vision aside, Howard believes that a photographer’s personality is equally important. “The famous photographer Annie Leibovitz is one of my favourites because she has a way of interacting with people that gets the best out of the photo. When choosing a photographer, I think it’s essential not only to check the photographer’s portfolio but to meet to see if you get on. A photographer needs the right personality to work with an audience.”

Howard still has the enthusiasm and passion for photography that he had as a boy. “I still carry a camera wherever I go. I don’t see it as a job, it’s a way of life for me.” howard • barnett photographer