A press photographer who captured memorable images during a career which spanned more than 40 years has retired from the industry.

Barry Batchelor worked for Press Association for 30 years, taking photos from across the West of England and South Wales, which on a typical day would see him driving 200 miles across the patch.

He was introduced to photography at the age of 11 and he later worked at a number of newspapers, then spent time as a freelance, before he joined PA.

Barry retired last month at the age of 60 but will not be hanging up his camera, as he plans to continue with photography as a hobby.

He said: “I estimate I’ve driven one million miles, photographed members of the Royal Family on 750 occasions and stood outside courts for what adds up to a total of five years.

“The job is so varied, dipping into other people’s lives. It has been an absolute privilege.”

Barry has photographed the Queen, Prince Charles, Princess Diana and other Royals, prime ministers including Margaret Thatcher and David Cameron and various celebrities.

Some of his memorable photos include an aerial shot of Tewkesbury Abbey in the floods of 2007, a fireman carrying a cat to safety in the Boscastle floods and actress Liz Hurley revealing a pair of sparkly knickers as she arrived at Sudeley Castle for a wedding.

Barry came close to making the news rather the covering it in 1999 when a helicopter taking him to cover a Countryside Alliance march in the Brecon Beacons crashed – but luckily he escaped unscathed, although the pilot suffered a broken shoulder.

He covered certain foreign assignments for PA, including Mrs Thatcher’s historic visit to Russia in the Gorbachev era and the first humanitarian aid flight to Sarajevo, while he also travelled to within a few hundred miles of the North Pole.

Comments

Peter Rhodes (24/08/2010 10:57:27)
Barry and I were on the first RAF Hercules flight into Sarajevo in 1992 and found ourselves weighed down with laptops, cameras, flak jackets etc as we set off from the hotel in Zagreb. With so much to carry, we decided to wear our flak jackets in the hotel lift. After one floor, the lift doors opened and ITN’s Michael Nicholson looked us up and down.
“Expecting trouble in Reception, are we?” he asked.
Happy days. All the best, Barry.
Peter Rhodes
Express & Star

Matt (24/08/2010 14:35:41)
One of the nicest most professional guys you could ever meet, a joy to work with. Good luck with your retirement Barry.

Ian Day (24/08/2010 15:27:55)
One the nicest photographers I’ve ever worked with, a real gentleman snapper! Enjoy your well earned retirement Barry.

Tony Carney (24/08/2010 17:33:12)
Good luck in your retirement mate..I will always remember you sat at Lands End in the pouring rain waiting for the boat that never came …. happy days,sadly the are long gone in this business,.best wishes-Tony Carney

Paul Pickard (27/08/2010 09:54:13)
Have a long, healthy and happy retirement Barry – Nice timing – as always

Mike Hayward (02/09/2010 16:55:36)
Have a good retirement Barry. It’s a long time since we had our swingball tournaments in the park and the long lunchtimes in the Caversham Bridge!

Patrick Anderson (08/09/2010 08:51:36)
its a long time since we had our NCTJ courses in the old school kitchen at Wednesbury Still as they say old photographers never die they may just go out of focus Have a good retirement Me I am just plodding on around the world