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Press photographer marks 40 years at same paper

A press photographer has celebrated 40 years of working at the same daily-turned-weekly title.

David Lowndes, left, started at the Peterborough Telegraph at the age of 20 and has remained there ever since, rising to become its deputy chief photographer.

He wanted to go into journalism after his uncle previously worked at the Telegraph and he started out as a trainee reporter for the now-defunct Peterborough Standard for 18 months, before landing the job at the Telegraph in 1973.

During David’s time at the title, which made the switch to weekly last year, he has witnessed many technological changes including the move to digital photography.

He said: “When I started out, we had roll film and black and white and then we moved to colour and then digital as well, which has been lovely.

“We used to spend two hours a day in the dark room printing stuff so going to digital has certainly saved a lot of time.

“I like football and air-to-air photography and I have been fairly lucky that Peterborough United have been promoted a few times and also demoted a few times.

“I think football is one of those jobs that keeps you going throughout the week, it’s something to look forward to.”

David, whose late wife also worked as a journalist, said one of his best images had been a black and white photo of Harrier jets, which was taken by flying in front of the Harriers on a Hercules plane, with him sat on a ramp at the back.

He said: “That is one of the sad things that years ago, you could do things like climb chimneys and cranes but now there’s health and safety.

“It is still an exciting job and I think I have been very lucky to see the best years of journalism in the 80s and 90s before restrictions came in.

“I have got another four years to go. I enjoy myself every day. As a photographer, you know a lot of people and the city is my home. To relocate to another newspaper would be daft.”

To mark the anniversary, the editorial department at the Telegraph are set to go out for a meal together.

Peterborough MP Stewart Jackson tweeted: “Congratulations to Peterborough Telegraph snapper David Lowndes on 40 years at the paper. Dedictated, local, professional and a true gent.”