Rupert Barker Photogapher

People and Places Photographer – Malmesbury, Wiltshire, England, Great Britain.

Category: Uncategorized

  • A Portrait Project #55 – Nicola Hope

    A Portrait Project #55 – Nicola Hope

    I first photographed Nicola all the way back in January 2016, the fourth shoot in this project.

    And to be honest I should have shared these months ago, I shot them back in July…….. but as with so many creatives I know, post covid, post lockdowns, it’s been a real struggle…

    Work has changed, or disappeared, routines have had to be broken, revisions and adjustments made, what was once normal is now alien.

    I’ve been taking some down time through the summer, some of it enforced, some it planned but I think I’m starting to understand a route forward, but please bare with me, its seems to be a slow, non-linear process.

    Back to Nicola, she no longer works at “The Big House”, so the shoot was in her garden right here in Malmesbury, a wonderful and tranquil space, well at 1930 in the evening when there isn’t 1500 children over the other side of the fence!

    location portrait nicola hope Malmesbury gardener and designer

    Nicola is now not just working with plants in a mud under the fingernails way but also designing and consulting on gardens for her clients, https://www.facebook.com/NicolaHopeGardener

    But the most animated conversation was definatly the one on growing tomatoes, a shared passion we have, and I left with Greenhouse envy.

    And in answer to you Instagram question, you looked something like this when you photographed me….

    I am so fortunate to live in the beautiful town that I do, but even more fortunate to spend time with those that make it so special. I am aways on the look out for new subjects for this portrait project, so if you are or know someone who you’d like to see me photograph, please get in touch.

    Everyone is a story, it just needs a picture…

    I’d love to hear what you think of the images, as always the easiest way is to comment the post on my page…..RupertBarker Photographer

    Thanks, Rupert.

  • ‘Clubs’#3 – Malmesbury Community Choir

    ‘Clubs’#3 – Malmesbury Community Choir

    Part 2 of my Clubs project….

    …I’ve had good feedback on this new layout, let me know what you think.

    Click on the image below and scroll down through the story, you can click on the images to see them larger.

    'Clubs #3'

    ….. until I get used to it I’ll also post the images below!

  • Heroes – John Holder & The Dead Cowboys

    Heroes – John Holder & The Dead Cowboys

    My Uncle John, illustrator extraordinaire, is also a damn good musician. Playing Bluegrass since the late ’50’s in Suffolk. He’s put out a new CD, a collection of his favourite pieces of Americana, his musical heroes. I was honoured to shoot a selection of portraits of him and most of his current band members, “The Dead Cowboys”, lots of fun was had by all…….them good ol’ boys!

  • Weekly Portrait #43 – “People I now know” (Working Title) – Esther.

    Weekly Portrait #43 – “People I now know” (Working Title) – Esther.

    Weekly Portrait #43 – “People I now know” (Working Title) – Esther.

    Once a month as part of my Weekly Portrait Project, I will photograph someone who is ‘Making Malmesbury Better’ in collaboration with the unofficial Malmesbury Facebook Page – Make Malmesbury “Even” Better –  and to start things off here’s Esther……

    “This makes me appreciate living in such a beautiful and safe place even more than before.”

    Esther came to Malmesbury 28 years ago from Germany via London, a chance passing through the town and a moment of ‘this is the right place for me’. Esther raised her family here and works at Abbey House Gardens during the season, you’ll see her in her booth as you first arrive. But what Esther does to make ‘Malmesbury Better’ is actually making the world better. Esther gave up normal life to live in The Jungle – the refugee and migrant camp – outside of Calais for 7 months, when she had only planned to visit and deliver some craft kits for the children. Through her selflessness Esther gave this hugely controversial news story a human face and a human voice right back her in Malmesbury and spurred on action from our small, cosy but caring town. Esther’s energy has now moved onto the Choose Love campaign, the World’s first store that sells real products for refugees, and outreach based individual support.

    Esther Hamill-Strerath – Making Malmesbury even Better.

    Big ‘Thank You’ to Rufus for letting us use Abbey House Gardens for the shoot and if your wondering about the wig…….Esther has shaved off her hair in solidarity with her sister who is currently fighting cancer, and undergoing treatment that means she doesn’t have this choice.

    Drop me a message if you’d be interested in being a sitter/victim.

    For those of you who missed my other instalments or are new to my site, I  set a challenge of shooting a self-initiated portrait every week of 2016, and have relaunched it for 2018……. You can find the rest of them here My Diary.

    It’s a deliberately broad brief started under the working title of “People I know” already renamed “People I now know” I’m looking forward to continuing the journey, still unaware of the destination.

    I’d also like to hear your thoughts, please comment on my Facebook Page here:RupertBarker Photographer on Facebook

  • Weekly Portrait #18 – “People I now know” (Working Title) – Tallulah

    Weekly Portrait #18 – “People I now know” (Working Title) – Tallulah

    Weekly Portrait #18 – “People I now know” (Working Title) – Tallulah

    Ever since we came home from Auntie Natasha’s 40th Birthday with 2 enormous pink balloons I knew I had to get the children flying round the garden. Here’s Tallulah, my first born, flying under a pink weather balloon! But of course with any such stunt I had to check its safety first! Bank Holiday fun at Barker Towers! If anyone saw the giant pink balloon flying over Malmesbury at around 6pm yesterday, that was the moment the shoot finished!!!

    Drop me a message if you’d be interested in being a sitter/victim.

    For those of you who missed my other instalments or are new to my site, I have set a challenge of shooting a self-initiated portrait every week for this year. You can find them here My Diary. It’s a deliberately broad brief started under the working title of “People I know” already renamed “People I now know” I’m looking forward to the journey, not knowing the destination.

    I’d also like to hear your thoughts, please comment on my Facebook Page here:RupertBarker Photographer on Facebook

    Flying balloon girl pink levitation

    Flying balloon man pink levitation

    Flying balloon girl pink levitation

     

  • Another Crazy Weekend at Barker Towers!

    Another Crazy Weekend at Barker Towers!

    My Brothers youngest had her 6th birthday on Saturday, T, S and I went down to Fleet for a party with 40+ 6 year olds running and shouting round the hall (I forgot to pack ear defenders!). We raced home for Malmesburys fantastic fireworks display and a chip tea. 

      
    Today we went to Whitehall, to take the girls ice-skating for the first time, with Dexter, Martha & Maxine. Scarlett preferred the ‘banana’ to the penguin, Tallulah & Dexter had the basics understood by the end, but all were most excited at Olaf the snowman joining us! I just wish they swapped the direction of travel halfway, constant left turns were a pain in my dodgy right knee. And Scarlett deciding to run off in the packed Christmas shop did nothing for my claustrophobia, thankfully she was found after 5 minutes frantic searching, looking for the toilets.

      
    Home to feed the girls then back out to The Spice Merchant for Roys birthday! Home stuffed and sleepy!

  • Alopecia, a portrait to help.

    Alopecia, a portrait to help.

    A few weeks back I learned via a Facebook post a previous client and fellow Malmesbury resident – Sarah – suffered from alopecia. For some reason I was touched by her story and was compelled to ask if I could boost her confidence with a portrait shoot, emersion therapy, clatter into the issue with bold portraits hopefully to show how striking Sarah still was without the trappings of the convention of hair styles.

    Sarah_Lewis

    We had a relatively quick shoot down by the river in Malmesbury, and lost the light quicker than I’d initially hoped but a quick move downhill and the setting allowed me to create images I had not initially thought I’d attempt. It is a testament to Sarah’s strength and confidence that she really did let me create some edgy portraits that are about her as a human being right at this moment and the situation she faces.

    Sarah_Lewis-2

    I’d love to hear your thoughts, please leave comments on Facebook. –Rupert Barker Photographer – Facebook

    Thanks Sarah.

    Sarah_Lewis-3 Sarah_Lewis-4

  • Building Bridges, well one!

    Building Bridges, well one!

    I spent most of the day building a bridge over the ditch at the top of Granny’s garden today! The best thing was I got to do it with my Uncle John, a bit of hard work, a bit of banter and a good catch-up, surrogate dad and best buddy rolled into one!! 

     And a photograph of Tallulah on a gargoyle as they are photographically more interesting! This is a gargoyle from Lincoln Cathedral.  Lincoln_111015-1

  • Homework.

    Homework.

     Year 1 and Pre-School homework done, special things in Scarlett’s life and I now know more about Mary Anning than I did this morning.

    (Fossils and dinosaurs if you were wondering, born in 1799 and dog called Tray!!)