Capturing the era

From the light-hearted

To the tragic

The Derek Evans Studio

The extensive Derek Evans Studio archive contains some 200,000 negatives, 729 exhibition prints, and ten daily log books. A 2009 independent report stated it had: ‘valuable historical, social and cultural significance’. Derek’s work was highly respected and wide-ranging. He was a popular and well-known character, involved in local politics, with a great love of sport and jazz, as well as being a professional photo-journalist for national and regional newspapers and TV companies. During his career, he produced award-winning entries to magazines and international exhibitions, and the Foto Museum in Antwerp, Belgium, hold some of his images in their national collection. His professional achievements were rewarded with a fellowship to the Royal Photographic Society.

Based in Herefordshire, with a studio in Broad Street, and then later on in Edgar Street, Derek Evans was considered to be one of the top freelance photographers in the country, earning an international reputation for his agency work. Through his pictures, he amassed an incredible historic record. He was there during Fleet Street’s hey-day, boasting a host of award-winning shots, and went on to be one of the first ‘stringers’ to branch out into the fledgling TV market.

He mentored a generation of photographers and film-makers who passed through the studio, including Mike Charity, Jennifer Bowen (née Delaney), John Bulmer, Graham Essenhigh, and Keith James, who became is business partner.

Throughout his career he maintained affection for home in Herefordshire, and built a body of work capturing the people of the county, from working and playing in the hop fields, to the Mayfair, the highs and lows of Hereford football club, and time-old customs at Fownhope. This section showcases yet more of his range of Herefordshire life images.

Photo Gallery

1100_1100_1520352076-DSC_0002 — Portrait of Derek Evans

1527156256-DSC_0024 — Man on stilts from Bertram Mills

1527155700-DSC_0011 — Welsh Children with dirty faces

1527156320-DSC_0049 — Political Campaigners in High Town

1527155622-DSC_0004 — Family outside their home in a Welsh mining village

1523026026-DSC_0005 — Peter Brough with his Ventriloquist Dummy, Archie Andrews, surrounded by delighted children at Holmer School

1527155558-DSC_0002 — Welsh Boys and Welsh Mountain Ponies

1527085540-DE 18 _49 Kids in river by Vic Bridge 1949 001 — Children play in the river Wye near Victoria Bridge

1523025918-DSC_0019 — The Aberfan Disaster

1527085561 — Children cheer in the stands

1523025716-DSC_0013 — Miss Hereford abducted by the crew of a pirate ship float at Hereford City Carnival 1951

1527086596-DE PR Welsh Miners 006 — Welsh Miners

1527086695-DE10856 Farm fire at Bishop Frome (Reed Farm) 10-02-1966 003 — Fire at Reed Farm, Bishops Frome 10 February 1966

1523023619-DSC_0028 — People turn out for the spectacle of an elephant in a car at Bertram Mills

1527084745-DE PR Welsh Miners 003 — Portrait of a Welsh Miner

1520500338-1520352047-DSC_0116 — Children at Wessington Court School for the deaf

Featured Image

This photo taken at Woolhope school for the deaf shows again how Derek manages to capture a moment in time as though the children have forgotten he is there.

See Interviews and Film