Research Notes: Simon Roberts -

Photographer Research - 


Simon Roberts-

Born: February 5th 1974
Died: N/A
Place of Birth: Croydon, UK
Occupation: Photographer
Camera Used: Large Format Camera

• Roberts studied a BA Hons in Human Geography. 
• From 2004 to 2005 Roberts travelled throughout Russia taking photographs of 'The Motherland'.
• From 2007 to 2008 travelled throughout England in a motor home photographing the leisure of the British. 
• Roberts was commissioned by the UK parliament as the Official Election Artist to document the campaigning activity around the country in the run-up to the 2010 elections. 
• Roberts has won several awards for his work including the Royal Photographic Society's Vic Odden Award (2007), Ian Parry Scholarship (1998) and The Observer Critics' Review (2011). 

Simon Roberts 'We English':  

• Roberts created a series titled 'We English' which documented the leisure lifestyle of the British people throughout the country. The series death with themes of identity, nostalgia and belonging. 

Simon Roberts Examples:

This photograph was taken at Ladies' Day at Aintree racing tracks. The glamour of the outfits compared to the litter on the ground and the monotone colour of the landscape all combine to create an intriguing documentary photo of the British public. The muted colours create an almost nostalgic atmosphere as though the image was taken on a polaroid camera.

This photograph was captured at Blackpool beach as is evidenced by the tower in the back. The grid method composition places the iconic British holiday destination, the Blackpool tower, at a cross-section and the lady in a colourful saree. This image shows the English public at play enjoying the stereotypical summer activities of going to the beach with the lightest warm weather. Again, nostalgia is evoked for most audiences as the subject is reminiscent of childhood and this is supported by the use of a muted colour filter that appears like a developing polaroid.

The final picture is taken at Devon, again a popular holiday destination for the British. The diagonal line cutting through the picture and separating the football match from the fun fair again develops ideas of youth. This particular series 'We English' transcend most age categories as most audiences could relate to the subject matter either as grandparents, parents and or children.