Portraits of New Forest life by Steve Poole set for museum exhibition and glossy book

A UNIQUE collection of life in the New Forest has been compiled by a former Fleet Street celebrity photographer – and is set to be turned into an exhibition.

Lymington-based Steve Poole has published a collection of 240 shots in Uncommoners – Portraits of Life in the New Forest.

Seventy of those will form an exhibition at Lymington’s St Barbe Museum, running from tomorrow (Saturday). Among the Forest’s more celebrated subjects captured are Dan Snow, Mark Kermode and Lord Montagu.

The project, which took more than 18 months to collate, features a stunning collection of portraits of Forest residents ranging from elite sportsmen and women to the aristocracy, commoners, artists, conservationists and hobbyists. The series of environmental portraits shed light on the vibrant, idiosyncratic human ecosystem at the heart of one of the UK’s most beloved national parks.

Steve was born in London, the son of a factory worker and a cake maker. He grew up in Stoke Newington and later Luton where, despite excelling in art, he left school at 15 to begin an apprenticeship as an electrician. At 20 Steve married Tricia, got a mortgage and lived a conventional life. But before long, the couple began to seek experiences beyond the ordinary, selling their house and setting off to see the world aboard a modest 27-foot catamaran – despite having little sailing experience.

Sailing out of Lymington in 1983, for the next three years, Steve and Tricia navigated the Mediterranean before crossing the Atlantic to explore the Caribbean and the United States, embracing freedom and earning their precarious living under the radar of the authorities. The journey was transformative for the couple and, returning to the UK and with their first child on the way, Steve followed his childhood dreams to pursue a career in photography.

Starting as a freelancer in Fleet Street, he was soon travelling the globe to cover top-level sport, major fashion shows and era-defining news events. He eventually found his niche as a portrait photographer capturing some of the world’s biggest celebrities from Kate Moss to Nina Simone and Sir David Attenborough, with work regularly appearing in glossy magazines and television segments.

Steve’s portraits earned him many awards, and his work was exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery where a number of his pictures now form part of their permanent collection. But even as Steve’s career was at its height, the call of the New Forest was always present, representing a special place for himself and Tricia and the starting point of their life-changing voyage.

In 2010, with their children Christopher and Natalie grown up, the couple moved permanently to Lymington, where Steve found a new creative direction, rediscovering his love of photography as he began capturing images of local people among the New Forest’s varied landscapes.

His work led him to embark on Uncommoners, seeking to create a portrait of the New Forest by documenting those who live and work here, and whose lifestyles are every bit as diverse as the area itself. They include commoners who have grazed their animals on the Forest for generations and newcomers who have made it their home.

Steve said: “The book was a learning curve for me as well. I’ve spent my whole life being given work and suddenly I was going out and looking for people. It was quite difficult at times to convince people but once they had a look at my website most of them were happy to be involved.”

The book is divided into sections beginning with the protectors – conservationists and commoners – who dedicate themselves to the preservation of the New Forest’s history, culture, and traditions — and its natural environment. Feature images include falconers, farriers, conservationists including Chris Packham who wrote the books foreword; and commoners combined with stunning landscape shots of the New Forest.

Next the book turns to the nostalgists – the people who keep tradition skills and machinery alive from steam engine drivers to classic car enthusiasts and re-enactors. Following up is the whisperers – those who have a deep connection to the New Forest’s fauna – the birdwatchers, the horse riders and the farmers. Other sections include the competitors, the artists, the providers and the enthusiasts.

Steve said: “With some of these pictures I went back to photograph on three occasions to make sure everything was perfect – the photos didn’t just happen, it was a big project for me.”

”After a slow start, I was fortunate to photograph a few influential, well connected people who set me on my way, recommending and introducing me to others. In general, people warmed to the project and came to see it as something positive for the area we all love. I have made a number of friends during this time, and I’m very grateful to the many people who have offered their help.”

Alongside the book launch, Steve will have an exhibition at St Barbe from tomorrow until 13th July. Uncommoners – Portraits of Life in the New Forest is available to pre-order now for £45 plus postage. It will be available to buy at venues across the Forest and at The St Barbe Museum. To find out more visit www.steve-poole.com/uncommoners