Fish quay in the frame
Top wedding photographer – but there’s also a catch. Tony Henderson reports.
Away from his main work as a wedding photographer, Pete Robinson pursues a rather different line in capturing pictures.
For the last 10 years he has also taken around 10,000 photographs which explore life at sea and on land of the North Shields fishing industry.
Pete, who lives in Cullercoats, takes to the boats at a quiet time for weddings from January to March, which also happens to coincide with the North Shields prawn fishing season.
He also documents the shore-based aspects of the fishing community, from fish markets to fishmongers.
Now a selection of his fishing pictures haul is going on show at North Shields Fish Quay as part of the town’s 800th anniversary celebrations.
The Harvest from the Deep exhibition will be held from July 22 to August 30 at the Old Low Light Heritage Centre.
It is funded by North Shields Cultural Quarter, which is part of North Tyneside Council’s plans for enhancing and growing the creative economy, and is also supported by the North East Combined Authority.
The exhibition title, and that of an accompanying book of 110 pictures to coincide with the display, comes from the Latin motto on the old Tynemouth borough coat of arms – Messis ab Altis – Harvest from the Deep, referring to the area’s fishing and coal mining heritage.
All proceeds will be donated to the Fishermen's Mission in North Shields and The Old Low Light Heritage Centre, where the book will be on sale. Copies will also be available in North Shields Library and at local bookshops.
Pete, who grew up in Washington, spent five years in the RAF as a photographer and now runs his Eye of the Tyne business from his North Shields office base.
He said: “Photographing the North Shields fishing industry has been an absolute labour of love for me over the past ten years, and I’ve spent a lot of time getting to know the fishing community.
“Instead of presenting the photos in date order, I’m using them to tell a story, starting with the boats heading out, then hauling in the catch, landing it, the workers at the prawn processing factory, the sales at the fish market and following it right through to the fishmongers. It’s a photographic narrative.
“Little details like a pan of porridge on the onboard stove, a tattoo, a St Christopher for protection, beautiful sunrises. Memorial plaques to those lost at sea while fishing off North Shields, reminding us what a dangerous job it is working in the UK fishing industry.
“The photos all capture a moment in time, whether it’s the men bringing up crates of prawns, lowering lobster pots, mending the nets or sorting the catch.
“Some are men out fishing by themselves, including a 79-year-old lobster fisherman. Another is a father and son team. There are some real characters, on the quay and at sea.
“One man has worked on the Fish Quay for 65 years. He remembers the steam-powered trawlers in the 1950s. He doesn’t want to retire, he loves it so much. But it’s an ageing workforce, there aren’t many young ones coming through.
“This has always been a long-term project for me, and I want to continue after I share this exhibition.”
Pete has been working in wedding photography for the last 12 years, with some commissions taking him to locations ranging from New York and Brazil to Iceland and France.
“I also love documentary photography. It is important to record living history, especially as the Fish Quay and the fishing industry has changed so much. It is important to capture images before they are gone,” he said.
Tynemouth MP Sir Alan Campbell, chair of the North Shields 800 Committee, said: “North Shields 800 is about celebrating our town’s past, present and future as we mark the 800th anniversary of its founding as a fishing port.
“The fishing industry is central to the story of North Shields, a crucial part of our local economy, and a precious asset to protect for generations to come.
“This exhibition documents and champions our Fish Quay, and is just one of the ways we are taking pride in our fishing industry as part of the North Shields 800 celebrations.”
Coun Carl Johnson, Deputy Mayor for North Tyneside and cabinet member responsible for Regeneration, Culture and Economic Development, said: “The Harvest from the Deep exhibition celebrates the town’s unique character and history, while supporting its cultural businesses, heritage organisations and visitor attractions.”
Love this! Reminds me of the Prawns with Fiori Di Sale recipe I adapted from hit NYC restaurant Il Buco for easy home cooking! check it out:
https://thesecretingredient.substack.com/p/get-il-bucos-recipe-prawns-with-fiori