Black-tie balls are a special interest for new Guild member Kevin Milner. Not so much because he enjoys the dancing but because he has become something of a specialist in taking photographs at them.
His freelance photography services are not confined to smart hotels and country houses, though, because as someone with firm roots in the countryside, he also takes on commissions for farming, estate and equine subjects, fishing, polo and pet portraiture.
“I may be a professional agriculture photographer but this is not a job for me, it’s a passion,” says Kevin. “I studied agricultural and countryside management at Sparsholt College in Hampshire for four years and then worked for 10 years for the Crown Estate as a countryside ranger covering all aspects of the countryside.”
His enjoyment of rural life is now evident through his photography, which encompasses events, country sports and rural enterprise of all kinds.
Kevin’s work has been published in The Field and used by the NFU on numerous occasions, and he lists Horse & Hound, Shooting & Conservation, Tatler and county magazines in Hampshire and Oxfordshire among his outlets, as well as numerous other shootin’, huntin’ and fishin’ titles. Being the CLA’s Game Fair official photographer has resulted in his images being published all over the world.
“I’ve also had images published in The Countryman’s Weekly and in the Countryside Alliance calendar and magazine, as well as The Mail on Sunday’s countryside supplement,” he adds. “Publications in the USA and Germany have used my images and I’ve worked for Defra and the Secretary of State.”
Kevin is especially proud of being commissioned as the Princess Royal official photographer, and by the Duke and Duchess of Rutland.
“Other interesting jobs involve interpretation work, bringing images of farming activities into farm shops to make the connection between what goes on in the field and the produce on display,” Kevin adds.
Examples of his work can be seen online and his Facebook page is a good way to keep up to date with what he’s doing.
