Behind the Scenes with The Photographer Steve Thearle
With over forty years in the photography business, Steve Thearle is truly an expert in his field. From studying fine art at college he moved to study photography at The Guildford School of Photography and has seen many changes in his considerable years in the trade.
“There was lots of black and white in the early days obviously and I had a studio for twenty years doing general photography. But at the change of the century with the emergence of digital photography, there were suddenly lots more photographers and so I thought that it would be good to specialise. I’ve always loved photographing properties and I’m a believer in concentrating on what you like and what you do best.”
Steve says that a third of his time is spent taking the picture and the other two thirds is spent on processing and he is always at the mercy of the British climate. “Photography today is so much easier because of digital, which is why there are so many more photographers, they fancy what they think is a ‘lifestyle’ but the reality is that it is actually stressful to get the best out of any subject – even a house. Digital photography allows for a better scale of perfection because, in reality, anything is possible and achievable.”
And what of photographing properties, something that Steve has been undertaking for Spence Willard since they began in 2012? “I understand the subtleties of drawing the viewer into a selling shot. Also, you’ll find that I’m very reliable at getting work finished in the time- scale expected (as far as the British climate allows). With the seller and buyer always in mind I strive to maintain the highest possible standards.”
We leave Steve with a reminiscence of times past as he remembers winding up his studio. “When we closed the studio, it was at the same time as we moved to digital photography and so we decided to get rid of all of the old transparancies and negatives and took them to be recycled. There was a whole ton of them which astonished us. It’s a far more streamlined operation now!”
spencewillard.co.uk
Behind the Scenes with The London Office Bob Bickersteth
Set up in 1992, The London Office acts on behalf of leading provincial estate agents to promote their clients’ properties to a wider audience and at the helm is Bob Bickersteth acting for Spence Willard.
So who is moving to the Isle of Wight and why? “People looking to move to the Isle of Wight are a very mixed crowd; those looking for a lifestyle change who want to go further afield outside of the traditional commuter belt, ex pats returning to the UK, empty nesters wanting to downsize and cash in on a London property to young families looking for an affordable place to move to with good schools and connections for commuting – it’s a complete broad spectrum across the board. It comes down to affordability, schools, family or lifestyle change.”
How important is it for provincial agencies to have a London office? “It is important to spread the net as widely as possible to do the best for a vendor, which includes a physical London presence to complement the offices on the Island. Prospective purchasers like to browse and are inquisitive of prices and we are well placed to tap into the London and international markets. They are able to search the entire database of properties and take hard sets of property details with them. Of course, one of the great plus points of the Island is the sailing and the fabulous coastal and sea views. Much of the conurbation is around the edges, so there are plenty of properties for sale with those benefits.”
With twenty seven years’ property experience under his belt and having been based in London for many of those, Bob is perfectly placed to give prospective buyers expert objective advice. “I’ve been promoting out of London properties for twenty years from our offices in the heart of St James’s. We have window displays with a selection of properties across the price ranges which attracts people walking by as well as people who know us by reputation. The benefits of the internet are there but there is no substitute to talking face to face with an experienced agent about individual properties and who is able to impart advice on schools, villages and even pubs.”
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