Name: Pete Atkinson
Age: 52
Occupation/Job Title: Photographer
Website: http://www.peteatkinson.com/
Description of where you work, and what you do:
Shoot stock photography for agencies, largely underwater in the Indo-Pacific.
Education:
My degree in marine zoology helps to some extent, but the photography is self-taught.I was regularly bottom in French, History and Maths at school. University was the first time I enjoyed education.
History:
Obsessed by the sea, fishing etc from an early age. Learnt to dive as soon as I got to university. Built the first of a succession of underwater camera housings for SLR cameras. Realised that to live the life of JY Cousteau I needed to live on a yacht. Read lots of books, renovated an old house, sold it and bought an 11.5m wooden yacht which I sailed to the Pacific and sailed 45000 miles over 17 years. Then bought Vigia, a 13.5m aluminium sloop which I owned for 7 years.
Obstacles:
Financial hardships sailing; everything done on a shoestring for many years. I had to work on boats and deliver yachts in the early years to make a living, before writing and photography paid all the bills.
Mentors:
The books of Eric and Susan Hiscock inspired me to go sailing; they made it seem straightforward. Cousteau inspired on the underwater front. My career's advisor at school asked, "Have you considered town planning as a career."
Advice:
It doesn't matter what you do that you love if you can write about it; others want to read about people doing what they love. So writing should always be a skill in your tool kit.
Age: 52
Occupation/Job Title: Photographer
Website: http://www.peteatkinson.com/
Description of where you work, and what you do:
Shoot stock photography for agencies, largely underwater in the Indo-Pacific.
Education:
My degree in marine zoology helps to some extent, but the photography is self-taught.I was regularly bottom in French, History and Maths at school. University was the first time I enjoyed education.
History:
Obsessed by the sea, fishing etc from an early age. Learnt to dive as soon as I got to university. Built the first of a succession of underwater camera housings for SLR cameras. Realised that to live the life of JY Cousteau I needed to live on a yacht. Read lots of books, renovated an old house, sold it and bought an 11.5m wooden yacht which I sailed to the Pacific and sailed 45000 miles over 17 years. Then bought Vigia, a 13.5m aluminium sloop which I owned for 7 years.
Obstacles:
Financial hardships sailing; everything done on a shoestring for many years. I had to work on boats and deliver yachts in the early years to make a living, before writing and photography paid all the bills.
Mentors:
The books of Eric and Susan Hiscock inspired me to go sailing; they made it seem straightforward. Cousteau inspired on the underwater front. My career's advisor at school asked, "Have you considered town planning as a career."
Advice:
It doesn't matter what you do that you love if you can write about it; others want to read about people doing what they love. So writing should always be a skill in your tool kit.
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