This Photographer is Shining a Light on Traditional Trades in Yorkshire in Her New Book
Photographer and author Caitlin Pharoah has documented living history, traditional trades and those in under-recognised professions in a powerful new portrait project
Originally from Worcestershire, Bex moved to Yorkshire in her late teens. ‘Both my parents were Yorkshire-born, and returning felt less like a relocation and more like a homecoming,’ she says. ‘A chance to reconnect with the landscapes and countryside that had shaped my family.’
Since losing both her parents, that connection has grown even more meaningful. ‘The changing seasons and familiar northern landscapes make me feel close to them, and photography has become a way of holding onto those memories while creating new ones,’ she adds. ‘My love of nature began as a child, growing up in a small village surrounded by rolling hills, woodlands and farmland. I spent countless hours walking the dog with my dad, stopping to notice flowers, butterflies, birds and the landscape around us. Those walks sparked a fascination with wildlife that’s never left me.’
About six years ago, after meeting her fiancé, a wedding photographer and videographer, Bex rediscovered photography. ‘I began borrowing his camera on our walks and was instantly hooked,’ she says. ‘Following my dad’s passing, I used part of the money he left me to buy my own camera and lenses, turning a quiet interest into a real passion.
‘Yorkshire offers endless inspiration. I love capturing the details that can easily be overlooked: red squirrels darting through Snaizeholme, deer emerging from morning mist, wildflowers buzzing with insects and woodlands transformed by the changing seasons. Autumn is my favourite time to photograph. Woodlands glow with gold, amber and copper, mushrooms appear amongst the fallen leaves, and the countryside comes alive with the rutting season.’
Bex’s most treasured photograph was taken on a grey, drizzly autumn day at a local RSPB reserve. ‘Just as I was about to give up, a robin appeared on a moss-covered branch beside me and waited long enough for me to capture the moment,’ Bex recalls. ‘People often say robins appear when loved ones are near, and for a moment it felt as though my dad was there, still sharing those woodland walks with me.
‘My advice to anyone starting photography is simple: photograph what you genuinely love. Keep exploring, keep learning and enjoy the process. Photography teaches you to see the world differently – and for me, Yorkshire is where nature, memories and family all come together.’
