Doreen Beryl Spooner By Elise Z Davies

Who is she? Born in North London on 30th January 1928 Doreen was the first female staff photographer on Fleet Street for a national newspaper Doreen's career spanned over 40 years Photo of Doreen by the great Swedish Karl Gullers (One of her early mentors)

Born and BACKGROUND Doreen was an only child to Len Spooner and Ada Spooner Len Spooner was a picture editor for multiple newspapers Ada Spooner was a traditional stay at home, house wife

HOW SHE STARTED OFF First Camera – Woolworths Shadowed Swedish photographer Karl Guller Her Father being a picture editor Keystone Picture Agency

Her Career Started working for the Daily Mirror in 1949 Traveling with Bert Garai Doreen learnt many things from her travels

WOrk life balance Balancing family and career With raising a family she also had to care for mother who had depression and her husband who was an alcoholic Doreen with her 3 children and her husband

Her Style of Photography Multi Styles and Subjects Portrait Fashion Street Natural looking

Influences Robert Capa Henri Cartier-Bresson

Testosterone Alley Male dominated industry Work area smelt of smoke and sweat Doreen was the only female which sometimes actually help get exclusive information

The Trail of the century Christine Keeler and Mandy Rice-Davies One of her most famous pieces The golden shot

Music, music, music! Blondie Spandau Ballet Leonard Bernstein

GETTING THE PICTURE Albert Einstein George Bernard Shaw Capturing genius’s at home Doreen won ‘British News Picture of the Year’ With her photography of George Bernard Shaw peering through his garden gate

Style icons Vicki Hodge Sophia Loren Twiggy Yves Saint Laurent

ROYAL FAMILY Worked with Queen Elizabeth before she was crowned She was elected a Fellow of the Royal Photographers Society Duke of Winsor and Wallis Simpson

My favourite pieces

Camera Granny Wrote a book in 2016 with help of a ghost writer Alan Clarke The book was published by the Mirror books Daughters influenced her decision to write it Alan Clarke & Doreen Spooner

Why I choose her Extraordinary, Interesting and inspiring Not just because she's a women although she was ground breaking in her field Natural talent Doreen covers many aspects and subjects in her photography

How she influenced today More females began to take on bigger roles in the newspaper industry like her fellow colleague Marjorie Proops, and good friend and writer Audrey Whiting Women can be successful in a male dominate environment Marjorie Proops

Contrast between era’s Camera’s Digital era How they devolvement film Roles between male and female changed

Final Thoughts Doreen was talented, very well liked and respected  She has defiantly inspired me I hope she would think I portrayed the real Doreen Spooner as the extortionary photographer she is and that I have also projected her work in a respectful manner and given it the credit it deserves .