Obituary

TRIBUTE

A Tribute to Desmond Groves

With sadness, we report on the death of Desmond Groves, who passed away in June of this year at his home in the Lake District at the age of 95.

Desmond Groves by Alan Shawcross

Desmond, in his time, was a leading portrait photographer in the UK; in the early years, he specialised in child portraiture and became a pioneer in capturing natural portraits using sunlight, which he mostly shot in clients homes. In 1956, he earned his BIPP Associateship, followed by his Fellowship two years later, making him one of the youngest photographers to hold a Fellowship at both the Institute and the RPS.

With the main studio based in Wilmslow, he also shared a studio with the late Walter Bird FIPP FRPS in Queens Gate, London. Over the years, many of Desmond’s child portraits were used in advertisements, journals, film promotions and photography papers. Each year, he’d run an annual exhibition which was held in Kendal Milne House of Fraser in Manchester, and it became a highlight of the social photography scene. In 1965, he was honoured with an exhibition at the RPS Headquarters in Princess Gate.

In 1968 his business in Wilmslow closed, and he moved to a studio within Harrods in Knightbridge, where he attracted many wealthy clients from around the globe, particularly the Middle East.

Although he would mostly take studio portraits, he found himself in demand and travelled the world to photograph Heads of State, Royal Families, and various high profile clients. For several years he served on the council of the BIPP and was a superb judge and critic; and would share his knowledge and insight through lecturing on photography. Alongside this, he was Chairman of the RPS Distinction Panel in portraits, weddings and theatrical and sat on the RPS Advisory Board for many years. In 1969 he was the chairman of the Europhot Portrait Group and taught at the first-ever international seminar on portrait photography in Germany, where a staggering seventeen different nationalities attended. It was so successful it continued for the following two years. After this, he would be awarded the qualification of European Master of Photography and spoke at various conferences around Europe. In 1971 he photographed HM The Queen and her family at Windsor Castle. The portraits were used amongst other items for the Silver Wedding

Portraits on the British Commonwealth Stamps. Retiring in 1992, he closed his Harrods studio down and that year was awarded The Fenton Medal for outstanding services to photography and the Society by the RPS.

Today, Desmond’s work is permanently archived in the RPS and the PP of America collection.

An avid teacher, Desmond trained three professional photographers over his career, all of who went on to gain their Fellowship in Portraiture - of which I was one.

He was my mentor, and it was a privilege to have known a true professional gentleman.

We extend our condolences and sympathy to his widow and family. Michael Frost FRPS, FBIPP, FRSA

1963 Life Magazine Cover Portrait

Sir John Barbirolli by Desmond Groves FBIPP FRPS. Taken in the early 1960s, at Barbirolli’s home, on Kodak film, using a Graphlex Super D 1/4 plate reflex camera. The image is described by Groves as “JB, as he was affectionately known, played the cello for me, complete with empty pipe and carpet slippers.”