Robert Blomfield

Robert Blomfield (16 March 1938 – 14 December 2020) was a British street photographer. In 2018 he had an exhibition of work made in Edinburgh at the City Art Centre there, and in 2020 a book of his Edinburgh work was published. Blomfield worked as a family doctor.

Early life and education Blomfield was born in Leeds to freelance journalist Mary (née Gough) and George Blomfield, a surgeon and engineer, and an amateur photographer. He was the eldest of five children and grew up in Sheffield. He received his first camera on his 15th birthday. He graduated in 1964 and stayed in Edinburgh to work as a junior doctor with the city's royal infirmary until 1967.

Blomfield’s work has been compared to Henri Cartier-Bresson and Oscar Marzaroli. His Edinburgh photography is notable for capturing the changing look of the city as new architecture took hold in the 1950s and 1960s, as well as documenting some of the large public gatherings of the time. When his work was displayed at the City Art Centre in 2018 he said, “After 50 years, I’m thrilled to be able to share some of my pictures with the wider world. Edinburgh is a city that remains close to my heart, and the interaction of its residents with this most dramatic of urban stages provided me with endless inspiration as a young photographer.” In 1970, he photographed the first ever Glastonbury Festival (then known as Pilton Pop Folk and Blues festival).

His archive is held by the University of Edinburgh who have pledged to share it with the “widest possible audience”. Jane died in 2011.

Exhibitions Robert Blomfield: Edinburgh Street Photography, City Art Centre, Edinburgh, 2018