The Royal Treatment

Press photographer and agency head Joe Sene discusses the challenge of capturing iconic news moments, and how switching to Olympus has been a true game changer for him

There are many high-levels roles you might pursue in the photography industry. Working as a picture editor on a prestigious newspaper. Running your own successful picture agency. And of course, working as a photographer itself. A little unusually, Joe Sene has done all three... in exactly that order.

He began his career two decades ago, as a runner for the Sunday Times picture desk. He soon landed picture editor roles for The Sun and The Times, then OK. “It was during the magazine’s heyday, with covers like the Beckhams’ wedding, and circulation exploding,” he recalls. Two and a half years later, he moved into management, running first Big Pictures and later, Splash News. Then five years ago, the time came to launch his own agency, Vantage News.

But while most of his time has been spent buying and selling pictures, he’s also had a keen interest in getting hands-on with the camera himself.

“As I’ve gone on through my career, I’ve got more and more interested in taking pictures,” he explains. “And so now my agency’s established, and my wife’s very involved in its running, I’ve been able to step in and do more of the photography myself. I’m now taking as many pictures as I’m selling; a nice position to be in.”