Meet Robin Hill of Robin Hill Photography

Today we’d like to introduce you to Robin Hill.

Robin, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
June 15th, 1987. I had just graduated from the University of Sheffield with a degree in Geography – a subject I had little interest in. What I did have interest in was photography, but I had no experience, equipment or idea of how to go about it. So I decided to hitchhike to London to seek my fortune…:) I put my thumb out on the A1 just south of Grantham and the man that picked me up happened to be a photojournalist by the name of Dod Miller.

For three hours I was able to ask him questions about his life in photography and I knew when he dropped me off that this was the life I wanted to lead. It took me a year to find a job in photography, but eventually, I found one, which involved photographing cute pictures of babies and toddlers in temporary studios across London. It was the very bottom of the ladder, but I had to start somewhere.

After a year, I saw an advertisement in the Guardian newspaper calling out for Cruise Ship Photographers… I didn’t even know that that existed as a profession! Three weeks later I find myself on a ship going out of Port Canaveral taking photos of Cruise ship passengers…not much of a climb up the ladder, but the pay was good and a new adventure had begun. For five years I crossed the oceans, shot photos of thousands of passengers, one of whom ended up being my wife, Cindy (whom I met on the Love Boat…. but that’s a whole other story).

We settled in Miami and with the photos I had made of all the places I had been, I was able to get work as a travel photographer shooting stories for in-flight magazines such as American Way. I had a spell as a photo editor and photographer for a publisher in Miami called International Voyager Media which taught me the art buying side of the equation and I also photographed artwork for the famed pop artist, Romero Britto, who gave me my first one-man show at his gallery on Lincoln Road. I learned a lot from Romero, simply by observing how he operated.

In 1999, I met Teri D’Amico who was the co-founder of MiMo (Miami Modern) and she showed me around Miami from an architect’s point of view and introduced me to mid-century modern architecture. It signaled a change in direction and I quickly became obsessed with architecture leading me on a different adventure. I channeled my enthusiasm into this new direction and it formed the basis of my career today, which focuses on architecture, design and fine art and in particular how they all work together.

My adventures led me to exhibiting photos at the Guggenheim Museum in New York and Bilbao, photographing Zaha Hadid for Vanity Fair and working with many of the world’s top architects such as Herzog & de Meuron and Frank Gehry whom I met in an elevator designed by Frank Lloyd Wright whilst I was exhibiting at the Guggenheim. I also got to meet Julius Shulman – the famed architectural photographer at Philip Johnson’s Glass House in 2007. He was 96 and still working! We spent several hours together over several glasses of champagne and he taught me about stamina and the importance of the work and how strong your voice can be when you listen.

The journey has been punctuated by key people I met along the way, some of whom had a profound influence on my direction and I’m deeply grateful to them for unlocking the door. Whenever. I’m given the opportunity to talk to students of photography, I tell them the same thing. You have to really love what you do because without that you’re never going to find the enthusiasm to overcome all the obstacles that will be put in your way.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Like steering a car through a hailstorm. Impossible to not get hit along the way. Navigating those hits requires a thick skin, determination to succeed no matter what and an understanding in the power of synchronicity. The exterior obstacles are easier to see. It’s the interior struggle that can really get in the way. Whenever I get hit hard by rejection or failure, I will try to learn the lesson from it, but the most important thing is to say ‘NEXT’ and get on with it.

One time I was shooting in St.Martin in July of 2001. I was shooting on the waterfront in the town of Marigot. I had my 300m telephoto out and was shooting what I thought were great photos of boys jumping into the water. My thoughts were ‘This is going to make a great cover for the magazine…I can freeze the motion at 1/4000 of a second and all the droplets of water are going to look like crystal… “Then, BAM! Someone pushed me and I unceremoniously fell into the water with my rented Hasselblad and my entire set of Nikon equipment in tow. That split moment lasted an age! Treading water for a second or two, I then clambered out up the harbor ladder and confronted my nemesis.

There were about 20 youths gathered laughing their heads off! I screamed at them ‘Have you any idea what… BAM!” They charged me and pushed me in again! This time the fall does not last an age. It is an instantaneous moment of utter humiliation. Whilst in the water the second time, a strange thought occurred to me. ‘This could end really badly… and I have a choice…. when you get up there this time you can either be Rambo or Gandhi!!’ By the time I get to the top of the ladder my mind is made up. Even Rambo wouldn’t have a chance here, so I gather myself together… lock eyes on the ringleader and walk slowly and directly toward him.

The laughing has quietened down and a serious mood has taken over the crowd. Amazingly my camera bag is still attached to my shoulder and I just keep on walking…. several of the young men open up a way for me and a path becomes clear. I keep my focus on the ringleader and quicken my pace. He gives way and then all of a sudden I am in the clear and headed to the Police Station. They did nothing. I learned an important lesson to always remain vigilant when shooting and to be aware of my surroundings. I also had to phone the magazine and tell them I had lost everything except for the rolls of film I had shot that I had left in the hotel room. They were able to cobble together the story from those rolls of film and I flew back to Miami and immediately rented equipment for the next shoot which was happening tomorrow. ‘NEXT’

Please tell us about Robin Hill Photography.
Robin Hill Photography specializes in architecture, design and fine art. Those three disciplines represent the three legs of a tripod and they all come together inside the camera which sits on top. I am known for capturing architecture in a unique way. I like to be prepared but I depend a lot on intuition and spontaneity. That way the work remains fresh and innovative.

It’s important for me to work with integrity and to provide my clients not only with quality photography on a consistent basis, but also to provide them with professional timely service. I have found that my own integrity has attracted clients with integrity. A level of trust has built up over thirty years which is irreplaceable. It is that human connection that I have made with my clients that is paramount. The photography is a vehicle for those relationships – a passport into other people’s lives.

I am most proud of the circle of clients I have worked with, many of whom are brilliant and innovative people that I’ve had the good fortune to know and work with.

Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Sitting around a campfire with the boy scouts singing ‘Whisky in the Jar’.

Contact Info:

• Address: 4045 Sheridan Avenue 165
  Miami Beach FL 33140
• Website: www.robinhill.net
• Phone: 3057856538
• Email: rh@robinhill.net
• Instagram: @robinhillphoto

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