In Meet the Bear Pack, we get to know a member of our team here at Bear Cricket to find out all about their role and most importantly, what their favourite matchday tipple is… 

Hi Poppy, thank you for taking the time to let me interview you. You get the privilege of being our first interviewee here at Bear Cricket as part of “Meet the Bear Pack”. How are you feeling? Are you nervous?

Poppy – A little, i’ve never done anything like this before but i’m super excited to be the first person to be interviewed!

Okay! Don’t worry I’ll start off easy! So, tell me a bit about yourself?

P – Well, I’m currently studying a Photography degree at the University of Huddersfield and I’m really enjoying it so far. I studied photography at GCSE and A-level so it was a really obvious choice as I’ve loved taking photos for as long as I can remember.

That’s really exciting, how old were you when you found your love for photography?

P – I think I was around 10 years old. I can remember going to my cousin’s holy communion, and my older cousin had brought her camera with her. She took a photo of my dad and I and I can remember absolutely loving how it turned out. It was of such better quality than any other photo I’d ever seen before. My dad then borrowed the camera for the rest of the day and we went around snapping photos of anything and anyone we could!

That’s such a lovely story! I guess from there on in you knew that you had a passion for photography then?

P – Definitely, I got my first camera for Christmas when I was 12. The following week, my parents took me to London and I proudly walked around taking pictures of the big Ben and Buckingham palace. Then when I got home, I would take pictures of the flowers that grew in my garden and go on long walks snapping photos of my surroundings. So when it came to me picking my GCSE’s photography was a natural choice?

So, how did your love for photography turn into more than a hobby?

P – I created a facebook page for my work, as when I went to study photography at A-level I felt like my work wasn’t being appreciated by my teachers and peers. It was from there that I started to gain a bit of a following and through word of mouth I managed to land my first freelance job photographing products for an independent candle business. 

I’ve also heard that you’ve started photographing at weddings, is that right?

P – It is! One of my mum’s friends was getting married and had asked me if they could take their photos. If i’m honest I was so nervous to take the job! But they ended up turning out really good and I was super proud of myself. The fact that couples are asking me to photograph their big day is such a big achievement for me and my business.

That’s great! So on to Bear, how did you end up here?

P – Well, my boyfriend plays for the East Bierley First team, and his dad helps out at Bear. He’d asked me If i could photograph some products for the website. At this point I wasn’t at university so I did not have access to a proper studio so I had to get creative. I set up a little studio from home and using so white cardboard, some lights I bought from amazon and my tripod I got to work. The pictures came out great although my cat, Rolo did derail the photoshoot at times.

At least you’ve got a proper studio at your disposal now! I assume you must go to see your boyfriend play a lot then?

P – I go every weekend I can, I love watching him. The last game of the season was one to remember! We didn’t need to win the match to win the tournament but it was a really tense game. One of the team, whose last game it was before he left the club, managed to catch the ball solidifying the win. The atmosphere was amazing. I really enjoy going up to the club on a lovely sunny day, I normally sit with my boyfriend’s family and sink a few gins. There’s nothing better!

Interesting. That brings me on to my final and most important question, Poppy. What’s your favourite matchday tipple?

P – Ooh, that’s a hard one. I’m going to go with Whitley Neill’s Raspberry gin. It’s gorgeous.

And there we have it, thank you so much for meeting up with me today. Good luck with the freelancing and all your work here at Bear Cricket

P – Thank you!