BEHIND THE CAMERA: Yorkshire Post photographer Mark Bickerdike

In an occasional series of picture specials, we celebrate the work of Yorkshire photographers – this week we feature a portfolio from Mark Bickerdike.

MARK BICKERDIKE was 21 when he joined the Leeds-based newspaper, the Yorkshire Evening Post, as a trainee photographer in the late 1980s.

One of his first big jobs was being sent to cover a cheque presentation, featuring a reasonably well-known American musician by the name of Michael Jackson.

The King of Pop had performed a concert at Roundhay Park attended by thousands, before handing a cheque to the Lord Mayor’s chosen charity.

Since then, the photographer has had a career spanning three decades with both the Yorkshire Evening Post and The Yorkshire Post, and has been the sister titles’ eyes to events including the Great Heck train crash, North Yorkshire, the Brownlee brothers crossing the finish line at the world triathlon series in Leeds, and, most recently, performances from the likes of Post Malone at last year’s Leeds Festival at Bramham Park.

Music, he says, is his passion to cover, and he has also photographed performances by the likes of Genesis and Simple Minds.

Despite the big stories and the starstudded stage shots, Mark’s favourite job so far has been one for the RNLI that saw ballet dancers and a Beatles tribute band wearing the lifeboat charity’s iconic yellow wellies.

Mark also photographed the historic moment Coun Eileen Taylor was named Leeds’ first Black Lord Mayor – a picture, he said, made him “extremely proud”.

1. Climber Sophie Whyte at The Climbing Works, Sheffield. September 2017.

10. US singer songwriter Post Malone on stage during his performance at the Leeds Festival. August 2019.

7. 1 YORKS The Yorkshire Regiment in the Falkland Islands. Cpl Phil Horton, of Keighley, leads a patrol on Bertha’s Beach, on East Falkland. March 2010.

8. Former Test cricketer Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff. October 2017.

9. Students at the Northern Ballet School, Manchester, backing a new RNLI charity campaign. March 2017.

4. Former Monty Python star Terry Jones in Leeds. February 2003.

6. The Imbolc Fire Festival held every two years in Marsden, near Huddersfield.

5. Alistair Brownlee passes Leeds Town Hall on his way to winning the Leeds Triathlon. June 2016.

3. Sunset over Leeds United’s Elland Road stadium. April 2020.

2. Dress rehearsals for Opera North’s production of Kiss Me Kate, at Leeds Grand Theatre. May 2018.