JACK BOSKETT

Photography is a superb medium of telling a story, explaining an event or describing a point in history. All of this is certainly true in the railway industry, as one photographer who currently excels in making the most of an ‘alternative viewpoint’ is Jack Boskett. 

Marking an accolade of 12 years as a professional photographer in 2022, today his work is widely recognised in railway publications and literature for various Train Operating Companies and Heritage Railways. Jack carries a wealth of experience which has led him to photograph Prime Ministers, Secretaries of States and members of the Royal Family.

Jack has had a camera in his hand since the age of five years old and won a photographic competition at the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway in the under 18 category in 1997, when he was at the tender age of seven. His father, an avid amateur photographer took him out to photograph steam engines around the Country from an early age. He used to set the camera up and give guidance as to where Jack should press the shutter, along with tips as to compose the image. The rule of only taking one photograph to save film was drummed in from the start, as the cost of slide film was expensive, this precedent is something that Jack still uses today when he uses his digital cameras. 

Jack didn’t study photography at College or University. The skills developed over time, with years of practise, correcting mistakes and learning from them, which enabled him to push his love of photography further. Whilst still at school, he had his first picture published by Chris Milner from The Railway Magazine in 2005, it was after this he caught the bug to photograph trains for the railway publications and continues to do so to this day. 

Combining railways and photography, he began his journey as a professional photographer in 2010 at the age of 19 during the height of a recession. Like many other photographers, he began his career specialising in Wedding, Portrait and Commercial subjects. This was to test the water to find his feet in the big wide world of the photographic industry. It wasn’t long before he realised that he was a very small fish in a big pond! Two years in, he found his niche of railways which opened doors to other industries as time passed. 

Today, Jacks work is widely recognised in a plethora of industries and also online and printed media. Having made several television appearances and performances on the stage, he tours the country ‘treading the boards’ with his one man stand up photography show ‘From Railways to Royalty’ and ’10 Years of Saying Cheese!'. ​