Man with bearded dragon lizard is Hastings photographer’s top picture

Bob, from St Leonards, is showcasing his work in a new exhibition at Hastings Museum and Art Gallery and this picture is among those you can view.

Commenting on the shot, Bob said: “This picture was taken in 2006, on the seafront half a mile from my house. I’d just come out of the shop on the left of the picture when I saw these two. The guy was standing in the sun with his companion on his shoulder, as if they were both basking. I don’t remember spotting them on the way in, it was as if they’d just materialised.

“I just said: “I like your lizard.” He told me it was a bearded dragon and was happy to move around a bit until I had the lizard’s head where I wanted it. Other than that, I don’t remember us talking very much and as soon as I had the shot I was after I thanked him and left him still standing there.

“I’ve been documenting the people around me since the 1960s, and have never been short of subjects. This town is rich in weird events and striking characters, but then if you carry a camera everywhere, as I do, and stay alert, that’s true of anywhere.”

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Bob, who was recently featured in the Guardian newspaper, has been documenting the world around him for over 60 years.

This retrospective exhibition shares some of Bob’s favourite photographs from across his career - his famous London Underground images, his travels abroad, and portraits of his chosen hometown, Hastings and St Leonards.

There’s also a chance to see new images, produced since early 2020, which show a new direction in Bob’s work.

Many of Bob’s shots are candid, capturing people in the moment.

He was famous for capturing the subcultures, fashion and diversity of London life in the 1980s during the height of the punk rock movement.

Bob Mazzer in Camera is open now and runs at the museum, in Cambridge Road, until April 17.

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