Photographer on mission to find South Shields couple in this stunning image

Keith Bernstein has photographed famous faces around the world, but it was a South Shields couple that caught his eye on a visit to the town.

Walking hand in hand along The Groyne with a dark and stormy sky ahead, the atmospheric shot of the pair is one that Mr Bernstein hopes to enter into the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize, which is an annual exhibition held at the National Portrait Gallery in London.

The 63-year-old, who now lives in Brighton, is married to South Shields native Julie Macdonald and has visited the town many times over the years to see relatives.

The shot was taken on Wednesday, July 22, at around 12pm and, after speaking to the pair afterwards, Mr Bernstein learned the man is a retired policeman and film maker – but he didn’t get their names.

Now the photographer is on a mission to find out who the couple are so that he can let them know of his intention to enter the portrait into the national exhibition.

Mr Bernstein said: “Even though you can’t see their faces, there is something about the clothes they are wearing, their size and the fact that they are holding hands together which I think just tells you a great deal about them without knowing anything really about them.

"They were very friendly and curious. They asked what I was doing and then he started telling me his story because he still makes and edits films on video just as a hobby.”

Born in South Africa, Mr Bernstein has worked as a photographer ever since leaving school at 18.

Starting out as a music photographer – one of his first jobs was capturing The Clash in 1977 – Mr Bernstein then went into news and photojournalism.

Among the high-profile figures he photographed was Nelson Mandela, the anti-apartheid revolutionary, during his time as South Africa’s President.

Since then he has worked in film and TV along with stars including Helen Mirren, Morgan Freeman and Clint Eastwood.

"Nelson Mandela was easy to photograph – he had so much else to do,” he said.

”This was a period when he was president of South Africa from 1994 to 1997.

”I spent quite a lot of time with him during that period of three years and photographed him lots of times.

"As long as you were not in his way or obtrusive, he was very easy to get along with.

"You look back on it and at the time, it doesn’t make such an impression on you as you think these kind of opportunities will roll around again and again.

"But, of course, they don’t. They are very rare so, in hindsight, you look back on it more with being impressed and moved by it than maybe you were at the time."

The couple, or anyone who is able to pass on their details, is asked to please email [email protected] or [email protected]

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