Toby’s top 10 photos of 2024

05 Jan 2025

St Albans Times photographer Toby Shepheard not only takes pictures across the district, he also works on national stories for a major press agency. Here he reflects on his favourite images from the past year and the stories behind them. Find out more about his work at shepheardphotography.com.

This was a very wet day indeed in Downing Street as Rishi Sunak called the surprise General Election. I was having my haircut in St Albans when I started hearing rumours there was an announcement coming. So it was a quick flit on the train to join the waiting press pack. If you think he looks wet, we were wetter!

A 5am start was needed to take up my position in Downing Street ahead of this historic day with Rachel Reeves being the first female chancellor to deliver The Budget. I chose a side position to get a unique angle and was pleased my efforts were rewarded with front page of The Times the next day.

This was a fun trip to Gloucestershire for May Bank Holiday for the famous Annual Cheese Rolling Competition, down the steep Coopers Hill in Brockworth. I positioned myself dangerously half way up the side of the hill for some close-up action shots and was pleased both me and my camera managed to avoid being hit by the 80mph cheese.

I was fortunate enough to spend some time this year shadowing Stefan Rousseau, who is Chief Political Photographer at the Press Association. On this day in February, we covered the Labour Business Conference at The Oval. All the other photographers thought it was quite dull but I learnt a lot about podiums and had a blast.

The final event of Ed Davey’s eccentric election campaign was in Harpenden when he ‘rode off into the sunset’ in a pink Cadillac, accompanied by Daisy Cooper. It was probably the most sedate activity of his whole campaign.

Another early start, this time for a heat wave sunrise where temperatures of 30 degrees were forecast. My friend Erica agreed to do some leaping about and some yoga in front of the sun in Sandridge. A very long lens was used to make the sun look extra big, which was ironically published the following day in The Sun. *Ba Dum Tss*

I attended an interesting visit to Hemel Snow Centre with Herts Fire & Rescue hosting a blizzard training drill, which enabled me to make some very atmospheric and dramatic shots of them at work in the snow. I didn’t expect my coldest assignment of the year to be in April.

Another day on the Ed Davey campaign trail led me to High Beeches Primary School in Harpenden, this time for some baking fun with the pupils.I think he enjoyed it, mixing the ingredients with as much gusto as they did. He seemed very focused on the job at hand!

Election day ended with a celebratory walk down Downing Street for Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria, heading into their new home at Number 10 after a long campaign trail.

Former BBC News presenter Huw Edwards leaves Westminster Magistrates’ Court after pleading guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children. It was quite a scrum of photographers that day, but I managed to get this shot amongst the chaos.