John P. B. Shelley

This year 2004, John and Mary Shelley celebrate their 52nd wedding anniversary, John's 72nd Birthday, his 57 years as a professional photographer and his 27th year as a photographer of Royalty.

John and Mary live in a north west London flat just 20 minutes by car from Buckingham Palace in the heart of London. John was educated at a private school from which he won a scholarship to a technical college and then spent 7 years at Shrivenham University being trained by the War office as a photographer. He is recognised as an expert in many fields and is often called upon by photographers from all over the world for advice and consultation. He has advised military, police, governmental, academic and commercial establishments all over the world in setting up and equipping photographic sections within their organisations. His gallery in the heart of Mayfair in Albemarle Street was generally considered to be the finest in the world. It was part of a photographic complex including a shop selling and hiring professional photographic equipment, a studio and a library. Unique in its conception it was considered as the ultimate service to the photographer.

At the beginning of 1982 John Shelley decided to concentrate totally on royal photography and the marketing of his photographs through one of his businesses known as JS Library International formed previously in 1978. Since that time he has photographed more visits abroad by various members of the British Royal Family than anyone else in the world. His work has appeared in literally every major magazine throughout the world and has illustrated countless books. He is also Chairman of the exclusive Association of Buckingham Palace Accredited Freelance Photographers, of which there are only three members He has travelled to 101 different countries, including some of the smallest islands in the Pacific, such as Nauru and Tuvalu and the largest countries in the world, such as China, travelling as many as 50,000 miles during one visit to Australia, sleeping in mud huts in refugee camps in the deserts of the Sudan, or occupying a suite in the Watergate hotel in Washington, or staying in the Guest Palace of the Sultan of Oman in Muscat. He has been introduced to Kings, Queens, Sultans, Princes, Princesses, Ambassadors and Prime Ministers throughout the world. He now also interviews and photographs and writes features on celebrities, mainly leading authors of the world. Many of his subjects, who have been interviewed many times, often by the leading journalists in the world, consider their interview with John Shelley to be the best they have had. A unique photographer of unique experience.

He has also recently been honoured by being accepted as a subject of biographical record in Who's Who in the World 2003 and 2004 published by Marquis, inclusion in which is limited to those individuals who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in their own fields of endeavour and who have, thereby, contributed significantly to the betterment of contemporary society. He is particularly proud of this entry in Who's Who in the World as he is described as a Photo Journalist alongside such contemporaries as Avedon and Lucien Clergue.

He has also been accorded the Honour of being the subject of a biographical record (and feature) in Debrett's People of Today, 2004.

And further is to have a biographical inclusion in the prestigious title Dictionary of International Biography 31st edition 2004 published by the International Biographical Centre Cambridge.

John Shelley is particularly proud of being included in these prestigious works of reference, proud of the company of the contemporaries amongst which he is included and particularly proud of being honoured as a Royal Photographer and a Photo Journalist.

 

Links

www.debretts.co.uk

www.marquiswhoswho.net