Tom 'The Editor' Poore

On Wednesday, as I got my espresso at the Love Coffee stall, I noticed that all the tables were full. At the far end was an old gentleman sitting at a table, on his own. I asked if it was OK to share, he waved to the seat and I sat down. I asked if he minded if I smoke, he replied that he would join me

I had placed the camera on its side in the hope of getting a good table shot. In our early conversation I managed to get this.
We talked & found we both went to Wildscreen, a wildlife film-maker's festival. I offered my hand & name and he, his. My mouth dropped open, Tom Poore, the chief film editor with the BBC Natural History Unit. Along with other documentaries, he edited some of the series "Life on Earth" and other series that Sir David Attenbourgh made, till he retired.
I took this shot before I found out who he was.

Then, he was a gentleman with character. Now, he was Tom Poore, one of my gods at the NHU, and I wanted some shots of him. What an arse I was, asking if I could take some shots of him, he agreed and turned, saying he wouldn't look at the camera, but the man I saw before had left. Awareness of the camera changes everything.

EDIT: April 12th 2020: Some time ago, Tom had a stroke. As he lived alone he was put into a home. I've tried loads of times to get him on his mobile, but no reply. Just now I googled his name along with BBC NHU, and I got a link to this photo. There's a part of me who wants him alive, he was 93 the last time I saw him.


EDIT: December 27th 2020  It's with great sadness that on December 17th. 2020 Tom passed on. His Daughter-in-law found me on FB and messaged me.
Tom "The Editor" Poore has gone to the Great Editor in the Sky