Diving community remembers Brian Pitkin
THE FUNERAL WAS HELD on 23 September of noted UK underwater photographer Brian Pitkin, who died on 31 August at the age of 75. He is best remembered as a leading light of the British Society of Underwater Photographers (BSoUP).
Born on 12 November, 1945, Pitkin’s love of the natural world was evident throughout his life, from boyhood chasing of butterflies to a 41-year career with the Natural History Museum (NHM) studying insects until his retirement in 2006, though he continued to work on related projects. He also developed an interest in wildflower recording, but it was scuba and underwater photography that played a huge part in his life for several decades.
An NHM fieldwork trip led to him snorkelling in Kenya in 1974, firing his fascination with the undersea world.
Back home he joined the Thornton Heath branch of the British Sub-Aqua Club and learnt to dive.