Robert welcomes invitations from such groups as Luncheon Clubs, Women’s Institutes, Camera Clubs, Churches and the National Trust. His fee is negotiable.

His current lectures are:

Lindisfarne—Island of Light. Based on Robert’s four books of photographs of Holy Island , this talk celebrates the history, economy and ecology of the place that gave birth to the Lindisfarne Gospels. Beginning with the Stone Age, it continues right through to the effects of contemporary tourism.

Enjoying and Improving Your Photography. Aimed at the family photographer, with a light touch and avoiding technical jargon, this talk covers all the basics of picture making, from the impact of light and colour to the skills of composition.

Writing with Light: the History of Photography. The talk explores photographers’ continuing fascination with light and the beauty it reveals. It concludes with an account of Robert’s own involvement with photography over the past forty years.

Magnificent Monster: a view of Durham Cathedral. Like all cathedrals, Durham was built to the glory of God, but it is also a political statement. This talk, richly illustrated with photographs, explores how being a seat of power as well as a place of worship has made Durham into a “magnificent monster”.

Calligraphy: the art of line and space. An illustrated talk exploring the place of fine writing in different cultures, from the glories of the Trajan column in Rome to the simplicity of Japanese Zen calligraphy. The presentation ends with a brief demonstration of the art of calligraphy.

The Story of Writing: The talk uses a wide range of pictures to reflect on how human beings came to create writing systems and how the tools they used affected their styles of writing. The presentation ends with a brief demonstration of the art of calligraphy.