Local Bloke… Richard Hirst From Clovelly

By James Hutton on July 2, 2013 in People

Clovelly resident and legendary local photographer Richard Hirst shares his local favourites with The Beast…

How long have you lived here?
I’ve lived in the East my whole life and always near the beach. I can’t tell you the exact number of years but let’s just say I remember when the main drag in Bondi just had a milk bar and ice-creamery and nothing else!

What’s your favourite beach?
I love them all for different reasons. If I had to choose I’d say Bronte as that’s my local, but I have a soft spot for Bondi as that’s where I spent most of my younger years, baking in the sun with Reef oil.

What’s your favourite eatery?
I like the little restaurants by the beach in Bronte, Café Q and the Ex-Lounge. I love the homestyle cooking and casual atmosphere.

Where do you like to have a drink?
Now that I have a newborn bub I’m not getting out as much as I used to, but I like The Sheaf, Clovelly Hotel and some of the cosy Paddo pubs.

Do you have a favourite sporting team?
I’ve been following the Roosters since I was 5 when I got my first Roosters footy jumper with number 22 on the back – I thought a bigger number meant a better player!

What music are you into at the moment?
I play my piano a lot and at the moment I’m playing a lot of Elton and The Doors.

Who is your favourite person?
If you asked me that a month ago I would have said my adorable fiancée Janie or my mum, but now that baby Sammy has come along it’s a little more difficult. I’d have to say it’s a three-way tie. My dad is cool too.

Do you have a favourite quote?
“Don’t take yourself too seriously, no one else does.”

What do you get up to on the weekends?
I’m up before sunrise to go photographing somewhere, then on Saturday it’s over to North Bondi for ‘Bondi Dads’, which is just a group of dads who all take their little ones down for a dip to give their other halves a break. I love going to
cafes, restaurants, catching up with friends and family and playing beach frisbee for fun and a bit of fitness.

What do you do for work?
I work full time as a marketing manager at Lion, marketing beer, wine and spirits, but my real passion is my photography business (Hirsty Photography).

What’s your favourite thing about your work?
There are the obvious product benefits in my day job! With the photography my favourite thing is being able to share the amazing stuff I’m seeing each day with tens of thousands of people all around the world through my Facebook page (www.facebook.com/hirstyphotos) and website (www.hirsty.com.au). It’s quite a privilege and the feedback from locals, tourists, ex-pats and even people who have never been to Australia is very satisfying and makes the early starts worthwhile.

Any other words of wisdom for readers of The Beast?
If you get up just one hour earlier from the day of your 30th birthday, that’s an extra 500,000 hours of pure bliss you will add to your life. So do it.