Royal Visit 25 February 2015 © Jeremy Selwyn
David Ofield, known to everyone as ‘Dave O’, has worked for almost three decades as Picture Editor of the Evening Standard newspaper, overseeing iconic photos from ‘every major news story and disaster around the world’. He will retire in June, when he hopes to spend time at his holiday cottage in Southern Ireland and nearby golf course.
Ofield, described as ‘quietly spoken’ and unassuming’ by his peers, currently rises at 5am every day to pour over what has added up to millions of images, throughout the span of his career. Across the last three decades he has worked through seven General Elections, seven Olympic Games, and seven World Cups, for seven different editors.
Dave began his newspaper career when he was only 15 years old, as a messenger for Sport and General Press agency before joining the Standard as Picture Editor in 1987.
‘No one day is ever the same as the one before, which is part of the appeal,’ Ofield explained about the appeal for his job. ‘I’ve been very lucky. I always tell people a picture editor is only as good as the photographers he employs. I’ve been very fortunate to have worked with some great photographers. I couldn’t have done it without them.’
Some of his many key moments range from covering key world events, such as the 9/11 attacks in New York and Princess Diana’s death in Paris, to overseeing iconic celebrity images, including the controversial Liz Hurley ‘safety pin’ dress, shot by Showbiz photographer Dave Bennett.
Some of Ofield’s lighter moments include a Royal visit to the Standard by Prince Charles and Camilla in January this year © Jeremy Selwyn
The Standard’s chief photographer, Jeremy Selwyn, said of Ofield: ‘Dave’s been my boss for nearly 30 years – and there’s not many people who can say that! He’s been tremendous. But he always lines up one last job of the day for you and says, “It’s sort of on your way home …”’
Ofield’s last job on the day will be in early June, after which we hope he will be able to enjoy a well-deserved lie-in from his 5am routine.
In 2012 former Prime Minister Tony Blair dropped in to ‘guest-edit’ the Standard. Ofield recalled: ‘I ended my picture schedule with a Coronation Street story and he chuckled at that saying: ‘Cherie will be interested in that one… .’
