Rick Wilking's account of life as a photo-journalist

Rick Wilking reckons he has seen it all from behind the lens. He’s shot hurricanes, riots and US presidents - beginning in the 1970s when transporting gear was an expensive, backbreaking affair.

He describes his newly published book The Last Hummingbird, as “a very personal memoir of my first (almost) 40 years working in photo-journalism with stories of my world-wide experiences. Written for an audience of close friends and family, others will find it entertaining as well. If you are interested in photography, journalism, politics or even travel this should be a fun read.”

Wilking became Reuters chief photographer, Switzerland when the news pictures service began in 1985 and then the agency’s first senior photographer in Washington where he covered three presidents over nine years.

“I still work for Reuters but on a contract basis now, based in Denver, Colorado,” he says.

PHOTO: The White House travel pool poses in a Saudi Arabian desert with President George Bush on a trip to visit US troops in November 1990 prior to the first Gulf War. Rick Wilking is centre, crouching in blue hat with Bush leaning on his shoulder. Larry McQuillan, Reuters White House correspondent at the time, is top left. He died last September aged 70. ■