Gloucester photographer turns rubbish into full-time career

BBC Points West got to see how Steve Rolfe takes one of his photos

A photographer who creates scenes using rubbish and small plastic figures has published a book.

Steve Rolfe started his photography work in 2010 after picking up his wife's camera to play with.

What began as a hobby to "help explore his creative side outside of office work" has eventually become a full-time career.

Now Mr Rolfe, from Gloucester, has published "Small World" using the resulting photos.

The 52-year-old places small plastic figures into scenes he usually finds on the street, often including rubbish or waste food.

Mr Rolfe places small plastic figures into scenes he usually finds in the street, often including rubbish or food waste

He said one of his favourite photographs features a Mars bar and small plastic figures in chemical suits exploring the chocolate bar as if it was the planet Mars.

"For me, it is like a world within a world," Mr Rolfe said.

He added that after taking photos of his "little people", he leaves them there - and it is up to our imagination what happens to them.

The book features miniature figures in a series of scaled-down scenes

BBC Points West joined Mr Rolfe to see how he takes his photos.

"This Neighbourhood Watch sign came off its post months ago," he said. "I wanted to have fun with it and placed little plastic photographers around it."

He said it would be called "Peeping Toms sponsored by Neighbourhood Watch".

What began as a hobby to "help explore his creative side outside of office work" became a full-time career for Mr Rolfe

Mr Rolfe said his work had made him more mindful.

"I try to tell people to go out with their phone cameras for half an hour and you will come back with multiple images you like," he said.

"It is about mindfulness, I look more closely at my surroundings."