Self taught Sheffield photographer who finds beauty in unexpected places has gained over 100 million views online

A Sheffield based photographer who is self taught has gained over 130 million online views and even sees his work used by art students in Asia.
A shot of the Porter Valley.A shot of the Porter Valley.
A shot of the Porter Valley.

Shane Rounce, who is 32 and lives on Ecclesall Road, first started using a camera when he was a child and has created an astonishing portfolio of rural and urban landscape shots.

His work finds beauty in unexpected places; in abandoned offices or high-rise rooftops, and his images have gained over 130 million views on photo-sharing website Unsplash.

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Shane said: “Sheffield has got its own unique feel and character to it. If my photo looks nice then it’s because I had a nice time taking it. If I am on a dirty rooftop it’s going to have smashed glass and look dirty.

Shane is self-taught and first started taking using a camera to take photos of his Warhammer figures.Shane is self-taught and first started taking using a camera to take photos of his Warhammer figures.
Shane is self-taught and first started taking using a camera to take photos of his Warhammer figures.

"I started using a camera to take pictures of my Warhammer figures. I used to do parkour and I started taking pictures around town. I went to a lot of places most people don’t often go. I started to appreciate nature more.

Shane doesn’t have formal training in photography and says that he doesn’t like to see people thinking that they need to have a degree to be creative.

He added: “I was third in the UK for views on Unsplash at one point. I’ve been sent screenshots of students in China who have used my photos for their university artwork, it’s so weird.

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“My work focuses on parallel lines and right angles. I use colour, I mute the black. To some people they might look too vivid.

Shane has lived in Sheffield most of his life, with brief spells living in Edinburgh and Amsterdam.Shane has lived in Sheffield most of his life, with brief spells living in Edinburgh and Amsterdam.
Shane has lived in Sheffield most of his life, with brief spells living in Edinburgh and Amsterdam.

In recent years, Shane has struggled to get out to take photos as often or to commit to freelance opportunities because of a serious injury he suffered in 2007.

He said: “When doing parkour I put my foot out on air and fell down a two story drop landing on a bike lock. I knocked out the bottom two vertebrate from my spine. I came to in a hospital a couple of days later. I have a really bad sleep schedule, my waking time is about 36 hours on average - so it’s difficult to plan to be anywhere for specific times.

“A lot of photos are taken from my phone now because I have to be having a really good day to carry my camera around with me.”