Club Exchange, Whitley Bay visit Morpeth - Tuesday 19th March 2019.
On Tuesday 19th March, Morpeth Camera Club were pleased to welcome members of Whitley Bay Photographic Society
for an exchange visit.
Eight photographers took part, beginning with Ann Watson with ‘Absolute Beginner to Novice, My Story So Far’. Starting
with images taken on her mobile phone, they included the Spanish City with sunset reflections and dewdrops on leaves.
She said that by working on a theme it helped to focus her mind and illustrated this with a series of close up images of
a swan. By entering competitions she began to learn more and more about composition, cropping, choice of paper, and
mounting options. Investing in a new camera, tripod and bag she was excited to take up photography on a more serious
level. Her presentation included cityscapes, sunsets, reflections, Whitby Goths, cracked ice and street scenes.
Next up was Ray McIvor with an Audio Visual presentation entitled New Year in New York. The audience enjoyed colourful
images of posters, bars, pavement artists, street scenes in the rain and the Empire State Building with its art deco features,
stained glass and panoramas. Images of brownstone buildings contrasted with modern glass high rise blocks with a myriad
of reflected patterns. Ray concluded with the bright lights of Broadway, that perfectly captured the atmosphere of the city.
Another AV followed, this time by Richard Narcross who chose the Newcastle Quayside as his subject. Early morning shots
of the iconic bridges, apartment blocks bathed in morning light, pedestrians disappearing into the mist on the Millennium
Bridge, Baltic stairways and the beautiful curvature of the Sage building interior. Concluding with a night shot with starburst
lights, his av of beautiful images set in perfect time with the music captured the iconic riverside perfectly.
The Fallen was an AV presented by Peter Reynolds. He began with an introduction relating to his great grandfather who took
part in and survived the Great War and his subsequent tragic life. Images of red rose bushes planted around innumerable
white gravestones, flags, memorials, nameplates and poignant statuary were included. Scenes of sandbags in trenches that
contrasted with modern day green fields full of poppies and Peter’s compilation of images told a moving and telling story.
In complete contrast, Alan Watson gave a talk entitled ‘Better with the Lens Cap Off or 10 minutes of your life you will never
get back’. At London’s Fashion Week, Alan, who visits every year, has become recognised by models and photographers in the
industry. He takes photos of trendy, quirky and glamorous individuals outside the fashion houses who are there with the sole
intention of being photographed. The audience enjoyed seeing internal catwalk shots of models in the latest designs, some
very outlandish, and some wearing beautifully crafted creations. All fashion houses, he said have their own staff but if you
are lucky you can be invited in. In readiness he takes along his cheap stool to stand on and tape to mark his spot; but you
must know your place he said, and obey house photographers from the major magazines. In a very interesting insight into
the fashion world, Alan displayed his talent for photographing people.
‘Rust’ was the title of the next AV from Brian Tunnard. Set to eerie music Brian included stark images of rusty cogs, cars,
tractors, springs, couplings, wheels, boats, tanks and trains which depicted deep decay and dereliction.
A very different theme followed with an AV of the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, by Ron Clements. Set to serene music, he had
captured the amazing variety of sculptures, some made of mesh, letters of the alphabet forming circular structures and
abstract figures hugging tree trunks. There were human sculptures appearing from walls and embedded in stones, weird
heads, horses, spy holes and eerily suspended mesh eyes. Ron's very interesting production would encourage anyone to
visit this fascinating place.
The final AV, by David Parkinson was entitled ‘London – Thames to the City’. From Blackfriars, with its old pubs and railway
plaques reflected in modern tower blocks, to images of the ‘Walkie Talkie’ and ‘Cheese Grater’ buildings that contrasted with
the old Borough Market, with its food of every description. The Tower Bridge Exhibition on its walkway, the old architecture
of Greenwich and the Royal Observatory, compared with the modern Canary Wharf which comes into its own at night; with
office lights and neon signage. And finally, during an Open House Event in the city, David captured interior images of Lloyds
of London, with its iconic interior and exterior escalators.
John Barnes thanked the visitors for an exceptional evening, adding that Morpeth club members were looking forward to
attending Whitley Bay in April to show examples of our photography.
Steph.
for an exchange visit.
Eight photographers took part, beginning with Ann Watson with ‘Absolute Beginner to Novice, My Story So Far’. Starting
with images taken on her mobile phone, they included the Spanish City with sunset reflections and dewdrops on leaves.
She said that by working on a theme it helped to focus her mind and illustrated this with a series of close up images of
a swan. By entering competitions she began to learn more and more about composition, cropping, choice of paper, and
mounting options. Investing in a new camera, tripod and bag she was excited to take up photography on a more serious
level. Her presentation included cityscapes, sunsets, reflections, Whitby Goths, cracked ice and street scenes.
Next up was Ray McIvor with an Audio Visual presentation entitled New Year in New York. The audience enjoyed colourful
images of posters, bars, pavement artists, street scenes in the rain and the Empire State Building with its art deco features,
stained glass and panoramas. Images of brownstone buildings contrasted with modern glass high rise blocks with a myriad
of reflected patterns. Ray concluded with the bright lights of Broadway, that perfectly captured the atmosphere of the city.
Another AV followed, this time by Richard Narcross who chose the Newcastle Quayside as his subject. Early morning shots
of the iconic bridges, apartment blocks bathed in morning light, pedestrians disappearing into the mist on the Millennium
Bridge, Baltic stairways and the beautiful curvature of the Sage building interior. Concluding with a night shot with starburst
lights, his av of beautiful images set in perfect time with the music captured the iconic riverside perfectly.
The Fallen was an AV presented by Peter Reynolds. He began with an introduction relating to his great grandfather who took
part in and survived the Great War and his subsequent tragic life. Images of red rose bushes planted around innumerable
white gravestones, flags, memorials, nameplates and poignant statuary were included. Scenes of sandbags in trenches that
contrasted with modern day green fields full of poppies and Peter’s compilation of images told a moving and telling story.
In complete contrast, Alan Watson gave a talk entitled ‘Better with the Lens Cap Off or 10 minutes of your life you will never
get back’. At London’s Fashion Week, Alan, who visits every year, has become recognised by models and photographers in the
industry. He takes photos of trendy, quirky and glamorous individuals outside the fashion houses who are there with the sole
intention of being photographed. The audience enjoyed seeing internal catwalk shots of models in the latest designs, some
very outlandish, and some wearing beautifully crafted creations. All fashion houses, he said have their own staff but if you
are lucky you can be invited in. In readiness he takes along his cheap stool to stand on and tape to mark his spot; but you
must know your place he said, and obey house photographers from the major magazines. In a very interesting insight into
the fashion world, Alan displayed his talent for photographing people.
‘Rust’ was the title of the next AV from Brian Tunnard. Set to eerie music Brian included stark images of rusty cogs, cars,
tractors, springs, couplings, wheels, boats, tanks and trains which depicted deep decay and dereliction.
A very different theme followed with an AV of the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, by Ron Clements. Set to serene music, he had
captured the amazing variety of sculptures, some made of mesh, letters of the alphabet forming circular structures and
abstract figures hugging tree trunks. There were human sculptures appearing from walls and embedded in stones, weird
heads, horses, spy holes and eerily suspended mesh eyes. Ron's very interesting production would encourage anyone to
visit this fascinating place.
The final AV, by David Parkinson was entitled ‘London – Thames to the City’. From Blackfriars, with its old pubs and railway
plaques reflected in modern tower blocks, to images of the ‘Walkie Talkie’ and ‘Cheese Grater’ buildings that contrasted with
the old Borough Market, with its food of every description. The Tower Bridge Exhibition on its walkway, the old architecture
of Greenwich and the Royal Observatory, compared with the modern Canary Wharf which comes into its own at night; with
office lights and neon signage. And finally, during an Open House Event in the city, David captured interior images of Lloyds
of London, with its iconic interior and exterior escalators.
John Barnes thanked the visitors for an exceptional evening, adding that Morpeth club members were looking forward to
attending Whitley Bay in April to show examples of our photography.
Steph.