Club Meeting, '5 Members 15 Minutes' - Tuesday 23rd October 2018.
‘5 Members, 15 Minutes’ was the theme of this week’s meeting of Morpeth Camera Club. Five members were asked
to give a short presentation that showed different aspects of their photography and this provided an insight into the
authors tastes and preferences.
First up was Paul Appleby who admitted that at first he had been terrified of taking photographs of people and took
rear view shots only. His fear dissipated, as we then saw colourful street scenes taken in Majorca and Italy, detailed
hand shots of street musicians, characters in bright clothing, those sleeping rough, strolling nuns, selfie takers, artists
at work and tattooed individuals, young and old. Images of bar and restaurant workers in colourful interiors and neon
lit ice-cream parlours concluded Paul’s presentation which had been interspersed with humorous stories and dialogue.
Next on was Sue Dawson on projects, one being Beamish Museum and when showing her photographs of the baker,
driver of the Puffin Billy, a servant on washday, a rug maker and a land girl with bunting, had made the characters
her own by adding vintage effects and vignetting. A selection of gritty abstract images followed of weathered wood
and bubbling paint, rust and grimy cracked tarpaulin. Sue continued with ‘Mandalas’ a generic term for a geometric
pattern. Having seen an example at a craft fair, she decided to create her own, illustrating how she had experimented
with flowers and herbs to make a perfect circle. Story telling is also an interest and the audience enjoyed images of
Kiln Pit Hill, Craster and the Rendezvous Café at Whitley Bay with stories these images could evoke of events in the
past and romantic intrigue.
Roseanne Robinson came next with a holiday with a difference to Poland which included time in Krakow before trekking
through the hills. Images of gothic architecture, the Cloth Hall market, St Mary’s Basilica interior, the altarpiece which
had been dismantled and taken to Germany during the war, street life, medieval town walls, horses and carriages, café
culture, confirmation day shots and sculptures perfectly illustrated her time in the city. Visiting the Jewish Quarter of
the city Roseanne went on to describe severe conditions suffered in the area during WWII. Then off to the hills, with
views of the Tatra Mountains, plant life, clouded woodland, punters in the gorges and precipitous mountain ridge walks
from the cable car.
Steve McDonald presented summer photographs taken of Glen Coe, Cuillin Ridge, Keoch Nose at sunset, Vikas Gorge
in Greece and the dramatic Old Man of Storr. Images of seabirds, owls, the blue and gold nuthatch, and the Milky Way
followed. Just when the audience were sitting comfortably in their warm environment, Steve’s photographs of his winter
activities came up. There were striking snow laden mountain scenes, images of perilous skiing over the massive Trium
glacier. Explaining along the way climbing routes he described the torturous 5 hour crossing of the glacier above Verbier,
the dramatic zig-zag escape route from the mountain hut, and sad stories of rescues and fatalities. A short audio visual
piece of a peaceful anti-brexit demonstration march, with smiling faces, comical banners with caricatures, he concluded
by saying that photography can be used to give messages or simply to have fun.
Mark Harrison then took us on his ‘Photographic Journey’, with examples of his photographs taken from the time he first
joined the club up to the present day. His images included activities on Saltburn beach, church interiors, composites of
Whitby Goth characters which had been cleverly merged with eerie backgrounds, macro flowers and insects, and night
time cityscapes with light trails. Seabirds, Red Arrow shots, Lakeland sunsets, milky waterfalls, castles, mills followed,
the sculpture ‘Tommy’ in Seaham, bathed in a red glow and our own Emily Davison sculpture which Mark had lit with
Suffragette colours, concluded his presentation.
A varied eclectic mix of styles and techniques, this evening showcased the talents of five members of the club and the
Chairman thanked all who took part, after which coffee was served.
Steph.
to give a short presentation that showed different aspects of their photography and this provided an insight into the
authors tastes and preferences.
First up was Paul Appleby who admitted that at first he had been terrified of taking photographs of people and took
rear view shots only. His fear dissipated, as we then saw colourful street scenes taken in Majorca and Italy, detailed
hand shots of street musicians, characters in bright clothing, those sleeping rough, strolling nuns, selfie takers, artists
at work and tattooed individuals, young and old. Images of bar and restaurant workers in colourful interiors and neon
lit ice-cream parlours concluded Paul’s presentation which had been interspersed with humorous stories and dialogue.
Next on was Sue Dawson on projects, one being Beamish Museum and when showing her photographs of the baker,
driver of the Puffin Billy, a servant on washday, a rug maker and a land girl with bunting, had made the characters
her own by adding vintage effects and vignetting. A selection of gritty abstract images followed of weathered wood
and bubbling paint, rust and grimy cracked tarpaulin. Sue continued with ‘Mandalas’ a generic term for a geometric
pattern. Having seen an example at a craft fair, she decided to create her own, illustrating how she had experimented
with flowers and herbs to make a perfect circle. Story telling is also an interest and the audience enjoyed images of
Kiln Pit Hill, Craster and the Rendezvous Café at Whitley Bay with stories these images could evoke of events in the
past and romantic intrigue.
Roseanne Robinson came next with a holiday with a difference to Poland which included time in Krakow before trekking
through the hills. Images of gothic architecture, the Cloth Hall market, St Mary’s Basilica interior, the altarpiece which
had been dismantled and taken to Germany during the war, street life, medieval town walls, horses and carriages, café
culture, confirmation day shots and sculptures perfectly illustrated her time in the city. Visiting the Jewish Quarter of
the city Roseanne went on to describe severe conditions suffered in the area during WWII. Then off to the hills, with
views of the Tatra Mountains, plant life, clouded woodland, punters in the gorges and precipitous mountain ridge walks
from the cable car.
Steve McDonald presented summer photographs taken of Glen Coe, Cuillin Ridge, Keoch Nose at sunset, Vikas Gorge
in Greece and the dramatic Old Man of Storr. Images of seabirds, owls, the blue and gold nuthatch, and the Milky Way
followed. Just when the audience were sitting comfortably in their warm environment, Steve’s photographs of his winter
activities came up. There were striking snow laden mountain scenes, images of perilous skiing over the massive Trium
glacier. Explaining along the way climbing routes he described the torturous 5 hour crossing of the glacier above Verbier,
the dramatic zig-zag escape route from the mountain hut, and sad stories of rescues and fatalities. A short audio visual
piece of a peaceful anti-brexit demonstration march, with smiling faces, comical banners with caricatures, he concluded
by saying that photography can be used to give messages or simply to have fun.
Mark Harrison then took us on his ‘Photographic Journey’, with examples of his photographs taken from the time he first
joined the club up to the present day. His images included activities on Saltburn beach, church interiors, composites of
Whitby Goth characters which had been cleverly merged with eerie backgrounds, macro flowers and insects, and night
time cityscapes with light trails. Seabirds, Red Arrow shots, Lakeland sunsets, milky waterfalls, castles, mills followed,
the sculpture ‘Tommy’ in Seaham, bathed in a red glow and our own Emily Davison sculpture which Mark had lit with
Suffragette colours, concluded his presentation.
A varied eclectic mix of styles and techniques, this evening showcased the talents of five members of the club and the
Chairman thanked all who took part, after which coffee was served.
Steph.