Club Meeting, 'Impressions of Autumn' - Tuesday 6th December 2022.

                        

On Tuesday 6th December, Morpeth Camera Club were pleased to welcome Alan Porrett ARPS DPAGB APAGB
EFIAP & Pat Porrett LRPS AFIAP APAGB from Whitley Bay Photographic Society who gave a presentation entitled
‘Impressions of Autumn.’ Alan has visited us several times before to judge both club and Interclub competitions.
Their presentation covered one of their many trips to New Brunswick, Canada where they stayed at the home of
renowned photographer Freeman Patterson. Alan described life in this remote, sparsely populated, beautiful area
of eastern Canada before showing their Audio Visual Introduction with images of misty lakes, autumn coloured
woodland and traditional houses.

Part One followed with old clapboard barns and churches, wild Canadian Rhododendron, Hay Scented Fern, Hostas,
Canadian Oak, Sumac trees, peeling bark on silver birch, boardwalk bog gardens, backlit red sugar maple leaves
and scarlet creepers adorning colourful lodges. Images of coral-like Reindeer Lichen, Bracket Fungus and Ink Cap
fungi and its life cycle followed. They went on to illustrate life in the area, with the general store, a pristine wooden
church, an early settlers graveyard and school buses, whilst stressing the remoteness and distances between the
hamlets and townships.

Another Av followed, entitled Colours of Decay in which we saw a very colourful display of a graveyard of classic
cars in varying states of rust and decay with bubbled chrome handles, multicoloured rust, flaked layered paintwork,
cobwebbed interiors, with plant life growing through and around.

Part Two followed in which we saw images of the interior of an abandoned clapboard home, street scenes, trompe
l'oeil murals, wooden covered bridges, river scenes and glowing images of the annual autumn clearance burn. Alan
and Pat were always keen to witness dawn mist on the creek which they illustrated with autumn forests peaking
through low mist, perfectly reflected in the creek below. We saw the sunrise glowing on golden trees and backlit
at sunset, in this ever-changing, wonderful landscape.

Another Av followed entitled Impressions of Autumn which Alan described as a celebration of colour, pattern and
texture. The audience enjoyed impressionistic images using intentional camera movement, multiple exposures,
dreamscapes with a glowing halo effect; images which were delicately treated with soft tones, gradations of colour
and with a painterly effect.

After a short Q & A session, where Alan generously shared his techniques, Club Co- Chair Roseanne Robinson
thanked Alan and Pat for their varied and colourful presentation. Members were then able to view a selection of
their prints displayed around the room during refreshments.

Steph.