Club Meeting, "Some of my Favourite Pictures" - Tuesday 7th January 2020.

                             

At the first meeting of 2020 Morpeth Camera Club were pleased to welcome guest speaker Neil Maughan, ARPS EFIAP/s
MPAGB, a member of Durham Photographic Society, with his talk entitled ‘Some of My Favourite Pictures.’ Neil is a very
accomplished photographer, having achieved the highest award for photography from the Photographic Alliance of Great
Britain. He loves the quiet solitude of landscapes especially early morning and late evening but also likes to get out and
about with fellow photographers to share what they see. Equipped with his favourite ultra wide angle lenses, a polariser
and neutral density filters, he can take up to ten exposures which are then blended together, creating amazing seascape
and landscapes images.

His lenses create sweeping clouds which fan out from the horizon and are especially beautiful at sunrise, examples of
which were taken at Chemical Beach, Seaham, at Cresswell beach with its reflective rock pools, and with sand patterns
leading to a silhouetted Dunstanburgh Castle. He has a passion for lone trees, especially on dark days when storm clouds
are approaching and the audience enjoyed many atmospheric images of single skeletal trees set in snow, on wild heathery
moorland and limestone pavements. His images are purposely de-saturated to add atmosphere with stunning shots taken
on Skye, in North Wales, the North Yorkshire Moors, and most of all Glencoe’s Buachaille in all seasons; snow covered with
frosted grasses, with a foreground of tumbling water over massive rocks, under atmospheric mist, and in glowing evening
light.

A visit to Iceland gave us images of vibrant green patterns through the stars, which contrasted with action shots of cyclists,
mini motor bike racers and boxers with contorted facial expressions and flying drops of perspiration. His love of travel was
reflected in his colourful images of Hong Kong’s waterfront, linea pictures of towering apartment blocks, low lit atmospheric
shots inside Temples and candid shots of old chess players in the street. Vietnamese night markets followed, with graphic
shots of butchers and fish mongers at work and then on to street scenes in India, where Neil described the heat and squalor.
It was an invasion of the senses, he said, but the people were wonderful, generous and welcoming. Street dogs, barbers at
work, beggars, and local ladies in colourful saris, smiling children and holy men at Varanasi and scenes at the blue walled
city of Jodhpur, with anecdotes throughout, portrayed perfectly the atmosphere of the country.

We were transported to Venice with its posturing Gondoliers and canal scenes; to street life in Paris, with graphic images
of solitary figures climbing the Grande Arche steps and then in complete contrast to Appleby Horse Fair. Behind the scenes
shots of family life, young men posing, caravans of every description, well groomed ponies and horses ready for auction
gave the audience a complete sense of the atmosphere at the lively event. Neil continued with his second passion which
was photographing spiral staircases; an array of images followed of circular graphic patterns of swirls of staircases taken
whenever the opportunity arose. A selection of wildlife images followed of butterflies, sea birds, red kites, deer and an
illusive creature, the hare, with comical images which, Neil said had taken hours and hours of waiting to obtain.

Last but certainly not least, he went on to show an amazing selection of what he has named ‘Urban Exploration,’ stark
shots taken in abandoned buildings. He began with a serious warning that this pursuit should not be undertaken alone;
being dangerous places one should only enter by an open entry point. He said that he felt that there was beauty in decay
and silence, buildings which eventually nature reclaims and his advice was not to touch anything, take your pictures and
leave. We saw eerie derelict hospital morgues, spooky wards, kitchens, factories, deserted chateaux with old photographs
of their former inhabitants, and prison interiors in France, all suspended in time. Images of old living rooms, with rotting
net curtains, broken furniture, deserted churches and chapels with disintegrating organs, and, with permission, a visit to
an old mansion with gave us images of once wonderful rooms, abandoned possessions, rotting curtains with a sense of
sad dereliction.

Ending with a series of photographs of retro portraits and of his late father, who at the age of seven had inspired Neil to
start taking photographs; he had certainly given the audience an interesting, thought provoking evening. Club member
Sophie Elliot-Edwards thanked him on behalf of the club adding that it was a privilege to enjoy such an inspiring evening
of excellent photography after which coffee was served.

Steph.