Club Meeting, 'A Year of Photography' - Tuesday 11th April 2023.

     

On Tuesday 11th April, Dave Dixon LRPS was the guest at the Morpeth Camera Club meeting with his presentation
entitled ' A Year of Photography '. With a selection of images all captured within 2021, his aim was to showcase as
much variety as could be achieved, given that the year in question was punctuated with lockdowns.

Dave stated that whist showing images to an American friend, he had been struck by the many comments given
about his images of the local area and that sometimes it is easy to overlook that we live in an area of outstanding
natural beauty with the Northumberland coast and countryside on our doorstep.

This had reignited his interest in the landscape and simple and minimalistic images followed of hills, valleys, trees
and fields near his home in north Northumberland. Changing conditions, rainbows, big skies and low morning and
evening light can all add to an image and Dave suggested that going out when the weather is not so good can also
produce great results.

Going out with an idea or working to a theme can also concentrate the eye and once you start you will see things
that you may have ignored previously. Images of five bar gates, trees, crops in fields, all demonstrated that simple
subjects together with using the basic rules of lead in lines, good foreground and dramatic skies, can produce very
interesting images.

Moving out of his comfort zone and trying something different had led Dave to explore the dark urban environment
through his camera lens. Walking around subways, alleyways and carparks in the backstreets of Newcastle had
drawn him to shoot graffiti, decay and dereliction. His images of dank and gloomy places with concrete monolithic
architecture from the 70's and 80's, taken in both monochrome and colour showed a different aspect of his work.

                           

On a similar theme, Dave showcased a set of images taken indoors at the Antwerp Mansions in Manchester. This is
a photographic studio in an old mansion house that has recreated a derelict and abandoned theme throughout the
property. Like a giant film set, each room is full of weird and wonderful props, with graffiti strewn walls, amazing
colours, peeling paint and appropriate furniture.

Back in Northumberland we moved into beautiful woodlands and enjoyed a very colourful selection of images of
close up photography. Here Dave had focused on the world beneath our feet with mushrooms and fungi. Using a
tripod and natural light, simple composition and getting down to ground level were the keys to success and once
again this had led him on another path to record damselflies, flowers, bees and insects.

Concluding his presentation with sweeping vistas of well known local landmarks, he reminded us that returning
to places previously visited at different times of the year, in different weather conditions, changing lenses and
looking for different viewpoints, were all factors worth considering in our photography.

A mix of rural and urban, indoor and outdoor, home and away, wide angle and close-up photography, Dave's
presentation had something for everybody. Co-Chair Roseanne Robinson thanked him for sharing his excellent
images and constructive commentary throughout the evening.

Davy.