Club Meeting, 'Volunteering with my Camera' - Tuesday 26th October 2021.
On Tuesday 26th October Morpeth Camera Club were pleased to welcome three of their club members, John Barnes,
Sue Dawson and Brian Morris who each gave a presentation entitled Volunteering with my Camera.
Sue Dawson opened the evening with her images taken for the Northumberland Sculpture Project for the charity Art
UK, the online home for the UK’s public art collections. The Northumberland area was shared between two volunteer
photographers and Sue covered the areas from Lindisfarne to Hayden Bridge and from Seaton Sluice to Snods Edge.
After training in Edinburgh in 2018 she commenced her challenging task. From a list provided she had photographed
ancient village crosses, follies, war and mining disaster memorials and drinking fountains. But on her journey she
came across and documented newer installations which hadn’t been recorded, such as the Killingworth Hippos, the
Hancock Museum Rhinoceros, Ouseburn artwork, the Newbiggin Art Trail, Amble Sun Dial, University and riverside
modern art and our own Emily Davidson statue in Morpeth. Throughout her talk, Sue provided us with humourous
anecdotes of curious bystanders, muddy tracks and traffic which all made for a very interesting presentation.
Next up was John Barnes, who having previously been a guide at Belsay, took up the challenge of the Belsay Wakes
Project which is part of English Heritage's major programme of interpretation, presentation and conservation at sites
in its care. After an interview at which the Project had advised on the type of professional imagery they required for
its website, reports and magazines, John, with his passion for history and photography, was selected. This meant
that he had access to all areas and was free to roam to rooms never seen by the public. He provided the audience
with a short history of Belsay, its additions, family history and inheritance. His job was to document the original
wallpaper, cornices and columns which would be used to document how the funds would be spent from the grant
given by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Images of the servant’s quarters, hidden toilets, kitchen bells, the old
staircases and rotting joists and hidden doorways for the chimney sweep were included in John’s images. We saw
scenes of expert gardeners replacing original garden features and the reintroduction of original plants and trees.
Images of outbuildings with masons’ marks, 800 year old artwork of shields, flags and trees, the stable block,
kennels and gun room concluded John’s informative talk.
Last but not least was Brian Morris who is also a volunteer photographer with English Heritage. His take on the
subject was, ‘what not to photograph’. One had to change one’s mindset to do this job, Brian said. The photographs
were not to be artistic, no faces could be shown unless a consent form had been signed and there was to be no use
of Photoshop, visible logos and not too much shade. It was down to the archivist to use or reject one’s images and
so it was best to send two options for approval. English Heritages vision is to set out to develop Berwick Barracks
into a thriving cultural hub for the town, bringing empty buildings and spaces back in use, to be updated and
improved. We saw Brians images of the tower interior, gun room with its copper and oak powder barrels, ramparts
and exhibitions. Part of the project included town walks and Brian had to photograph visitors, with prior permission,
exploring the town on British Heritage Day, taking in the Ice House tunnel and tower interiors. Also included in
Brian’s presentation were images of Birdoswald Roman Fort, Brinkburn Priory, Castlerigg Stone Circle, Eglingham
and Walkworth Castles. Brian explained fully the expectations, the do’s and don’ts, and the complicated regulations
to be adhered to before images are accepted.
Co Chair Sue Dawson thanked John and Brian for their presentations, after which refreshments were served.
Steph.
Sue Dawson and Brian Morris who each gave a presentation entitled Volunteering with my Camera.
Sue Dawson opened the evening with her images taken for the Northumberland Sculpture Project for the charity Art
UK, the online home for the UK’s public art collections. The Northumberland area was shared between two volunteer
photographers and Sue covered the areas from Lindisfarne to Hayden Bridge and from Seaton Sluice to Snods Edge.
After training in Edinburgh in 2018 she commenced her challenging task. From a list provided she had photographed
ancient village crosses, follies, war and mining disaster memorials and drinking fountains. But on her journey she
came across and documented newer installations which hadn’t been recorded, such as the Killingworth Hippos, the
Hancock Museum Rhinoceros, Ouseburn artwork, the Newbiggin Art Trail, Amble Sun Dial, University and riverside
modern art and our own Emily Davidson statue in Morpeth. Throughout her talk, Sue provided us with humourous
anecdotes of curious bystanders, muddy tracks and traffic which all made for a very interesting presentation.
Next up was John Barnes, who having previously been a guide at Belsay, took up the challenge of the Belsay Wakes
Project which is part of English Heritage's major programme of interpretation, presentation and conservation at sites
in its care. After an interview at which the Project had advised on the type of professional imagery they required for
its website, reports and magazines, John, with his passion for history and photography, was selected. This meant
that he had access to all areas and was free to roam to rooms never seen by the public. He provided the audience
with a short history of Belsay, its additions, family history and inheritance. His job was to document the original
wallpaper, cornices and columns which would be used to document how the funds would be spent from the grant
given by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Images of the servant’s quarters, hidden toilets, kitchen bells, the old
staircases and rotting joists and hidden doorways for the chimney sweep were included in John’s images. We saw
scenes of expert gardeners replacing original garden features and the reintroduction of original plants and trees.
Images of outbuildings with masons’ marks, 800 year old artwork of shields, flags and trees, the stable block,
kennels and gun room concluded John’s informative talk.
Last but not least was Brian Morris who is also a volunteer photographer with English Heritage. His take on the
subject was, ‘what not to photograph’. One had to change one’s mindset to do this job, Brian said. The photographs
were not to be artistic, no faces could be shown unless a consent form had been signed and there was to be no use
of Photoshop, visible logos and not too much shade. It was down to the archivist to use or reject one’s images and
so it was best to send two options for approval. English Heritages vision is to set out to develop Berwick Barracks
into a thriving cultural hub for the town, bringing empty buildings and spaces back in use, to be updated and
improved. We saw Brians images of the tower interior, gun room with its copper and oak powder barrels, ramparts
and exhibitions. Part of the project included town walks and Brian had to photograph visitors, with prior permission,
exploring the town on British Heritage Day, taking in the Ice House tunnel and tower interiors. Also included in
Brian’s presentation were images of Birdoswald Roman Fort, Brinkburn Priory, Castlerigg Stone Circle, Eglingham
and Walkworth Castles. Brian explained fully the expectations, the do’s and don’ts, and the complicated regulations
to be adhered to before images are accepted.
Co Chair Sue Dawson thanked John and Brian for their presentations, after which refreshments were served.
Steph.