Club Meeting, Vice Chairs Challenge 'All Square' - Tuesday 23th November 2021

  

This week the club Vice Chairman, Peter Downs, LRPS revealed the results of his first challenge of the season, ‘All
Square’ where members were asked to submit up to four square monochrome images. Sixty images were entered
by fifteen members who accepted the challenge and it was requested that competitors talk about their projected
work, where they were located and share details of the techniques used.

  

Entries included Lindisfarne framed by a mooring ring, shell detail, alleyways, a Tudor reconstruction, Byker Graffiti,
a gloomy stables interior, Blyth’s industry under storm clouds, seed heads and silhouettes. Quite a few entries took
advantage of the square format to showcase minimalism; backlit curved card, geometric ‘floating’ patterns, abstract
ships lights with a 1930’s influence, an atmospheric abstract of a Morpeth scene using intentional camera movement,
stark African wood carvings and architectural 3D patterns.

  

After the viewing, Roseanne Robinson, Club Chairman, asked rhetorically whether we had learned what it takes to
produce a good square formatted picture which led to a discussion on format, content, and monochrome imagery.
It was agreed that it was an interesting challenge to firstly find a subject, to consider whether the subject would
be enhanced by this format and whether it holds the picture together. It encourages one to think and plan about
the rule of thirds and the use of negative space. Some of the members did not look for a subject to specifically fit
the challenge, they saw in their chosen image an area that cried out to be used in the square format.

  

On the subject of abstract imagery, the question was asked: ‘Is it photography or digital art’, some of the images
shown had been influenced by photographers such as Tony Bramley who uses sharp geometric shapes to produce
impact and Michael Kenna whose stark minimalism in a square format provides dynamism and energy. On the use
of monochromatic images, it was generally agreed that, as we usually see the world in colour, this medium enables
the viewer to focus the eye on detail and can provide drama, effect, or emotion.

  

Club Chair Roseanne Robinson thanked Peter for a successful challenge and the authors who had supported it. An
example image is displayed from each author in the following order John Thompson, Karin Jackson, Paul Appleby,
Glyn Trueman, Dave Bisset, Graham Sorrie, Carl Harper, Pat Wood, Davy Bolam, John Barnes, Roseanne Robinson,
Stephanie Robson, Ursula Pearce, Sue Dawson & Peter Downs.

Steph.