Big Event, 'My Camera as My Brush' - Tuesday 28th October 2025.
Morpeth Camera Club met on Tuesday 28th October to stage its Annual Event featuring Guest Speaker Andy
S. Gray with his presentation entitled ‘My Camera as my Brush.’ Andy describes himself as an image maker
and is based in a rural Northumbrian village only two fields away from the family farm on which he grew up.
He opened the evening by explaining how he reached this stage in his career as a (ICM) Intentional Camera
Movement photographer and his progression through photographic styles using different camera techniques.
He experimented with long exposures and panning, and became obsessed with movement and he began to
remove himself from the pristine image. The resulting image of a kicked tripod, during a long exposure, gave
him interesting results which he then explored further. His influences have been primarily based on the works
of Valda Bailey, the photographic expressionist, his long-time appreciation of J.M.W. Turner and J.R.R. Tolkien
and we saw evidence of this in this evenings’ presentation.
Due to cost of equipment, he has more or less used the same camera over the years and consequently has
had to push its capabilities to become more creative. Due to his travel anxiety, he mainly concentrates on
local Northumbrian landmarks such as castles and abbeys as his subject matter. We then enjoyed seeing
alternative views of Dunstanburgh, Warkworth and Bamburgh Castles, where he has used overlays which
add drama and an otherworldly atmosphere using muted colours creating dreamlike qualities.
Experimenting with blend modes, layering, and rotation of camera, he has developed his own style. He said
that creating a scene from a landscape can represent something new and with imaginative process he can
create yet another image from the same subject. He keeps all his RAW files and can return to them after
years and finds that with the addition of newer software he can interpretate them differently.
After a short break Andy showed the audience locations that we could also be familiar with; an homage to
Turner, of Norham Castle, also The Glass House in Newcastle, the Vennel Steps in Edinburgh, Neist Point,
Skye, Lindisfarne Castle, The Shambles in York and the Kelpies, Falkirk; all in his distinctive impressionist
style. Andy loves processing at his desk and he generously shared with the audience his editing skills step
by step. He explained masking, combining images, tonal changes, rotation methods, layers and filters and
blurring, expressed with the passion that he has for his work.
He concluded his talk with a word of advice; when out on location you may be disappointed with what you
can see at the back of your camera, but you would be surprised at how much you do have and can work
with. Intentional Camera Movement does not have to be complicated; by moving small amounts you can
create something unique.
Club Chairman Jeremy Cooper, thanked Andy for an interesting and inspirational presentation, making it
a succssful and enjoyable evening.
Steph.
S. Gray with his presentation entitled ‘My Camera as my Brush.’ Andy describes himself as an image maker
and is based in a rural Northumbrian village only two fields away from the family farm on which he grew up.
He opened the evening by explaining how he reached this stage in his career as a (ICM) Intentional Camera
Movement photographer and his progression through photographic styles using different camera techniques.
He experimented with long exposures and panning, and became obsessed with movement and he began to
remove himself from the pristine image. The resulting image of a kicked tripod, during a long exposure, gave
him interesting results which he then explored further. His influences have been primarily based on the works
of Valda Bailey, the photographic expressionist, his long-time appreciation of J.M.W. Turner and J.R.R. Tolkien
and we saw evidence of this in this evenings’ presentation.
Due to cost of equipment, he has more or less used the same camera over the years and consequently has
had to push its capabilities to become more creative. Due to his travel anxiety, he mainly concentrates on
local Northumbrian landmarks such as castles and abbeys as his subject matter. We then enjoyed seeing
alternative views of Dunstanburgh, Warkworth and Bamburgh Castles, where he has used overlays which
add drama and an otherworldly atmosphere using muted colours creating dreamlike qualities.
Experimenting with blend modes, layering, and rotation of camera, he has developed his own style. He said
that creating a scene from a landscape can represent something new and with imaginative process he can
create yet another image from the same subject. He keeps all his RAW files and can return to them after
years and finds that with the addition of newer software he can interpretate them differently.
After a short break Andy showed the audience locations that we could also be familiar with; an homage to
Turner, of Norham Castle, also The Glass House in Newcastle, the Vennel Steps in Edinburgh, Neist Point,
Skye, Lindisfarne Castle, The Shambles in York and the Kelpies, Falkirk; all in his distinctive impressionist
style. Andy loves processing at his desk and he generously shared with the audience his editing skills step
by step. He explained masking, combining images, tonal changes, rotation methods, layers and filters and
blurring, expressed with the passion that he has for his work.
He concluded his talk with a word of advice; when out on location you may be disappointed with what you
can see at the back of your camera, but you would be surprised at how much you do have and can work
with. Intentional Camera Movement does not have to be complicated; by moving small amounts you can
create something unique.
Club Chairman Jeremy Cooper, thanked Andy for an interesting and inspirational presentation, making it
a succssful and enjoyable evening.
Steph.