Virtual Meeting, ‘More Travels towards the Edge ’ - Tuesday 6th April 2021.
On Tuesday 6th April, Morpeth Camera Club held a virtual meeting to welcome guest speakers Sue O’Connell
FIPF EFIAP d/2 DPAGB ARPS BPE 5* and Peter Brisley FIPF EFIAP d/2 DPAGB ARPS BPE 5*, from Bristol, with
their talk entitled ‘More Travels towards the Edge.’ Both are highly accomplished photographers with a strong
interest in travel, although, as Sue pointed out, they are photographers who travel, not travel photographers.
Sue opened the evening by saying that they love to explore out of the way, slightly wacky places and that she
would be concentrating on Mongolia and Iran. Mongolia, known as the ‘Land of the Eternal Blue Sky’, where the
temperatures in winter can dip to -30deg, we followed their travels illustrating the nomadic culture and lifestyle.
Ulaanbaatar, its largest city, has evolved from a city of Gers, movable homes similar to Yurts, to bright modern
apartment blocks, due to the growth of the mining industry. However, the people have retained their traditions
of using Gobi Desert Camels, of Eagle Hunting, and most of all, their horses which they use for travel, sport
and herding. The audience saw street scenes, temples, parades, and images of vultures and eagles.
Beyond Ulaanbaatar lies a vast, featureless landscape devoid of trees, in remote areas like the Orkhon Valley
we enjoyed seeing the people setting up their Gers with their colourful interiors of rugs and wall hangings. In
the desert, ‘Land of the Eagle Hunters’, we saw images taken at The Golden Eagle Festival where Sue then
described the training of eagles and this was illustrated with dramatic scenes of eagle hunting on horseback.
Moving on to Iran, where in contrast to Mongolia, it was all about cities and exotic design. The audience saw
frescos of dancing girls and musicians, tiles, coloured glass, the bar-reliefs of Persepolis, unique wind towered
dwellings, and elaborate mosaic decoration used in the stunning arches of Isfahan.
After a short break, Peter took the audience to the Pantanal Wetlands of Brazil where they stayed in a Flotel, a
floating jaguar research centre, and took daily outings in small, silent electric boats which glided through the
pristine water and provided wonderful reflections of reeds and mangrove as a great backdrop for photographing
the local wildlife. Peter commented that it was bird heaven as it was the home of 463 species. Stunning images
of Black Skimmers, Capped Heron, Great Egret, the Anhinga snake bird, Saffron Finch, Hook Billed & Stilt Billed
Kites, Hyacinth Macaws, and the enormous Jabiru Stork with its two metre wingspan.
The Pantanal floods seasonally and the couple arrived at a perfect time when the water level was ideal to get
close up images of the Great Iguana, sunbathing Cayman, Capybara and Great River Otters who inhabit the
waters edge. They saw magnificent Jaguars on most of their daily trips; resting on boughs and lazing by the
waterside. Peter described their visit here as an overwhelming experience due to the abundance of wildlife.
Moving on to India, Peter described it as mind boggling, and all about colour. In Rajasthan we saw busy street
scenes with an open air laundry, musicians, bakers, murals, doors, graffiti, fabrics, windows and ceramic tiles.
Then on to the tribes of Gujarat, and of the 200 tribes in India we saw the semi-nomadic tribe of Rabari, who
are synonymous for their herdsman’s turbans, their sacred adorned cattle, and moody shots of dusty, cattle
herding in shafts of evening light. Images of the Dhanata Jat women in colourful clothing and jewellery, and
the Mir ladies, with heavily hennaed skin, and the most adorned with jewellery of any tribe, Peter described
them as living in abject poverty but were nevertheless, calm, happy peaceful people.
Club Chairman, John Barnes, thanked Sue and Peter for taking us to so many interesting countries, for
explaining the lifestyle of the local people and for the wonderful images of wildlife in their natural environment.
Steph.
FIPF EFIAP d/2 DPAGB ARPS BPE 5* and Peter Brisley FIPF EFIAP d/2 DPAGB ARPS BPE 5*, from Bristol, with
their talk entitled ‘More Travels towards the Edge.’ Both are highly accomplished photographers with a strong
interest in travel, although, as Sue pointed out, they are photographers who travel, not travel photographers.
Sue opened the evening by saying that they love to explore out of the way, slightly wacky places and that she
would be concentrating on Mongolia and Iran. Mongolia, known as the ‘Land of the Eternal Blue Sky’, where the
temperatures in winter can dip to -30deg, we followed their travels illustrating the nomadic culture and lifestyle.
Ulaanbaatar, its largest city, has evolved from a city of Gers, movable homes similar to Yurts, to bright modern
apartment blocks, due to the growth of the mining industry. However, the people have retained their traditions
of using Gobi Desert Camels, of Eagle Hunting, and most of all, their horses which they use for travel, sport
and herding. The audience saw street scenes, temples, parades, and images of vultures and eagles.
Beyond Ulaanbaatar lies a vast, featureless landscape devoid of trees, in remote areas like the Orkhon Valley
we enjoyed seeing the people setting up their Gers with their colourful interiors of rugs and wall hangings. In
the desert, ‘Land of the Eagle Hunters’, we saw images taken at The Golden Eagle Festival where Sue then
described the training of eagles and this was illustrated with dramatic scenes of eagle hunting on horseback.
Moving on to Iran, where in contrast to Mongolia, it was all about cities and exotic design. The audience saw
frescos of dancing girls and musicians, tiles, coloured glass, the bar-reliefs of Persepolis, unique wind towered
dwellings, and elaborate mosaic decoration used in the stunning arches of Isfahan.
After a short break, Peter took the audience to the Pantanal Wetlands of Brazil where they stayed in a Flotel, a
floating jaguar research centre, and took daily outings in small, silent electric boats which glided through the
pristine water and provided wonderful reflections of reeds and mangrove as a great backdrop for photographing
the local wildlife. Peter commented that it was bird heaven as it was the home of 463 species. Stunning images
of Black Skimmers, Capped Heron, Great Egret, the Anhinga snake bird, Saffron Finch, Hook Billed & Stilt Billed
Kites, Hyacinth Macaws, and the enormous Jabiru Stork with its two metre wingspan.
The Pantanal floods seasonally and the couple arrived at a perfect time when the water level was ideal to get
close up images of the Great Iguana, sunbathing Cayman, Capybara and Great River Otters who inhabit the
waters edge. They saw magnificent Jaguars on most of their daily trips; resting on boughs and lazing by the
waterside. Peter described their visit here as an overwhelming experience due to the abundance of wildlife.
Moving on to India, Peter described it as mind boggling, and all about colour. In Rajasthan we saw busy street
scenes with an open air laundry, musicians, bakers, murals, doors, graffiti, fabrics, windows and ceramic tiles.
Then on to the tribes of Gujarat, and of the 200 tribes in India we saw the semi-nomadic tribe of Rabari, who
are synonymous for their herdsman’s turbans, their sacred adorned cattle, and moody shots of dusty, cattle
herding in shafts of evening light. Images of the Dhanata Jat women in colourful clothing and jewellery, and
the Mir ladies, with heavily hennaed skin, and the most adorned with jewellery of any tribe, Peter described
them as living in abject poverty but were nevertheless, calm, happy peaceful people.
Club Chairman, John Barnes, thanked Sue and Peter for taking us to so many interesting countries, for
explaining the lifestyle of the local people and for the wonderful images of wildlife in their natural environment.
Steph.