Our May session once again showed how diverse subject matter can be represented with a contemporary viewpoint. 

It’s all about intent and how the photographer is able to transport the viewer to another place and to understand their expression.

We opened with a flight of imagination when Clive Haynes invited us to stroll along the shores of an imaginary island, conjured from close-up images of the hulls of boats.  Imagination was also the realm for Eric Williams as he took us to the inverted world of reflections.

Foreign destinations frequently figure in our contemporary expressions.  This time Alex Isaacs showed aspects of street life in Colombia whilst Dr. Charles Ashton’s set of gritty images from Delhi revealed how every part of an automobile’s ‘power-train’ can be manually disassembled and recycled.

Closer to home, Derek Skinner ventured to Canwood Sculpture Park for his take on the various works.  Nigel Reader visited the jewellery quarter of Birmingham where old buildings are being repurposed and new structures are rising where, hopefully, the light of an illustrious past will illuminate the future.  

Stewart Bourne presented a series of images which explored the harsh truth about fighter aircraft: the man-machine’s grim and sole intent to attack and to kill.

In lyrical contrast, Tessa Mills looked upon the lighter side with images to celebrate the joy of life and the constant surprise of ‘being’ in all its vitality.

Bob Oakley used the process of simulating Polaroid photos to form a cohesive set which  combined both nostalgia and imagination.

We enjoyed inspiration from two ‘outside sources’.

‘Small Places’ by Jim Hill eloquently and economically explores the loneliness of remote small town America at night. Link:  Small Places

The urban environment was also the subject for Barbara Strigel who has a very different approach, expressed through her delightful and deceptively simple imaginative photo-collages.  Inspired by the work of Italian architect Aldo Rossi, here’s the link to her set, ‘If We Were to Talk About Architecture’

All members’ work from our session can be seen in our Viewpoint e-book for this month.  Click on the image below or this link:  Viewpoint and choose the May edition.  The same link provides access to many previous issues of ‘Viewpoint’ - a fascinating treasure-trove waiting for you to explore!