Summer months provide frequent fair-weather opportunities for our photography.
Summer months provide frequent fair-weather opportunities for our photography. During this month’s session we enjoyed many UK-based summer moments as well as pictures from more distant lands.
Dr. Charles Ashton revealed aspects of a down-at-heel yet stoically proud side of life within the less affluent back-streets of India. Whilst Charles’ work featured the human condition, Kaz Diller’s set took as its inspiration the architectural simplicity of Oscar Niemeyer in an aesthetic landscape almost devoid of humanity except for an occasional fleeting presence.
Tessa Mills’ set of images examined time and space as visitors respond and interact with the vastness of the beach at Westward Ho. Here, twice a day, evidence of their transitory presence is wiped clean and the pristine, apparently timeless sands are rearranged by the tide. We can’t walk upon the same beach twice.
Bob Oakley focussed his attention upon areas of Liverpool within easy walking distance of the city centre that for one reason or another have been abandoned to the whims of nature and roaming graffiti artists. In their own way, both forms of life provide colour and an eerie form of urban renewal or perhaps, reuse.
Geoff Hicks provided a graphic reminder about the toll of death imposed upon wildlife running the gauntlet of vehicles speeding along highways. His stark series illustrates how cadavers can represent a form of beauty as much as when floral still-life depicts plants which have succumbed to the inevitable. Geoff discovered a poignant meditative beauty in death - or ‘thanatopsis’ as it’s more poetically known.
With fewer offerings and correspondingly more time available for individual presentations this month, Clive and Gill Haynes were able to show their extended photo-essay ‘The Fortified Land’. This evolving series represents how, throughout history, the wild borderlands of England and Scotland have been contested, ravaged and defended and the ways in which the near-continuous state of conflict influenced the building of strongholds. Through choice of viewpoint and treatment, their joint presentation combines depiction, personal response and interpretation.
We also enjoyed a set of images from Linda Marshall, but circumstances prevent the photos from appearing this time. We hope to be able to include some of her finely observed and individual work in the near future.
We featured one ‘outside source’. The work of John Humphrey shows an expressive ‘fine art’ approach with a contemporary aspect in his eclectic choice of subject material. Here’s the link: John Humphrey
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 July edition. The same link provides access to many previous issues of ‘Viewpoint’ - a fascinating treasure-trove waiting for you to explore!
