Zooming in on Steven’s photo art
SILEBY PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY
Due to the impact of the Covid-19 outbreak on its ability to hold its usual Monday evening meetings at Sileby Community Centre, Sileby Photographic Society held its second Zoom meeting of the new season, 2020-2021, on Monday, September 14, when guest lecturer, Steven Fairbrother, gave his presentation entitled “Up High, Down Low”.
In real life, Steven, from Castle Donington, is a freelance graphic designer but, in his spare time, ably transfers his artistic skills to wildlife and landscape photography, pointing his camera at the natural world, sometimes combined with other subjects.
Steven went on to explain the equipment and techniques he used to capture his pictures, which included the use of a drone, a skill which he had perfected to good effect, particularly for his “Up High” images.
Visits to the scenic spots in Northumberland, the Lake District, Norfolk and, more locally, Bradgate Park, in various climatic conditions, rain or shine, had provided ample photographic opportunities for Steven to indulge in his favourite hobby while out in the great outdoors. Glorious images of coastline images, beautiful landscapes of the Lake District, low mist, heavy cloud, and lines of wooden rowing boats filling the shoreline beside the lakes, all provided great images, and presented in either monochrome or colour to suit the mood.
Lay of the land in nearby Ullswater just begged to be photographed, and the same could be said for Keswick and Derwent water, with panoramic views of this beautiful part of the country providing excellent images.
Occasionally, he would include people in his landscape picture, which would often provide an extra element thereby making for a better picture.
An isolated individual spotted in the distance whilst walking in the shadows through a line of poplar trees proved his point, together with other examples shown.
Images captured on camera during an Icelandic visit, were superb, magical land and seascapes, tumbling waterfalls, and great reflection images provided by mountains and lakes had great appeal, and his Up High, Down Low techniques had been applied to maximum effect. Steven completed his presentation with a short video whilst visiting Happisburg, Norfolk.
This included images of the Cley Windmill, and seals apparently “enjoying” what seemed to be a vicious scrap, and then seemingly playing together, swimming and rolling over in the pebbles at Blakeney Point.
Thanks were given to Steven by the president, John Hoogerwerf, for an interesting evening, and for explaining his techniques and persistence in his quest for excellent photography.
The next Zoom meeting will be held on Monday, September 28, when one of Sileby’s own members, Mandy Sherrington, will present “A New Zealand Journey”.
Anyone wishing to become a member of Sileby Photographic Society, enabling access to the weekly Monday evening Zoom meetings, should make contact with the society via its contact page on theSPS website, www.silebyps.org. uk when further details will be issued.
The programme for the current photographic year is also available to view.