Photographic tour of Britain

RICHARD and Carol Storier, two of Sileby Photographic

Society’s long-standing members, entertained their colleagues at the meeting held on Monday, 11th February.

They chose to project digital images which had been captured on camera over recent years whilst on city breaks within Great Britain.

The notable landmarks evidenced on trips to Bristol, Norwich and Chester provided ample material for the camera and, with a keen historical interest in facts and figures behind each image, their informative commentary only added to a very interesting evening of photography.

Presented in both monochrome and colour, images portrayed each city’s individual characteristics and Richard was able to draw on his vast photographic expertise when deciding on the best vantage point, positioning and lighting before pressing the shutter.

One of the many statues in Bristol was of Isambard Kingdom Brunel who designed both the SS ‘Great Britain’ and Clifton Suspension Bridge. Richard’s images of the restored ship showed the opulence which first class passengers enjoyed in stark contrast to the servants’ quarters.

Many superb images were shown of the structures around the Square and River Avon, together with the magnificent views obtained from the viewing platform of the Clifton suspension bridge, particularly the evening shots showing the bridge in all its ‘lit-up’ glory.

Norwich portrayed itself to be full of churches with the architecturally beautiful cathedral, inside and out, contrasting well with the colourful cottages by the riverside and the local street markets.

Chester, well known for its huge telescopic structures at nearby Jodrell Bank, provided great photogenic material, as did its partwalled city area, the racecourse and its own majestic cathedral, and Richard’s images represented fine examples of the city.

Saltaire, a Victorian model village and a UNESCO site, obviously had much to offer. Richard’s take of churches, the old mills, street-life, various monuments and statues, the town hall and houses for retired workers, captured the theme and he projected fine examples of photography and the accompanying descriptive story was fascinating.

Rural and landscape images captured on camera whilst on spring visits to the picturesque Lake District featured during the second half of the evening.

Visits to Grasmere, Loweswater, Buttermere, Derwent Water, Ambleside and Keswick were a landscape photographer’s dream and Richard’s projected images had captured the sheer beauty that the Lake District has to offer, and which undoubtedly contained some future competition winners!

Richard and Carol concluded their presentation with projected images captured on camera whilst visiting Gateshead and Newcastle. The Millennium Bridge at Gateshead over the River Tyne photographed equally well be it day or night, as did the images of the cities and buildings when viewed from an elevated position.

Colin Machin, president, thanked Richard and Carol for providing a very interesting tour around parts of Great Britain, which had not only contained very good pictures but posed the question “do we really need to venture abroad for our holidays with so much on offer within our own shores?”.

The next meeting will be held on Monday, February 25, which will comprise the Society’s 1st Quarterly Competition, and the judge on this occasion will be Steve Myall, EFIAP, BPE4*.

As usual, visitors and prospective new members are always welcome to attend the meetings which commence at 7.45pm for 8pm and are held at the Sileby Community Centre. Further information about the Society’s activities is available from its website, www.silebyps.org.uk