Morpeth Camera Club: Eye-catching autumn images are displayed to members

Guest speakers Alan Porrett and Pat Porrett from Whitley Bay Photographic Society covered one of their many trips to New Brunswick, Canada, where they stayed at the home of renowned photographer Freeman Patterson.

Alan described life in this remote, sparsely populated, beautiful area of eastern Canada before showing their Audio-Visual Introduction with images of misty lakes, autumn coloured woodland and traditional houses.

Part One followed with old clapboard barns and churches, wild Canadian Rhododendron, Hay Scented Fern, Hostas, Canadian Oak, Sumac trees, peeling bark on silver birch, boardwalk bog gardens, backlit red sugar maple leaves and scarlet creepers adorning colourful lodges.

Images of coral-like Reindeer Lichen, Bracket Fungus and Ink Cap fungi and its life cycle followed. They went on to illustrate life in the area with the general store, a pristine wooden church, an early settler’s graveyard and school buses, whilst stressing the remoteness and distances between the hamlets and townships.

Another AV followed, entitled Colours of Decay, in which members saw a very colourful display of a graveyard of classic cars in varying states of rust and decay with bubbled chrome handles, multicoloured rust, flaked layered paintwork and cobwebbed interiors, with plant life growing through and around.

Part Two followed in which members saw images of the interior of an abandoned clapboard home, street scenes, trompe l’oeil murals, wooden covered bridges, river scenes and glowing images of the annual autumn clearance burn.

Alan and Pat were always keen to witness dawn mist on the creek – which they illustrated with autumn forests peaking through low mist, perfectly reflected in the creek below. Members saw the sunrise glowing on golden trees and backlit at sunset in this ever-changing, wonderful landscape.

Another AV followed which Alan described as a celebration of colour, pattern and texture. The audience enjoyed impressionistic images using intentional camera movement, multiple exposures, dreamscapes with a glowing halo effect; images which were delicately treated with soft tones, gradations of colour and with a painterly effect.

After a short Q&A session, where Alan generously shared his techniques, club co-chair Roseanne Robinson thanked Alan and Pat for their varied and colourful presentation.

Members were then able to view a selection of their prints displayed around the room during refreshments.

For more information regarding the club, please visit www.morpethcameraclub.co.uk and our dedicated Facebook page.