Little Print Show by Jonathan Vaines

This presentation was billed on our website as 'one man's artistic approach to photography, stepping out of the club mainstream'. This description proved to be true as Jonathon explained to us his methodology, his craft and his extreme enthusiasm for his subject matter.

 So, is he a photographer or is he an artist?

 Not my question but his, and we were left to decide.

 He invited us to think inside the box he explained his deep interest in shapes, colours multiple exposures and with the image - reduce, reduce, reduce. But follow that by build back! He led us through his treatment of work by Henry Moore and his love of light flowing through stained glass. He follows his heart and his eye. He told us of his visit to Great Yarmouth (Premier Inn on the promenade) and getting up at 4.15am to photograph the outer harbour. His shots did not show the real look of the harbour but their desaturated colours and the overall composition certainly produced images which were eye-catching and beautiful.

 He used a similar treatment at the Lowry Building in Salford Quay - he aimed at making it into Gotham City! And he did and it was beautiful.

 He talked of the quality of the light at the Imperial War Museum North and its wonderful architecture. Then he moved on to boats - 12 shots to make one picture. and what an attractive picture together with all the other examples he had taken of watercraft.

 Jonathon urged his audience to make prints and even suggested that the downstairs loo was an excellent gallery, after all everyone went there!

 Other examples of multi exposure of Plexi Glass in a bus shelter and his own shower curtain produced some beautiful prints.

 Plan, make sets, know your camera, visualise and work on projects. His final piece of advice.

 This evening really was a cornucopia of photographic and printing plenty. A wonderful first visit to NDPS. Our thanks for an exciting evening.

Cromer Impressions - copyright of Jonathan Vaines