The Masters of Vision Exhibition, Southwell Minster, 25th July - 23rd August 2015

The Master of Vision is an exhibition of landscape photographs curated by local photographer Pete Bridgewood.  It is a biennial exhibition and this is the third running of it.  I had been intending to visit for some time but yesterday (Friday 21st August) was the first time I had managed to attend.  I found it excellent: awe inspiring and inspirational.  The exhibition is held against the stunning backdrop of Southwell Minster and it is worth a visit to see this alone.  The website says that it celebrates the state of the art in British Landscape Photography, showcasing truly beautiful imagery, an epiphany for creativity and a feast for the eyes.  The aim of the exhibition is to inspire and introduce the viewer to the work of some of the leading exponents of the exciting and wonderful work of landscape photography.

The exhibition features the work of 7 photographers: Valda Bailey, David Baker, Pete Bridgewood, Julian Caverley, David Anthony Hall, Paul Kenny and Mark Littlejohn.  Images referred to can be found on the exhibition website at http://mastersofvision.co.uk/

Valda Bailey
Valda Bailey says that her influence comes as much from artists as photographers and this shows in her work.  She is motivated by colour and form and the tension created by these two aspects.  I was very interested to see that, as well as using multiple exposures, she creates her images by intentional camera movement, both of which I am keep to experiment with in my body of work.  Whist looking at Valda's work I made a note to myself reminding me to include these techniques and also to make use of reflections in my work on the River Witham.  I found her images painterly and particularly enjoyed The Seasons Collide, which I found almost a watercolour impressionist painting.  On the Eve of Autumn was almost a Monet.  I liked the way her images were displayed: box framed and mounted on blocks to give a 3D effect.

David Baker
David Baker specialises in seascapes and forest photography.  A recent body of work is Sea Fever in which he portrays the power and energy of the sea.  I really enjoyed the mood he created by photographing during storms with huge waves and moody skies.  These are in sharp contrast to his long exposure and ICM work; they are pin sharp with every drop of water showing.  I enjoy his ICM work too which gives a moody abstract feel to the photographs.  I particularly liked Southbourne Beach, which won the 2012 Outdoor Photographer of the Year competition; the long exposure on the wave rushing out towards the viewer is very effective.  In his work on forests I liked the way he worked at dawn in order to achieve the effect of rays of light slanting through the pictures.
Again I made a written note to continue experimenting with long exposures in my work.

Pete Bridgewood
I have long been a fan of Pete Bridgewood's work. He says that  part of his workflow is to subtly alter the images during capture and post processing in order to achieve the result he desires.  I particularly enjoyed his image of Southwell Minster with its lowering sky.  I was inspired to try a similar image whilst there, but I am afraid that it doesn't match up to his work.  I also liked the simplicity his black and white image Loch Garry with its bad weather.  He is another photographer who makes use of long exposures.  I was interested in the high key pastel effect that he had created in two images: Passing Cloud and Mellon Udrigle.  I like the way his photographs were displayed: simply mounted and framed with light black frames.

Julian Calverley
Julian Calverly comes from a drawing and painting background, but he felt that it was through photography that he could best express himself.  All of his work in this exhibition was taken from his book Iphone Only.  I found these inspirational enough to buy the book.  It is a technique that I have already experimented with in my body of work.

David Anthony Hall
 David Anthony Hall has been a professional photographer for many years and his work has featured in many exhibitions.  His work here comprised stunning images of trees displayed incredibly large scale and 'wrap around'.  You could be in the wood.  He also had a photobook on display.  Although Half Dome featured the famous landmark in Yosemite Valley it was, also of trees and I liked the way the rock was seen through the trees, making them a vital integral part of the work.

Paul Kenny
Paul Kenny lives and works in Northumberland.  He is particularly inspired by the remote beaches of Wester Ross in North West Scotland and the western fringes of the Outer Isles.  I am particularly fond of the north west of Scotland and its wonderful beaches and have a trip planned to drive from Stornaway down through the Western Isles to Barra and then back via Oban.  It is said that he blurs the distinction between large and small.  I was amazed by his images and struggled to work out how they had been created.  One that stands out for me was Herring Gull Tide with its intricate detail of (presumably a herring gull's) feather.  But how had he done it?

Mark Littlejohn
Mark Littlejohn strikes a chord in me.  He describes himself as an aging scotsman living on the fringes of the Lake District who got into photography as way of recording his mountain walking.  I can identify with the mountain walking and the aging!!!  His artists statement says that his work continually evolves but tends to be centred on woodland scenes specialising in early starts.  Mark differs from Pete Bridgewood in that he performs the minimum of post processing making only basic adjustments in Lightroom and Nik software.  Both produce exquisite images.  Two images stand out for me: The Secret Life of Trees taken in Hartsop Woods where I like the black and white, the detail, texture and play of light and Silver Birch Reflection in which I like the colour monochrome effect, as if painted in gold.