19th Feburary - Monochrome and Me

​Dave Best travelled from Hexham to deliver his talk, Monochrome and Me, to CCC members. He explained that whether or not he produced images in colour or black and white depended on the subject matter but that some subjects, he felt, were more effective in monochrome. Dave had with him a book for us to view which he has produced on this subject. 
 
Dave showed us his images from a wide range of genres. He is widely travelled, often to visit close relatives, and this was reflected in his shots which were from across Europe, South-East Asia, Australia, New Zealand and the USA. His monochrome subject content included architecture (he thought that portraying the essential symmetry of architectural images was often aided by monochrome), statues, sports, bands performing at gigs and people (including close family members). He believes that black and white photographs often emphasise the textures on display.
 
Of particular interest was Dave's explanation of what was going through his mind when he took individual shots. He often spotted incongruity between different elements within the scenes he captured and was attracted to the stories and inconsistencies which they suggested. His images often invited viewers to use their imaginations about what was going on. Although he had himself spent 15 years as a photography judge (he is currently taking a break from judging), Dave admitted that he was sometimes frustrated by judges when they failed to understand the points he was trying to capture and to make in his images which had been submitted in competitions. However, he also showed some of his images which had won competitions.  
 
Dave is an articulate, warm and engaging speaker and his presentation was appreciated and applauded by all members in attendance.
 
Ray Barnes
CCC Programme Secretary