Andrew Gray

Thursday 27th September 2018
This week's guest speaker was Andrew Gray from a village close to Alnwick, Northumberland.
His presentation "My Camera as a Brush" introduced us to a technique known as "ICM" intentional camera movement. He describes himself as an Abstract Landscape Photographer. Andrew is a born and bred Northumbrian lad and takes his inspiration from the local area of his home.

He explained that like most new photographers he worked his way through the usual fields of traditional landscapes, iconic location shots and experiments with slow shutter speeds. Then converting to black and white.

He finally found his niche when he came across the work of Valda Bailey from East Sussex who uses multi layered images. As he said to us he was "captivated" and so his journey into ICM began. Using 19th century painters and JW Turner as his inspiration he has developed a style to create his current work.

He showed us images of Bamburgh as we had never seen, in dark blue tones and bright reds. Poppy fields from the dunes in various forms but all of an abstract nature. He also uses double exposures in his work and his images of the "Weeping Poppies" at Woodhorn  were a great example of this skill. He has also published a book "Intentional" with 46 images.(Kozo Books) Sold out!!!

He went on to explain his technique and with anecdotes of his workshops how he moves the camera, sometimes in a full 360` to get the effect he wants. His gear is not as you might expect, the latest but a Nikon D700 which he sai will live forever although it is looking a little battered now. Lenses, his most popular the Nikkor 16-35mm. ND filters are a must he explained to get the effect.

An excellent evening
http://andrewsgray.photography/
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Colin Livingstone
Secretary