David Manners

Alastair 'n' David

About the Event

An associate of the Royal Photographic Society with over 40 years experience, work embraces the evolution of photographic technology from film to digital. Images encompass records of the natural world and also selectively extract pattern and form with an artists eye.

Event Type

Exhibition

Disciplines

Photography/Film/New Media

Telephone

01823 661453

Email

david@davidimages.co.uk

Website

www.davidimages.co.uk

Opening Times

Fri 7th	Sat 8th	Sun 9th	Mon 10th	Tue 11th	Wed 12th	Thu 13th	Fri 14th	Sat 15th	Sun 16th
closed	11am - 6pm	11am - 6pm	11am - 6pm	11am - 6pm	11am - 6pm	11am - 6pm	11am - 6pm	11am - 6pm	11am - 6pm

Further Info

A childhood upbringing in rural Sussex inspired David to explore and study the beauty of the natural world. Efforts to record the creatures and plants encountered in the meadows, hedgerows and woodlands in those early days were often thwarted by the limitations of the photographic equipment available to him.

Spurred on by studying the black and white images presented in books of the day that often depicted somewhat 'contrived' and static specimens, he developed skills to examine the detail and form of potential subjects. In later years, an artistic eye meant that the images he made were not just a simple record of the characteristics of the subject but were embellished with an aesthetic appeal. The acquisition of more suitable camera equipment enabled him to achieve the results he wanted. Extraction of detail and texture became important in his work by using the quality and direction of light to enhance these features.

Scientific study at school and college, coupled with many years working in medical pathology, further enabled his ability to record the world of wildlife with an understanding often lacking in many such images we see today. The accuracy of the information in the picture is of utmost importance. David is an experienced and knowledgeable general naturalist as well as a skilled photographer.

Along the way, paths crossed with naturalists and photographers whose names are synonymous with the art. He gained his Associateship of the Royal Photographic Society in natural history photography with a panel of images covering a spectrum of subjects from wild orchids to insects and mammals, all subjects which have remained his main fascination.

David's working life demanded the recording of detailed and accurate information of subjects far removed from the world of wildlife. Forensic photography demands a huge attention to detail and poses many difficult technical problems, and yet can still involve an aesthetic sense which will enable the viewer of the photograph to read and understand the information depicted.

Consequently, David’s images reflect all these experiences and many of his photographs have been published in books, magazines and latterly on websites. The digital revolution in photography has brought to the masses the ability to record images of life around us in a simple, economical way with a great degree of immediacy. However, applying a meaningful artistic quality to the images is not something that everyone can achieve.

Learning photography the hard way, understanding the nuts and bolts of equipment, the physics of light, the chemistry of film and paper processing can so easily be forgotten in the electronic age. David learnt these things 'on the move' and believes that understanding these factors is a vitally important part of the photographic art. Whilst the potential of digital manipulation of images has become available, David still prefers to work to a more strictly photographic level but uses electronic technology as a darkroom for the critical adjustment of images.

Having tutored photography to both adults and children and acted as a judge and critic on the photographic club circuit, he is aware that some people simply 'have the eye' whereas others may learn the rules of composition and aesthetics in an almost mechanical fashion. Within this concept, success is very often based not only on the application of these 'rules' but more importantly on knowing how to break them.

For nearly forty years David has offered an extensive programme of illustrated talks on photography and natural history subjects to Clubs and Societies and remains in demand for these throughout the South West counties. He is on the national speakers list of for the Royal Horticultural Society and Somerset Federation of Garden Clubs as well as the Somerset Wildlife Trust.

Venue Information

Address

Nynehead Court Residential Home

Nynehead

Wellington

Somerset

TA21 0BN

For Venue Information

01823 662481

Directions

Head for Nynehead which is a village in 3 parts! Venue is adjacent to Church and School, parking at Nynehead Court.

Parish

Milverton

Disabled Access

Good

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