Our Members
Insights - Val Brierley, 23 Jun 2020
Insights - occasional articles about our club members - Val Brierley, 23 June 2020
'Insights' is a series of occasional articles about our club members. We see each other, we chat and we even sit next to each other on Club Nights but do we know about their path to photography. Each month or so we will chat to two of our club members to find out.
This series of chats with Club members continues, this time giving an opportunity to talk to Val Brierley and her journey into photography.
Val has been a club member for ten years and is currently the Club’s Vice Chairman.
Following her retirement in 2010, she decided to take her early interest in photography to the next stage. As a little girl her footsteps into photography began with a Box Brownie, and as a teenager, she started developing her own film and photographs, converting the family bathroom into a dark room – much to the worry of her mother! Her real interest was encouraged by her Uncle, who was a keen photographer himself being a member of the Rolls Royce Camera Club in Nottinghamshire. The attic was his darkroom and there she learned even more! His advice was simply – shoot what you like, when you like and from different angles – by experimenting you will get better!
Over the years Val has dabbled with various styles, but found portraiture held her interest and enthusiasm more. She enjoys working with people, be it on location or in a studio, where she can strike up a rapport with her a ‘model for the day’. In a studio she has found this has given her the freedom to set up her ‘shoot’ as she has imagined in her mind’s eye – and then go with the flow!
One shoot took her to Kingston Maurward, where she engaged the services of a model and required quite a bit of planning for the day. Whilst having a short break, one of the staff from the College came past to show a group of students a Harris Hawk in action. Of course, this presented an opportunity not to be missed, and when she had finished her talk, Val asked if it would be possible for her model (who had no concerns about such a bird!) to pose with the Hawk – absolutely fine and so some unique images followed. It pays to ask – you never know!
In Val’s kit bag you will find her trusty Canon 700D, a Canon 24-105mm and a Sigma 17-50mm – and a few bits, like all of us, we have forgotten we had. As for trying something out of her ‘comfort zone’ – maybe Macro – but her heart really lies with Portraiture. We will look forward to seeing more of her wonderful images.
~ by “Camera Shy"
This series of chats with Club members continues, this time giving an opportunity to talk to Val Brierley and her journey into photography.
Val has been a club member for ten years and is currently the Club’s Vice Chairman.
Following her retirement in 2010, she decided to take her early interest in photography to the next stage. As a little girl her footsteps into photography began with a Box Brownie, and as a teenager, she started developing her own film and photographs, converting the family bathroom into a dark room – much to the worry of her mother! Her real interest was encouraged by her Uncle, who was a keen photographer himself being a member of the Rolls Royce Camera Club in Nottinghamshire. The attic was his darkroom and there she learned even more! His advice was simply – shoot what you like, when you like and from different angles – by experimenting you will get better!
Over the years Val has dabbled with various styles, but found portraiture held her interest and enthusiasm more. She enjoys working with people, be it on location or in a studio, where she can strike up a rapport with her a ‘model for the day’. In a studio she has found this has given her the freedom to set up her ‘shoot’ as she has imagined in her mind’s eye – and then go with the flow!
One shoot took her to Kingston Maurward, where she engaged the services of a model and required quite a bit of planning for the day. Whilst having a short break, one of the staff from the College came past to show a group of students a Harris Hawk in action. Of course, this presented an opportunity not to be missed, and when she had finished her talk, Val asked if it would be possible for her model (who had no concerns about such a bird!) to pose with the Hawk – absolutely fine and so some unique images followed. It pays to ask – you never know!
In Val’s kit bag you will find her trusty Canon 700D, a Canon 24-105mm and a Sigma 17-50mm – and a few bits, like all of us, we have forgotten we had. As for trying something out of her ‘comfort zone’ – maybe Macro – but her heart really lies with Portraiture. We will look forward to seeing more of her wonderful images.
~ by “Camera Shy"
A photo of Val's model (Rin) with a Harris Hawk
