Portrait Gallery
The camera
group visited the
National Portrait Gallery
at
photographic studio.
Here we were confronted with all manner of
wonders beyond our photographic dreams and Roger,
an expert, who
was on
hand to show
smart-alecs
such as me how to use the
Aladdin`s cave to best effect.
We arrived
on Wednesday, after
dodging the rain and hungry
looking traffic
wardens we slipped in through the back-door.
Roger appeared
and whisked us
off for a
brief tour of the
photographic portraits.
It was during this tour that I became
convinced that
I too would
produce pictures as good as these
once I had used the Studio
(we all must dream).
After the
brief tour we
proceeded to the Studio for the main
event. Roger steered us back to earth as we stared
open mouthed
at the
wonders before us. We were shown
the different backdrops
(including a
transparent screen, used for
back-projection, but
more about
that later) the lights, variable
power flashlights,
the effects of these and most valuable of all
guidance on how to
achieve them.
Sandwiches were
then eaten before we set forth to create. We
then took turns to be either the subject or the
photographer for
a series of black & white portraits
using our newly found skills
and ideas.
Wednesday there ended, could I contain myself till
Saturday?
Saturday arrived: this time we headed straight to
the Studio for
the wonders
of back-projection and
printing some of our
portraits. We had already worked out how we wanted
our colour
shots to
look, so Jackie
arrived with many props and
looked
great.
Meanwhile groups
of two were
joining Brian in the darkroom
printing some
of the results of Wednesday`s
portrait session.
See Arthur or Michael for
some great portraits.
I am
now desparate to see
to see the results of our efforts.
Thanks millions to Brian
and Roger. MORE PLEASE