Focus Group of Photographers show their skills in Chichester

Spokesman John Bradshaw said: “The Focus Group of Photographers has exhibited in the Chichester area for many years but, like so many activities, this became a victim of the pandemic. Fortunately, and despite the frustrations, we are delighted to able to mount an exhibition again this year. Working within the timing of the restrictions we have been able to find new subjects and places to build a body of new work. The Group continues to embrace a wide variety of photographic genres. This year our exhibition is at the Oxmarket Contemporary gallery from March 21 to April 2, 10am-4.30pm each day, except Sunday and Monday.”

Participant Bill McKnight said. “It was a natural choice for me to choose landscape photography. I love being in the great outdoors. I don’t try to present a message with my images; quite simply I can please one person and that’s me. If other people like my images, it is a bonus.”

Nigel Chapman added: “At the age of ten my father introduced me to photography with a Kodak bellows camera and the processing of black and white film. In recent years I have concentrated on natural history subjects, in particular macro work. I have endeavoured to emphasise simplicity in the composition whilst being attracted by nature’s wonderful colours and designs or patterns.”

Peter Bamforth comes to modern photography with a distinct advantage, that of having worked in computing all his life: “Lately I have been turning my lenses toward the man-made urban landscape with architectural images and things more abstract. I choose my moment carefully and always manage to construct a truth and a reality which few of us can approach. My most recent work includes remarkable monochrome images.” Iain McGowan’s policy is to keep his equipment as simple as possible: “Even now I just use reasonably high spec compact cameras without interchangeable lens facilities.It seems to me that in this current era of photography we can become too obsessed with the technical aspects.”