All images: © Alex Burke
For our last Zoom session before the summer, Viewfinder Photographic Society (VPS) will be welcoming large format landscape photographer, Alex Burke, who’ll be joining us live from Greeley, Colorado on Monday 14th April.
Living in Greeley, near Denver, gives Alex access to Colorado’s magnificent mountains and a gateway to the western United States. It also provides him with the opportunity to explore one of Colorado’s less-photographed locations: the eastern plains. These offer wide-open views, gently rolling hills and endless green fields that Alex believes create a special sensation that can’t be matched.
“The emotional connection we all have with nature is powerful. Nature can be intense and unforgiving as well as calming and peaceful. I seek out remote locations where these true feelings of the natural world can emerge, using photography as a means to capture these emotions and bring them back for all to see.”
Alex’s presentation, ‘Film in a Digital Age’, will describe his experience with using large format film equipment, its benefits and drawbacks, with examples of the results he is able to obtain. These include not just the wilderness areas of Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana, but also scenes from Alaska, the Yukon and even as far afield as New Zealand. Alex will also explain some of the logistics involved in using large format film ‘in the wild’ and what happens ‘after the shoot’ to develop the film and make each print.
“The way I see the world is best conveyed through the lens of a large format film camera. The extreme clarity of this traditional medium allows me to capture every minute detail in the scene just the way it was. The rich colors and tones of film allow me to express my vision powerfully, while the technical movements of a large format camera allow for incredible focus and perspective control unlike any other format. Using the mountains and the prairie as my classroom, I have taught myself everything I know about photography. Through this medium I invite you to join me on my journeys and see the natural world through my eyes.”
Non-VPS members are welcome to attend (£5.00 entry). Please email:tickets@viewfinderphoto.org to confirm your interest by 13th April and use the following bank details (including your last name as reference):
Account Name: Viewfinder Photographic Society
Barclays Sort Code: 20-43-47
Barclays Account Number: 83649202
You will receive a confirmatory email with a Zoom link prior to the event. For all enquiries, please email Amanda Smith (VPS Programme Secretary) or tel. 01482 867450.
All images: © Alex Burke