Picture-perfect photography exhibition

31/03/2010

Suncraft Viking ship sculpture in Reykjavik, Iceland by Stephen Judge

Two talented members of staff from the College's Faculty of Construction will be exhibiting their photography for the first time at the Hawth Theatre, Crawley this April, as part of an initiative to encourage local artists and photographers to display their work. Photographic works of art by Stephen Judge and Mandy Lim will adorn the first floor gallery area at the Theatre for a two week period, 10 - 24 April, and the first-time exhibitors have been busily selecting and preparing their work since the exhibition was confirmed just over two months ago.

Although Stephen and Mandy have both been keen photographers for a number of years, it is only recently that they discovered their shared enthusiasm. Stephen specialises in photographing landscapes and architecture, and in his role as a Plumbing Assessor based at the Crawley campus, which sees him travelling around the local area, he makes sure he carries his camera with him at all times, to capture dramatic images whenever he sees them. He also enjoys travelling, and researches holiday destinations that offer interesting photo opportunities in order to pursue his hobby. He says "Photography for me is a great way to wind down and relax. Hopefully the technique will improve with time."

In contrast to Stephen's dramatic landscapes, Mandy specialises in photographing at close-range, and particularly enjoys working with flowers. Her work is all about finding an unusual angle, and she often uses Photoshop to digitally manipulate the images, which give them a fine-art quality. Mandy, who works as Teaching and Learning Coach and Course Co-ordinator for Functional Skills, has been interested in photography for about seven years, and it has been a serious hobby of hers for the last five years, after being encouraged by positive feedback from friends.

Both Stephen and Mandy are looking forward to their first exhibition, and after a full-on month of preparation and organisation, are excited to see if any of their work will be sold, despite an initial reluctance to put a price tag on the images in the first place. Mandy says "The exhibition isn't about making money - we have done this to share our pictures, and share our enthusiasm for photography. We hope people enjoy it."