Tone, Texture, Time – an Exhibition of Photography at Manor Farm Country Park

An exhibition showcasing the work of three Hampshire-based photographers is on at Manor Farm Country Park, Pylands Lane, in the farmyard reception theatre.

Ella Gale, James Hodgson and Matthew White display a mixture of colour, and tinted black and white photographs, all inspired by the natural world.

Ella Gale lives locally and is a scientist in nanotechnology. She took up photography three years ago, she says so she could take long country walks instead of writing her PhD.

Antique photography has influenced Ella’s technique of recreating black and white as subtle-toned prints and she often uses ‘near-infrared’. This, she says, enables her to capture the ‘ethereal world’ that lies behind the image that meets the eye.

James Hodgson lives and works in Hampshire and describes his photographs as abstract in style, focusing on the details to the ‘exclusion of the context’.

However, he admits also that he’s inspired by landscapes, and he has recently been specialising in black and white.

His initial inspiration Scottish landscapes, Matthew White also professes a passion for capturing flora on camera and hopes that his photographs will not only let the public experience the ‘beauty and fragility’ of his subjects, but also encourage an interest in conservation.

All photos are for sale and range in price from £50 to £65.

Subjects range from a Japanese volcano to landscapes in Keswick and the Lake District, the Serpentine in Hyde Park and to Hockley Viaduct and River Park in Winchester.

Snow features in many of the photos and on a hot summer day – which it was when I visited – it was easy to imagine myself transported to another time and place. Each photo has its own beauty and the exhibition is well worth a visit.

Tone, Texture,Time is on until Sunday 31 October and open daily from 10.00am-5.00pm. Entry is free – car-parking £2.00 (redeemable if you pay for a farmyard ticket).

Phone 01489 787055 for more information, or see the Manor Farm Country Park website.