Michelle Burrows

Michelle is a very busy person, what with almost a full time demanding job to hold down with the National Health Service, I really have to admire her and our club members in the same position who have to fit their photography in around their work. A big difference from when I first joined the South Liverpool P S many years ago when the majority of our members were all retired people.

‘Are you talking to me’. I love to look at and take black and white photographs. The absence of colour can add real mood, atmosphere and detail to the subject. This one is part of an exhibition by Plenza at the Yorkshire sculpture park. Plenza is also the creator of the dream seen of the M62 at Sutton Manor.

Michelle bought her very first camera in 1992, a very sturdy SLR with a standard lens called a Praktica, a very popular film camera.

After coming out of a long illness she decided to take up photography as a hobby and used her camera frequently to capture images that would help her remember her many day to day activities and experiences on film. She broadened her knowledge by enrolling on a photographic course with a strong emphasis towards black white printing and soon set up her own darkroom. Photography soon took off in her life and it wasn’t long before she had enrolled in a further course at Liverpool Art Centre but found the discipline of college a little restricting .

‘Last day of the Everyman’. It was a symbolic moment when the city’s much beloved theatre closed it’s curtains…and now the unveiling of it’s new incarnation is happening this weekend. I was lucky enough to get this picture for the former and hope to get another picture but this time of the first day of the new Everyman. I like to see what a camera can pick up in low light conditions and the treatment in post production reflect my love for paintings.

Particularly drawn to people photography she visited a number of festivals including the Gay Pride festival in London, Manchester Pride and the Liverpool Pride festivals which gave her the opportunity to gain the picture taking experiences she was looking for.

Michelle joined the South Liverpool P S five years ago after meeting up with a SLPS member at the South Liverpool Art Society who introduced her to the club.

‘Rainy Day’. Taken on a wet but bright day through the car windscreen on Bold Street. This image again reflects my passion for accentuating what’s already there, in this instance rain, and pulling the effect with a complimentary software water colour filter, so the colours bleed into one another creating a painterly feel.

She was very quick to cease the opportunity to enter the club competitions and show her work to fellow members after winning one of the clubs top annual prizes in the Avant-garde gave her the confidence to go on and collect more competition awards.

She found many members were interested in her images and enjoyed the friendliness at the club very encouraging, and continued to enter many of the clubs competitions.

Having progressed to the digital world of photography she uses aLumix compact camera with its Leica lens, model DMC –T Z35 and always carries the camera with her.

‘Sea Oddysey’. I loved the giants when they visited. The whole sea odyssey epic was captivating. Completely mesmerized by the story and how it was played out. lucky enough to be there when the little girl and her uncle were reunited, even had to put my camera down at that moment. Looking forward to their return in the summer.

Her only dislikes about the club are she is unable to attend every week due to her work schedules.

She is also very active to promote her work at local markets and trade fairs and frequently sells her work in exhibitions at the St Georges Hall market days and places like the Met Quarter and the forthcoming International Womens day in Liverpool.

‘Sun going down’. Technically not a great image maybe, but to me it speaks of love and loss.

Another of her pleasures is to visit the many local exhibitions of Art at the Walker gallery where she enjoys the work of Rankin and Turner.

‘Taking Shelter’. Taken during last years food and drink festival in Sefton Park . People took shelter under a marquee during a heavy downpour. Here i am experimenting using the panoramic feature on my camera, and then adding my beloved painterly effect.

Michelle’s partner Lisa is her main critic and often accompany’s her on her many photographic exploits, however she does have a very good eye for a picture and is a big asset to her work .Finally we ended with a discussion on the clubs future Michelle would like to see more women members and some ethnic and Special needs groups would certainly broaden the range of members in the club.

Whose looking at who’. Found on wall in wood street opposite fact. This reminds me of Banksy’ whose work I like. It’s called ‘whose looking at me?’, because I am reminded of the voyeuristic nature of photography.

Chat Lines by Tony Myers FRPS with Michelle Burrows.