THEIR work is usually found in a partnership between image and text – but this month the work of Leader photographers Gareth Gardner and Peter Hardin will speak for itself.
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They’ve just opened an exhibition in Ray Walsh House of their favourite images from recent years.
Capturing the moments of the region and its people, it will run until the end of the month.
Among Mr Gardner’s subjects are a former child soldier in a moment of thought; and an exhausted firefighter in a scorched paddock.
Mr Hardin’s shots include a paramedic at ease; and a woman on Anzac Day, clutching a photo of her soldier father and uncle.
Mr Gardner said he liked “to capture a person’s character in a single photo – I think that’s what good portrait photographers try to do”.
He said he’d relished the chance to show some of his work in black-and-white.
“I find colour can be distracting – especially in a colourful modern world. It’s important to me to strip that away and focus on the nature of a person,” he said.
Mr Hardin said: “I don’t photograph subjects, I photograph the way they make me feel”. “Admittedly, it’s a bit of a strange concept [but] it’s the best way to describe my approach to the craft.”
He said the aim of the photo was “far more important than the aesthetic value”.
“All my work has a reason – whether to inform, make a statement, create a discussion or argument, it always seeks to provoke a reaction.”
Exhibitions and collections officer Pam Brown said the two men's work was “very compatible but very different at the same time”.
“They’ve embraced the whole process and it’s a wonderful opportunity to showcase their work as artists,” she said.
“They’re not only photographers as part of their work but they’re driven artistically to produce, and it’s wonderful for us to see all their amazing works.”
The exhibition in Ray Walsh House will run from 8.30am to 5pm Monday to Friday, until the end of the month.
Carolyn Millet
Based at The Northern Daily Leader, Tamworth, and Namoi Valley Independent, Gunnedah. Covering general news and features on community, council, arts, business, health, education, entertainment and rural matters.
Based at The Northern Daily Leader, Tamworth, and Namoi Valley Independent, Gunnedah. Covering general news and features on community, council, arts, business, health, education, entertainment and rural matters.
