Mr. Brian E Swinyard BA(Hons) MA ARPS EFIAP DPAGB PSA1* BPE2*

Aspirational' Photographer with special interest in Creative, Travel and Portrait photography.

Born in 1943 in Bristol, England, Brian developed his first B&W photograph at the age of 13, although he did not begin a serious interest in photography until 1984.

Since then, he has been an active member of various Camera Clubs in UK (currently member of Cheltenham and Gloucester Camera Clubs) and overseas (founder member of Ayios Nikolaos Photographic Society, Cyprus).

Regarded in the UK Camera Club Circuit, not only as a prolific image-maker but also as an inspiration to others. His photography, which nowadays is almost exclusively digitally-based, is varied, shows a great deal of technical expertise, originality and enviable imagination. Many of his images have been accepted (some Medal winners) in National and International Exhibitions and Salons in Austria, Belgium, Canada, Caribbean, China, England, France, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Luxemburg, Portugal, Scotland, Singapore, Spain, Ukraine, USA and Wales. His work has been published in In-House Journals, Photography Magazines and Photographic Journals.

Brian has participated in Exhibitions in Cheltenham, Gloucester and various locations in Europe, Middle East, Far East and American continents. This included an Exhibition entitled Picturing The Modern which toured various galleries in UK. Some of Brian's images can be viewed on the Member's Gallery at the Royal Photographic Society website: http://www.rps.org.

He recently made the transition to digital with the purchase of a Canon EOS 20D, assorted lenses and accessories. Prior to this, whenever abroad on business or pleasure, his trusted Minolta SLR Dynax 7xi and 7000i cameras were his constant companions. His preference, with his wife Angela, is for the long-haul, off-the-beaten track, back-packing type of destinations. Recent expeditions have included Tasmania, Bolivia, Peru, Cambodia and Vietnam.

Brian is currently working towards the Fellowship of the Royal Photographic Society (FRPS), Excellence of the International Federation of Photographic Art/Bronze (EFIAP/b), Master of the Photographic Alliance of Great Britain (MPAGB), Photographic Society of America (PSA) Two Star Award and British Photographic Exhibition (BPE) Three Crown Award.

He graduated Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Psychology with The Open University, Master of Arts in Photography with De Montfort University, Leicester. The latter included critical surveys and analysis of: Moment Of Death photographs in war photography, Urban Landscapes viewed as monochrome negatives and Personal Identity: Transition from Camera Club to Fine Art Photographer.

Using the ways that photography can abstract and formalize reality, Brian has been encouraged to produce images that question the traditional concepts of what is and what reality means. The emotional content of his images has now become more important than hitherto.

Brian's photography no longer concentrates on events and behaviours in a clinical, detached and anonymous way but now attempts more to capture feelings, emotions, moods and interactions, which yields a far more complex, satisfying and richer palette, in an attempt to give meaning to those events and behaviours. The images initiate a dialogue with which the viewer can relate; an aesthetic dynamic of creative individualism

Brian tutors on both our Basic Photography Course and our Digital Imaging Course