The Artist
Alan Spencer
is a Bury-based photographer who has been quietly accruing accolades
and awards for his photographic works.
Former butcher,
musician, and self-confessed amateur, Alan only took to the
camera after attending courses at Bury Arts & Crafts Centre
in 1996 and soon gained recognition as his works began to appear
in national photographic magazines.
Alan has
no plans to turn professional. As he says:
"I'm
not interested in money at all because I'm comfortable already.
I didn't make a particularly good musician, or a butcher,
but I can take a good picture"
Among his
many award-winning photos are "Swing Dancers"
(left), a picture of two period dancers at East Lancs Railway
Station in Rawtenstall, which won him 'UK Photographer of the
Year' title in a competition staged by the North West Development
Agency.
For his
photo of "Ladies Paddling at Blackpool" (above
left) he was awarded Winner in the Leisure Category of BBC North
West Tonight & North West Arts Board Millennium Photography
Competition.
Alan was
also recognised in the category of Best Entrant Over 50 for
his photographic entry in the 2001 Insight Guides Travel Photography
Prize
The World
Trade Centre New York is particularly poignant, Alan having
taken the iconic image of the Twin Towers just 100 days before
the tragedy of their demolition by terrorists in 2001
Alan is
a regular visitor and photographer of Venice, a city which he
has recorded many, many times, including the dramatic Grand
Canal scene at night, many images of reflections in canals and
the most original image taken of the Venice Festival character.
He numbers
celebrities like travel broadcaster and photographer, Alan Wicker
and the Duchess of Devonshire among his admirers, as well as
international photographers like Lucinda Lambton. Ketty Palma,
Grace Robertson and R Thurston Hopkins.
Alan can
be contacted by telephone at 0161-764 7312.
