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
+44 (0) 161 764 7312.
