PHOTOGRAPHY by JON SPARKS

Books: 'Lancashire Moods' and 'Portrait of Lancaster' Calendars: 'Landscapes of North Lancashire and South Cumbria' and 'Lancashire Landscapes'

Launched at the Lancaster Tourist Information Centre,
Castle Hill, Lancaster
Monday 6 June 2005

Lancaster photographer's camera on fine form
with some sharp captions and a ready wit too

The excellent and evocative images of Lancaster Photographer Jon Sparks should need no introduction to readers of this site. You can buy or see prints of his in any number of places round and about the district – and this correspondent has even been comforted and cheered by large, framed prints of his in the out-patients department of the Royal Lancaster Infirmary. This is a worthy, if unusual, example of the Health Services making serious efforts to communicate with and meet the real needs of local people.

LANCASHIRE MOODS and PORTRAIT of LANCASTER
No matter, Jon Sparks' latest publications, in the form of two books, 'Lancashire Moods' and 'Portrait of Lancaster' together with two new calendars ­ 'Landscapes of North Lancashire and South Cumbria' and 'Lancashire Landscapes', were launched this Monday lunchtime at the Lancaster Tourist Information Centre (TIC), in the presence of the great and the good, including the Mayor, Cllr Joyce Taylor and the City Council's Principal Tourism Officer, Jim Trotman and other worthies.

This was a good choice of venue for such a do: an old building (eighteenth century at least), the source of information for all and sundry on our area, a civilised place to sip wine and eat local cheeses (the Ribblesdale Goat was delicious), and to meet the man with the eye and the vision. Oh, and the others too …

Sparks has the ability to see places which many of will see often, some indeed every day, and show us, through his mastery of photographic technique, something special, memorable, even unique, about the scenes and scenery we take for granted. His wry captions also convey a deep sense of love for the surroundings of his domiciled county and City. He was in fact born in Cheshire but, like your critic, clearly found the charms of Lancaster irresistible.

The City Council was pleased to be in on the launch – they do not miss the opportunity to promote themselves. "It is vital for tourism that we have good-quality photographs', claimed Mr Trotman, and quite rightly, because Lancaster is a product [sic, or are we a service?] that is advertised world-wide. The Mayor, too, was a Sparks fan: "I have always got your calendars, and I never throw them away,' she admitted – and that speaks for itself, because we won't be throwing his 2005 calendar away either.

There was more from The Mayor, who was particularly fond of his sunsets, she confided. She had seen, somewhere, a competition for the most beautiful sunsets in the world, and was outraged that a shot in Hawaii had won. This was nonsense, she said. "It's no good mentioning Hawaii', she fumed, "… the Morecambe Bay sunsets are by far the best', she cooed, now rather calmer. For once officialdom speaks for us all, and with no possible nuance open to misinterpretation.

Jon Sparks has been photographing the County in general and the Lancaster area in particular for fifteen years – "and two months,' some wag added. "My bias is still towards this northern end of the county", he admitted, noting the "exceptional richness,' of the area hereabouts. I think he meant visual, not monetary - which is a relief.

Like his prose, this is all crystal clear in the variety, range and evocative power of the images; familiar shots across the Bay, the sands, the cityscape, and some unusual, detailed shots of bits of the Williamson Memorial and other curiosities.

Jon Sparks has a more sensitive and unusually sharp edge to his work and its locations than many artists we have encountered in some venues in Lancaster. With a passionate simplicity that would shame most politicians, even green-tinged ones, he hoped that we were all committed to the integrity of our beautiful surrounding environment, and would "promote, protect and ensure it remains the special place it is'.

Well, if the by-passes and other commercial urban developments come to pass, we will at least have his images to remind us what was. And the outpatients at the RLI will feel even more reassured.

Copyright © 7 June 2005 Michael Nunn
Image © John Burkinshaw

The Books and Celandars are available from the Tourist Imformation Centres in Lancaster and Morecambe, and other reputable local booksellers (please support them!).

A reveiw of the books and calendars, with selected images, will be available shortly; watch this space ...