Artistic passion still burning strong
The story of award-winning photographer John Speers, who lives at a sunshine coast retirement village, in his own words.
Above: Photographer John Speers with one of his prints.
A photograph can capture the essence of life and add colour to people’s worlds, according to prize-winning photographer John Speers, a resident of Immanuel Gardens Retirement Village in Buderim, Queensland.
“It’s a moment frozen in time,” said Mr Speers. “It brings joy to my heart, satisfies my desire to be creative and it is something people can share.”
The Buderim resident has won many awards for his landscape images, including a recent Colour Print of the Year award from the Queensland Photographic Society’s Toowoomba branch.
“It made me feel happy because we all like to win,” he said of the award.
In 2004 he was also awarded a monetary prize of $400 by the Heritage Building Society for an old colour slide of one of his daughters.
So widely acclaimed is his work, the Heritage Building Society also showcased four of his pieces of work in Toowoomba at the local university and art gallery.
John’s work captures landscapes of the Sunshine Coast and Toowoomba regions.
“I have taken photos in the mist, of the trees and in the outdoors when visiting places like an old shearing shack – I just used my imagination,” he said.
“I like photographing Toowoomba because it is inland and has mountains, forests and the environment is more varied. I’ve also photographed the beaches at Mooloolaba and Coolum.”
The 89-year-old has had no formal training but has moved with the times, leaving processing in darkrooms behind and embracing digital technology.
“I brought a laptop computer and taught myself how to use it and bought a digital camera; I’m very up-to-date now.
“I wouldn’t go back to the old-school ways now; [film and digital] are entirely different but they both produce a print, and you have to go with the flow as things change in life. I like digital photography because it is much easier, and doesn’t require you to stand in a room full of chemicals.”
John’s daughter, who lives in Paris, shares his love of photography and works in the field professionally. The father and daughter team have held a joint exhibition in the Toowoomba Art Gallery, which was attended by hundreds.
John’s advice to up-and-coming photographers is to keep feeling the passion for photography, and take it day by day.
“Sometimes I look at some of the images I took and think ‘I didn’t do that’.”
The retired Anglican priest loves his retirement unit in Buderim.
“It’s peaceful, we have lovely neighbours and nice people living around us and we are well looked after here,” he said. “I like that Immanuel Gardens is church-orientated and not-for-profit.”
Immanuel Gardens Manager, Steve Stacey, said he would be honoured to showcase some of John’s photographs in an exhibition at the village some time in the future.
Mr Speers said he would be happy for people to purchase his mounted images, so he can donate all proceeds to Immanuel Gardens Retirement Village.
