Despite the cold weather, David Simper caught the Service 61 bus to take in the opening of Steve Webberley’s exhibition at the excellent Tea Amantes tea room and gallery. This was a treat for the architectural photography fan and lover of saturated colour.
This small collection of high quality prints is a sample of Steve’s work over several years, reflecting the exotic places he has been, including Santorini in Greece, Bay of Naples in Italy and Malta. Home locations include England’s South coast and the North West region. Steve has used his phone and a Digital Single Lens Reflex camera to capture these images.
The pictures rarely feature a whole building, rather zoning into an area of detail, featuring saturated colour. Passing figures add perspective. This approach stops just short of abstract. Steve has used minimal digital editing, equivalent to dodging and burning in a traditional darkroom, to enhance these images.
How did you develop your preference for architectural photography?
“Through travel essentially: when I’d go on tours, on break off points, I’d get lost in the city. I’d usually work out roughly where I was and what the layout was; most places you can trace your way back, especially if it’s a hilly place. There’s perspective and quite often those kind of shots capture shifts in perspective and through shadowed light due to the hills or valleys, the light hits different. You could say that’s one way of achieving architectural photography, Other times it will be a big city like Manchester or New York; when you get hot sunny weather, especially in spring, the shadows are quite incredible. That throws up all sorts of patterns. Street photography comes into it as well; putting a bit of story to it adds scale and perspective.”
Do you select your destinations on the basis of its architecture?
“Not necessarily; I’ll have a list of places that I’d like to go to and that seems to change. I’ll do a bit of research and I’ll say ‘let’s go down that street’; it’s when you go away from the main drags that you are most likely to be rewarded.”
I observe that few of the frames feature whole building; what’s behind that?
“Not usually, but I have done some. I use good, tight editing to cut out the frame, and minimum use of software depending on the type of architecture or project, which might have softer palettes of tonality to it. If I’m using the big camera, I’ll use filters to cut out the glare, put in a bit of tone; it’s slightly cinematic. For photos it’s one third talent, another light and another scenery.”
Have you used film?
“I have used film. Not for a long time; I have done some work while at college. When I started, I used 90s era cameras. Then a friend showed me one of the new digital ones and I thought ‘I want one of those’. I do have a great respect for people who use film. Having been in darkrooms, there’s something about the process. These days with what I photograph, it’s digital. I’ve had some work published in Glossop, the Dark Peak Photo Show. I’ve got new openings this year. I think this year’s theme is identity. The work is displayed throughout the town, an open air exhibition.”
Where is your next destination?
“Maybe I’ll do some countryside work next, the Trough of Bowland or another Lancashire town; a different perspective. I’d like to go to Prague one day, yet another place on my list.”
How do you see things from developing from here-on?
“On the photography front, I’ll probably just make some more things for competitions, see what happens, do a few more photo walks; I might do some work in Manchester some time and then an exercise in Blackpool. Keep on getting better, you’re always getting better, no matter how long you’ve been in the game.”
Thanks to Steve for his insights and the Tea Amantes team for the juice, teas and nibbles.
This collection, occupying the tea room area, is well worth a look. The saturated colours, particularly in the Mediterranean frames, are striking and would complement many a lounge wall.
The exhibition continues at Tea Amantes until 1st February 2026.
