Posted online: Jan 25th, 2010

An award winning local photographer is set to hold a major exhibition of his work next month.

Ballinderry man John O’Neill will launch “The Dark Side” to coincide with his tenth anniversary as a professional photographer.

‘The Dark Side’ will allow people to see John’s vision of the Sperrin and Mid Ulster district.. 

Using a unique lighting technique used on sunset images John exposes the Sperrins and Mid Ulster as never seen before. 

John’s love for photography developed in the late 1990s when he realised he had a gift for capturing landscapes and images through a lens.

Since then he has established a reputation as one of the best lensmen in the business with rally photography, wedding, landscape and portrait photography being areas of special expertise.

John explained the exhibition is the culmination of several year’s work.

He said: “This exhibition has been three years in the making and is a celebration of the beauty of the Sperrins as you have never seen them before.  The photos are all long exposure shots taken around dusk.  I also feel really privileged to be part of the Burnavon’s 10th Anniversary Celebrations as a local photographer from the Cookstown Area.”

The popular photographer outlined the unique process he used to take the pictures featured in the exhibition.

He said: “The exhibition is a collection of images from across the Sperrins and Mid Ulster that have all been taken at dusk and into the dark. I have used exposures from 30 seconds to 9 minutes and while the camera is recording I have painted light into the scene using various lighting techniques including a 10 million candle powered torch, flash guns and small handheld torches.

“I’m able to walk through the scenes as the camera can’t see me in the dark. The photos have been three years in the making with the autumn and winter months easier to work after sunset around 5.30-6pm in the spring summer images were been taken at 10pm.”

To view the exhibition sponsored by Outdoor Services, Magherafelt, call into the Burnavon Arts and  Cultural Centre from 1st – 27th February.

 Opening hours are Monday – Saturday 9am – 5pm daily.