Exhibition for photographer with links to Yell

October 8, 2014 1

Photographed in front of some of Max Bruce's Shetland photos are members of the Shetland Society of Wellington. From left: Ross Mainland, Peter Glensor, Ruth Mainland, Andrea Hudson, Gibby Inkster, Pam Bruce, Max Bruce, Mary Bolt and Jane Haskell. — Photographed in front of some of Max Bruce’s Shetland photos are members of the Shetland Society of Wellington. From left: Ross Mainland, Peter Glensor, Ruth Mainland, Andrea Hudson, Gibby Inkster, Pam Bruce, Max Bruce, Mary Bolt and Jane Haskell.

A New Zealand photographer with links to Yell has opened an exhibition entitled “My Life in Photography”.

Maxwell Bruce, 84, and his wife Pam, an expert in photo restoration, are life members of the Shetland Society of Wellington.

In the summer of 1995 they spent 10 weeks in Shetland staying with Max’s aunt, Johan Mann at “Helenaquhida”, Burravoe, Yell. During this time they walked the coastline of the island – Max taking photos and Pam observing the birds and flowers.

Two years later Max exhibited photos from this trip in both Lerwick and Lower Hutt, New Zealand. Members of the Shetland Society of Wellington attended the launch of his latest exhibition.

Max has a particularly good eye for landscapes but what makes his work really stand out is that his collection is in monochrome. He is an old style photographer who takes only one shot of his subject. He has never owned a digital camera.

A great-uncle of Max’s was Arthur Abernathy who was a professional photographer in Lerwick early last century.