The Patience of Pierino

Paul Gallagher interviews Pierino Algieri

To date, the articles I have written have concentrated on my work and have almost been exclusively dedicated to my pursuit of monochrome landscape photography. Over the years I have been fortunate to cross paths with many fine landscape photographers who also work in monochrome and colour. Considering the landscape is seen by all in colour I felt it would be logical to look at the work of another landscape photographer who in my opinion produces spectacular work of a region of the country that I visit far less than I would like to.

Born in 1955, Pierino Algieri was raised in the Conwy Valley. His father, Vincenzo Algieri came to this country as an Italian prisoner of war and was held in a camp in Llanrwst. Pierino has been interested in photography for many years but only took it up seriously since 1995. Living at Llanwrst in Wales this has been his lifelong base surrounded by the stunning countryside where most of his work has been collected over the years. If you live in Wales the odds are you would have seen his work in a number of different locations such as craft and arts fairs and ‘The Gallery’ in Betws-y-Coed and The Tannery in Llanrwst. His images are also featured on the Snowdonia Wales Net website at www.snowdonia-wales. net and he has a contract with the leading postcard manufacturer Judges. He was successful in winning the Rural Landscape section of the BBC Countryfile Photographic Competition in 1998 with a picture of derelict quarry barracks and he also had a picture of a mountain stream and icicles published in the BBC Countryfile 2003 calendar and another picture in the 2004 calendar. His pictures have been published in a number of national and international magazines and tourism brochures. Welsh businesses regularly use his images for corporate Christmas cards and calendars. Having a website has enabled his pictures to be seen worldwide, he has exported prints to customers and businesses overseas and has now added cards and calendars, and recently a new addition is canvas prints. Pierino was also successful in obtaining a distinction in photography in 2002 by submitting 15 prints that were judged by a panel representing the Photographic Alliance of Great Britain (PAGB)

As a result of his popularity, Pierino regularly gives lectures to clubs and societies and shows his exhibition-size prints that are produced by BPD Photech, which he says he prefers over an audiovisual presentation. With all of the above you would be led to believe that this was his full -time profession but you would be mistaken. Pierino still holds down a full-time career working for the Environment Agency as a fisheries conservation officer which is where our paths meet as I also work for the same organisation! Other similarities between Pierino and me are in the equipment we use to collect our images of the landscape. To attain the quality he requires Pierino uses both medium- and large-format kit consisting of a Mamiya RZ67 and Ebony 5x4 camera. Pierino and I agree that it is wonderful to look at the quality and definition these cameras offer in the final image but carrying them around is a task that requires a true dedication and ‘strength’! He estimates his pack to weigh approximately 30lbs! Pierino also uses a Hasselblad XPan for panoramic work which he feels adds a sense of scale to the Welsh mountain region. The film of his choice is Fuji Velvia and he obtains accurate exposure using a dedicated 1-degree spot exposure meter and a set of Lee filters. All of his work is, of course, collected using a tripod as the Fuji film is rated at ISO 50, which sometimes requires an exposure time of a second. Many photographers tend to be attracted to photography in the slightly warmer seasons such as spring and autumn but the favourite season for Pierino is winter. He states that the Welsh mountains are an inspiring environment to work in at this time of year and the snow and ice offer wonderful foreground detail to an image.

As with many landscape photographers, myself included, part of the art of photographing the perfect light involves patience and plenty of it. Pierino recalls one particular image where he spent an hour-and-ahalf waiting for the sun to set and watching as the sky turned a wonderful deep red. During this time the interest in what he was doing led to a group of passers-by gradually congregating in a lay-by next to him all collecting the same image with their compact cameras! Another image that is of particular importance to Pierino is one of the ruined miners’ barracks above Capel Curig. His great-great-grandfather worked as the quarry manager here at around 1860 and the image was collected after a very early start in the morning to get the light just right. Pierino says, “You try to imagine how people lived and worked at that time”.

It has been some time since I have dedicated a day or so to get out with my Ebony and ‘see’ in colour and capture the wilds as we see them. Pierino and I met last week at a lecture I was giving at the Wales RPS Monochrome Group and he showed me some of his stunning work. It was suggested that, in the near future we will get together for a day in Wales and he could show me some of his regular locations. With the introduction of the new Fuji transparency film that will replace the older version of Velvia 50 and the offer of a trip to Wales, who knows what might appear in a future issue. Gallagher in colour? Now there’s a thought!

Photo Quote: Simply look with perceptive eyes at the world about you, and trust to your own reactions and convictions. Ask yourself: "Does this subject move me to feel, think and dream? Can I visualize a print - my own personal statement of what I feel and want to convey - from the subject before me? -Ansel Adams