The launch of the EPIC Project's new Worthing Pier exhibition, featuring photographs taken of the recently-opened Sompting Brooks river trail and the wildlife it supportsThe launch of the EPIC Project's new Worthing Pier exhibition, featuring photographs taken of the recently-opened Sompting Brooks river trail and the wildlife it supports
The launch of the EPIC Project's new Worthing Pier exhibition, featuring photographs taken of the recently-opened Sompting Brooks river trail and the wildlife it supports

Sompting Brooks river trail: Photographs feature in new exhibition on Worthing Pier

Photographs of the recently-opened Sompting Brooks river trail and the wildlife it supports feature in a new exhibition on Worthing Pier. The exhibition, launched on Sunday, is the culmination of a series of 12 nature and wildlife photography workshops organised by the Ouse & Adur River Trust.

The trust’s Enhancing Places, Inspiring Communities (EPIC) Project has realigned and enhanced the rare Broadwater Brooks chalkstream and the surrounding landscape, creating a new river trail for everyone to enjoy.

Carl Slezacek, a professional photographer, led the workshops to help people of all ages improve their photography skills, using a wide range of devices.

Alistair Whitby, project officer, said: “It was amazing to see everyone learning new skills and getting stuck into all the different photography challenges over the past two years. The exhibition is testament to how many talented local photographers of all ages we now have. Their pictures are a wonderful way of documenting the new Sompting Brooks river and its wildlife as the wetland site develops and the habitats mature. Stunning images of damselflies, birds, frogs, insects and wildflowers have all been skillfully captured.”

The river trail opened to the public on September 6 and the exhibition of photographs can be seen on Worthing Pier over the coming year.

Sally Wadsworth, one of the winners, said: “Carl was very informative and helpful, enabling me to understand some of the features of my camera that I had not used before, including the metering mode, which changes the exposure based on three different settings. I also learned how to better frame my subjects in Macro and how to get a bokeh effect, i.e. a hazy background. It was a really fun way to learn and has clearly paid off in terms of my photo having been chosen as a winner.”

For more information on the project and how to visit the site, visit oart.org.uk/epic