Doone Valley Gallery are delighted to present an exhibition of landscape photography by Mark Asprey with an opening drinks reception at 5pm on Saturday 7th September.
Born in Taunton in 1962, Mark St.John Asprey has dedicated his professional and personal life to the art and craft of photography. His journey began studying Photography at Filton College in Bristol, and subsequently at Salisbury College of Art and Design.
Mark’s professional career took a significant step forward when he became the first assistant to renowned London-based food photographer Vernon Morgan. After gaining invaluable experience, he launched his own business, St.John Asprey Photography, in London. Specialising in food and editorial photography for books, magazines, and part-works, his clientele included high-profile names such as BBC’s Ready Steady Cook, celebrity chef Gary Rhodes, publishers Haldane Mason, Whitecap Books, Japanese Esquire (including front cover), and Waitrose.
Mark’s expertise caught the attention of Getty Images, where he was offered a role during the pivotal transition period from film to digital photography. At Getty, he was taught scanning, retouching, and the business operations, while also testing cameras for suitability for submissions and serving as a consultant. Despite his responsibilities at Getty, Mark continued his professional photography work, focusing on advertising and packaging. After six years, he decided to dedicate himself fully to his business, catering to design companies with a specialization in packaging and advertising. His impressive roster of packaging clients included Pataks, Asda, Colemans, Blue Dragon, Knorr, Askeys, and Doritos. In advertising, he worked with renowned brands such as Smirnoff, Marmite (with an award-winning Guinness Marmite advert), Schweppes, Carte D’Or, Bovril, ASK Italian, Starbucks, Nivea, Fox and Fox English Wines, Paramo Clothing, Nikwax, and Birds Eye. Mark’s work also graced the front covers of Argos catalogues, and he contributed to London Transport promotional campaigns, including posters for Seven Trent Water. Mark’s accomplishments have been recognised through his election as an Associate of the British Institute of Professional Photography.
Throughout his career, Mark honed his skills using a variety of cameras, from 5×4 and 10×8 technical cameras to 120 Medium format film cameras. His current arsenal includes the Fujifilm GFX 100S and Fujifilm GFX 50R medium format cameras, as well as a Leica Q2.
Despite his commercial success, Mark always made time for his passion for landscapes and scenery, frequently visiting Exmoor, whose captivating beauty eventually led him to move there. Now retired from commercial photography, he devotes his days to capturing landscapes, staying true to his unique style. Inspired in part by the incredible photographs he saw at Getty, Mark views his landscape photography as works of art. He emphasizes in-camera techniques with minimal Photoshop work, controlling the entire process from visualizing and capturing the image to post-processing and printing. His meticulous attention to detail extends to choosing the perfect paper, frame, and glass for each piece.
Mark lives in Lynton with his wife Beverley and their border collie, Heather, where he continues to pursue his lifelong passion for photography, capturing the natural beauty that surrounds him.
