The Art Photography Workshop at the Horniman's Museum

The Art Photography Workshop at the Horniman's Museum John Spence ARPS

Archaeology and Heritage is concerned with understanding the life of the past. The remains of buildings and the artefacts used by the inhabitants are often the main evidence used to reconstruct the lifestyle of both primitive societies and civilisations.

Most towns have a museum, often with photographic facilities or a room which could be used as a studio, where museum exhibits could be made available to interested photographers.

A pioneering example of cooperation between museum and local photographers is provided by the Horniman Museum in Forest Hill, London, where for the past 14 years an Art Photography Workshop has been run as part of an Adult Education Programme. The workshop is supervised by Bernard Brandham, the Museum's Exhibition Manager. Studio and darkroom facilities are available with full lighting equipment. Artefacts are provided from the museum's collection and these range from Palaeolithic tools to twentieth century ethnic carvings and masks.

The students must have a basic knowledge of photography and darkroom techniques and provide their own cameras and films. The course is informal with each member free to follow his/her own artistic preferences, which range from 'pure record' to 'near abstract' interpretation of the subjects. The Horniman Museum specialises in ethnic subjects and has a fine collection of musical instruments.

I came across the workshop by chance, when I picked up a leaflet on visit to the museum. I have always been interested in archceologyand heritage as well as photography and I decided to enrol for the year. This was the start of a 12 years' association with the workshop and museum. Incidentally this also led to my joining the Royal Photographic Society, becoming the secretary of the ArchcBology and Heritage Group and organising the group exhibitions at the museum.

I soon found that the class was very friendly and the discussions between tutor and members were of equal value to the practical work. One of the advantages of being and amateur photographer is that there are no constraints on pictures produced and all creative approaches can be explored. My interpretation depended both on the nature of the artefacts provided and on my prevailing mood. A delicately detailed subject such as a bronze Hindu deity would call for a plain background and a single light with a white card reflector to lighten the shadows. Monochrome would probably be used. However, dramatic effects could be obtained in colour with a main red light and blue or green in the shadows. With plain objects such as iron tools a more elaborate setting could be used, such as part of a shed window or small logs. With a brass palm tree from West Africa one student used a hibernating locust to add interest. The year's work came to its climax at Whitsun with a print exhibition in the museum.

The success of the workshop as shown by the large proportion of members who attended for several years and by the number of Royal Photographic Society distinctions obtained. Several Licentiate and Associate grades have been awarded with panels of prints from the workshop.