RPS - Benelux Chapter eJournal - Volume 7 Summer 2017 by Royal Photographic Society

BeNeLux Chapter eJournal - number 7 - Summer 2017

Acknowledgements

VIEW FROM THE RPS BENELUX CHAPTER ORGANISERS The Benelux Chapter had 55 members in June, a slight increase from the 51 members when the Spring eJournal was compiled earlier this year: 33 from The Netherlands, 12 from Belgium, 4 from Luxembourg, 4 from France, 1 from the UK and 1 from Morocco.

The Royal Photographic Society BeNeLux Chapter Copyright The copyright of photographs and text in this eJournal belong to the author of the article of which they form part, unless otherwise indicated. Cover photo Kim Bybjerg Proof reading Dawn Black Editor eJournal Armando Jongejan Journal Editorial committee Richard Sylvester Eddie Maes (B) Dawn Black (NL) Simon Hauxwell (L) Janet Haines (NL) Webmaster Tony Roe

The chapter had a very successful print exhibition of some 30 photos from our members at the RPS HQ at Fenton House in Bath from 17 January to 27 February. One of our members, Jana Teneva, kindly arranged for the exhibition prints to be hung at the European Patent Office (EPO) in Den Haag – The Netherlands. The exhibition was launched on 11 May with a vernissage that the EPO organized on their premises. Unfortunately, the EPO building, and hence the exhibition, is not open to the public for security reasons. Plans are underway to hold a follow up exhibition with the prints at the Free University in Brussels starting in the middle of October. The photo walks for the Rockin’ Rotterdam project have now all been completed. Go to www.rockinrotterdam.eu to take a look at the wide range of photos that have been received. Discussions are still ongoing to organize the photo exhibition from this project, which will hopefully be launched during the second week in October. We just recently held a Benelux Chapter visit to Ypres, Belgium, on the weekend of 10 – 11 June. Details can be found elsewhere in this eJournal. The next Chapter meeting, the Annual General Meeting, will be held on 15th October. You will be able to enjoy the Rockin’ Rotterdam exhibition, eat at the cafe bar and in the afternoon Armando will provide feedback on member’s panels of work. More information will come out to members about this shortly. This is your Journal, so please provide articles and photos that are of interest to chapter members along with information about upcoming events in the Benelux.

Janet Haines ARPS Richard Sylvester LRPS RPS Benelux Chapter Organizers

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BENELUX CHAPTER VISIT TO YPRES, BELGIUM, ON 10 – 11 JUNE text and photos by Richard Sylvester LRPS Despite difficulties to drive to and park close to the main market square (Grote Markt) in the center of Ypres due to the ongoing weekend festivities, which even included beach volleyball in the middle of the Grote Markt, we were 12 to participate in the activities that had been organized.

On the Saturday morning, we met up with our city walk guide at the Cloth Hall for a 2.5 hour walk through the city. During the walk, where we saw the city’s main sites and had ample photo opportunities, the guide explained the city’s history, going from a flourishing trading and cloth centre in the Middle Ages to its horrific destruction in World War I, and finally its post war rebuilding which has kept respect for the past.

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After a break for lunch, we were free to visit the city, its museums and churches, and take more photos. A visit to the In Flanders Fields Museum provided an emotional, in depth account of the horrors of World War I in Ypres and the surrounding area. Before having dinner, we met at the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing for the 8:00 PM Last Post Ceremony during which wreathes were placed to honor the British and Commonwealth soldiers who were killed in the Ypres Salient of World War I and whose graves are unknown. On the Sunday morning, a number of us braved the warm weather to visit the Tyne Cot Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery and Memorial to the Missing. Located about 10 km from Ypres, this Commonwealth War Graves Commission burial ground for the dead of the First World War in the Ypres Salient is the largest cemetery for Commonwealth forces in the world, for any war.

We finished around noon after having spent a very enjoyable weekend discovering Ypres and its surroundings.

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MAKE MY PHOTOGRAPHY SPEAK TO PEOPLE text and photos by Charlie Taylor I have been interested in some way or another by photography from a young age. I grew up on the wild coastline of North Devon and at 14 years old sat patiently with my Olympus SLR waiting to make a shot that only time would make perfect, waves crashing over a lone rock in the sea at Hartland Point. I did persevere and the shot worked out – I had it hanging in pride of place in my many living establishments during the years after I left home and travelled around the world. After 20 years spent working in the Oil and Gas Industry, I decided that it was time to hang up my overalls in search of something for me, a passion to follow. Photography was an easy choice given my past interest in it and so I embarked on a 10-week beginners course to see if I could improve my skills, understand a camera properly and make my photography speak to people. My inspiration as a photographer comes from many different areas, landscape, macro, architectural and even some wildlife, but what I love is to try and show the image in a way that reflects the way I see it and, not just in the normal sanitized way. I try to do this by taking shots from unusual perspectives and angles. In my macro work I photograph the details of flowers, rather than the entire bloom, I find it makes for a more interesting shot. As an avid gardener, and wanting to constantly improve my skills, I grow flowers and shrubs in my garden, not only so I can enjoy them, but also to practice my macro work. I have been known to spend hours in the garden trying to improve on the quality of my macro work. Even the insects aren’t safe, although I admit for the insect close ups I do use a long zoom lens and macro tubes! I am an active member of more than one photographic club in Den Haag. I enjoy the interaction with other like-minded people and love how people photograph the same subject in so many different ways. I spend time outdoors, not always with my camera at my eye. I do believe in looking around and seeing what’s around me, behind me, in front of me - it’s in my bag, and I get it out when I see a subject that I think can turn into something special. I do not do very much post processing work, although there is some adjustment with light and clarity. I try, where possible, to get my shots as high-quality as I can in camera, that way I don’t spend hours processing photographs. I also find that when I do a shoot, if I can leave the photographs without looking at them for a week or two, and then revisit my shots, I see more, different things, than I may have done whilst actually doing the photography. I recently embarked on a documentary/story telling project for which I was able to choose my own subject. The subject, very close to my heart, which I chose was self-sufficiency and the relationship between animals and humans in such an environment; this is how I grew up and I remember fondly my childhood. My mother and step-father now live in Normandy, breed animals, grow fruit and vegetables for self-sustenance. However, for those animals which are not consumed, there is a very close relationship. This is what I have tried to depict in my photographic series.

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ROCKIN’ ROTTERDAM “DONE” text Armando Jongejan

Janet Haines ARPS is very active in our Benelux Chapter. For example, she took the initiative for a group project to photograph all the streets within the Rotterdam ring road. It started in October 2016 and at this moment all streets are photographed by RPS and non RPS members. The result: more than 2000 photographs of streets and a lot of stories. One is the story of Jenny Kooiman who made photos in postcode 3062. The man who cut his hedge cutters' cable in three Although I stood at a distance… this man sensed my presence… turns around… smiles at me… and oops… cuts the cord in two places. “I am so sorry, sir!” After apologizing I ask “Can I take your picture?” “Yes, no problem!” This was when he looked round at Jenny taking the photos. But he still gave her a smiley photo after all that. He's a star. And the man had a good sense of humour.

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Update on the project On 17th June 2017 a new map was published. All areas that are red are now completed. Janet photographed the five missing streets on 16th June 2017. She did a great job!

Meeting point outside the Lidl, Spinozaweg 181-189 - 3076 EL Rotterdam Sunday April 30th 2017 at 10.30. Everybody is trying to figure out where to go (ÂŠ Jeroen Dorrestein).

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BENELUX CHAPTER EXHIBITION AT THE EUROPEAN PATENT OFFICE text Armando Jongejan and photos Dawn Black Vernissage On 11th May 2017 we had our official opening of the Royal Photographic Society Benelux Chapter exhibition at the European Patent Office (EPO) in The Hague. The vernissage was at 5PM and a lot of RPS members and staff of the EPO joined the event. Below you find an impression of the “hanging” and the vernissage. Many thanks go to Jana Teneva, Dawn Black and Janet Haines who made this exhibition possible.

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TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY text and photos by Kim Bybjerg What better way than to start an article about travel photography from seat 21A on board KL611 from Amsterdam to Chicago. The stewardess has just removed the remainders of my vegetarian pasta dish and now it’s time to reflect over my passion for travel photography. It started with travel But before we get to “photography” I’d like to share a bit about the “travel”. I grew up on a farm in Denmark and although I had a fantastic childhood with all the freedom and opportunities the life in the countryside offers to children, it didn’t include much family holidays and travel. My parents couldn’t really leave the farm so when we occasionally (not

every year) went on holiday in the family car, the destination would be a Northern part of Germany or Southern part of Norway or Sweden. This was in the seventies where a lot of people started travelling to Spain and other exotic locations for their summer holiday and went skiing in the winter, I was always listening very carefully when my friends at school told me about their summer holidays or showed postcards from their holiday to exotic locations like Paris and the Eiffel tower or Volcano Vesuvius in Southern Italy, so as soon as I was 16 I packed my backpack and jumped on the train with my Inter-rail pass and started travelling around Europe in my summer holidays. In my backpack, I would bring my SLR camera and my lenses, half my backpack would be filled with camera stuff. Why travel photography? So, the answer to “why travel photography” is: it takes me places and ever since I was a child I always longed to go and see places AND it combines Street Photography and Landscape and Architecture and sometimes even Underwater photography. And with travel photography, I can portray people and places the way I see it and experience it and I can share it with other people who can be inspired to do a similar trip or they can just enjoy my photo and dream of the location.

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Take the back-door I always try to include going to the non-touristic areas of places that I visit. I describe it as “I go out the back-door of the hotel” and sometimes I literally do that – go out the back door of the hotel. I did that a couple of years ago on a trip to Dubai and it took me to an amazing completely different world, the neighbourhood where the hotel and restaurant staff and other workers live. It took me to the mosque and it took me to the “field” where the men were playing cricket. It took me to the colourful houses where children were playing and were the laundry was hanging outside the houses and it was all just outside the back side of the hotel away from the fancy streets with the fancy stores and big luxury cars. In Dubai, I also got up one morning at 4am and went to the fish market. As the only tourist at that time of the day and with my camera I had a great time “talking” to the people working there and got some great pictures.

Creative in finding angels and new angels Travel photography challenges my photography skills as you don’t always get the optimal conditions and you sometimes need to be very creative in finding angels or positions or use your cameras technology to the outmost to get your shot and takes me to challenging destinations that I want to explore such as the Trans-Mongolian Railroad from St. Petersburg to Beijing. The deep “pilling” sound and the flashing “fasten seat belts” sign brings me back to seat 21A. Chicago is appearing in the horizon and I must stowe away my laptop. Shortly I will be walking in the streets of Chicago with my camera looking for new angles to portray the windy city.

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DISTINCTIONS ON-LINE ADVICE text by Andy Moore LRPS and Tessa Mills FRPS original article: ‘Concept’ March 2017 - Contemporary Group Many members reside in areas where getting to advisory days can be very difficult, but members still have a lot of help available to them in the form of on-line advice. Andy Moore, Distinctions Manager and Tessa Mills FRPS explain how this works.

Andy writes Working for the Society over the last 12 years, I have seen a huge change in the way the Society offers advice. When I first started back in 2004 getting advice on your images was limited to attending an Advisory Day. Moving forward to 2017, we offer more ways to get advice with the introduction of one-to-ones, specialist advisory days, video feedback and the very popular on-line advice. We also have Celebrations and Introductions to Distinction days, where we show successful portfolios from all 3 levels. These are part of helping potential applicants to understand the standard the RPS is looking for. We introduced online advice via our website around 18 months ago, and with over 200 members using this facility it’s been a huge success. It is ideal for members who want initial advice before attending or who cannot travel to an Advisory Day. We have always said the best way to gain advice is face to face at an Advisory Day but some members, before they decide to attend, opt for the on-line advice. The advantage of this is that you can make corrections before you attend and pay for an Advisory Day - the on-line advice is free. The only disadvantage with on-line advice is we cannot offer advice on the technical aspect of your images, as each panel member’s computer could have a slightly different set up and the advice is given on the basis of thumbnail images. The on-line system is very easy to use and can be done in minutes, provided you have prepared your images, statement and hanging plan in advance, ready to upload! The main advantage for online advice, especially for the Contemporary and Conceptual category which can include up to 300 words for the statement, is that the panel members have a lot more time to study the statement and images compared to an Advisory Day. I have said many times I admire the panel members who volunteer for Advisory days. I think it can be hard to ensure they give advice which is helpful but also honest without the applicant feeling embarrassed or put off in front of an audience. It’s a lot easier to be more open using on-line as the only person who sees the feedback is the applicant. I asked Tessa Mills FRPS, Deputy Chair of the Contemporary and Conceptual panel to explain what she feels about giving on-line advice compared to Advisory Days. How does the process work? From the advisor's point of view the process starts with an email from the RPS Distinctions Department asking me to look at some images that are for the Conceptual & Contemporary Assessment Panel [Note Armando Jongejan: on-line advisory is possible for every category]. I access the images on-line and write my thoughts and suggestions about the statement, panel lay-out and each individual image. This includes the 15 or 20 images plus 5 extras. I do

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not have the photographer's name or details. I then send my responses back to the RPS Distinctions Office, who create a link that goes directly back to the author to view. During actual Distinction Assessment if I recognise a panel that I have advised upon, I quietly inform the Chairman of this fact. It makes no difference to my participating in the discussion of the work, or of my voting rights. Why do I enjoy RPS Advising on line? I respect the RPS Distinctions as a process, and I am privileged to be asked to be a part of this whole. I think RPS Distinctions are an excellent foundation and scaffolding to aid individual photographers to grow in their skills, confidence and creativity. There are certain expectations from the RPS because, no matter how creative the seeing and processing, the Distinctions are about photographic standards. These have to be visible, and measured across a wide spectrum of possible subjects taken by RPS members. It is a delight to see these fresh images and to assist photographers in their understanding of RPS requirements in relation to their own work. It is fascinating to witness a photographer's growth in technical understanding and personal creative confidence through the progression necessary to obtain an RPS Distinction. Photographers are not expected to attain their distinctions in a lonely bubble. Receiving advice on the skills of self-editing is a part of the empowerment. I believe that providing advice and guidance is helpful to the applicant, and as someone who has been through the same, it is also a rewarding process for me. Difference between On-line and Advisory days from my point of view. On-line advantages: I do spend far more time looking and thinking about the work, therefore the advice is much more considered for both the Statement and the images. The Statement does get more in-depth reactions, as it's easier to suggest edits on the written word than on a read aloud hearing. All the individual images receive a written response, not just the ones that have problems to be addressed. There is no distraction - just one-to-one communication. The applicant does not have a 'public' discussion of his/her work. It is private. For this reason on-line is a good place for early advice. Advisory day advantages: There is instant feedback discussion with the author, so there is the possibility of more understanding on both sides. There is an opportunity for open discussion between 2 advisors and the author, so the advice is more general - to balance my own personal thoughts and reactions. It's far better for us to see a printed panel for discussing layouts. There is advice on the technical quality of printing and presentation. There is much to be learned for the applicant whist seeing and listening to advisory comments for other applicants. Overall there is a place and a need for both aspects of advice, and an ideal would be to take advantage of BOTH types of advice offered by the RPS. For general distinctions questions Contact at distinctions@rps.org or 01225 325733 (option 2) between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday. See for more details http://www.rps.org/Distinctions/Advice and for all enquiries, email advice@rps.org.

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IN CONVERSATION WITH WILLEM WERNSEN – STREET PHOTOGRAPHER text by Lieve De Bleeckere, photos by Willem Wernsen and source Craft & Vision For over 38 years, Willem Wernsen has been hitting the streets all over the world, and since then, he has created widely recognized and award-winning work in a genre that seems like it should be easy (there are people everywhere; just point and shoot!), but indeed takes a special skill to do well. The power and depth of his photographs make us smile, and sometimes cry; it’s evident that he’s invested in his subjects and the stories they tell on their faces and with their body language. Willem’s eBook, On Street Photography: Making Extraordinary Photographs of Ordinary Life, has been purchased and discussed worldwide.

How did you begin your career in street photography? What was it about that genre that drew you in over any other? It was my interest in human beings and social documentary photography that drove me to the streets 38 years ago with my 6x6 camera. At 13, I bought second-hand photo books, mostly of French photographers who made street portraits. Inspired, I wanted a camera of my own to make that sort of photography. I had no intention of copying those photographers, but by studying their intention, I learned to watch life around me carefully and capture the moments that struck my eye and my heart. But it didn’t work from the start; it

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was a learning process. But after some time and a lot of trial and error, I saw my work evolve in a particular manner. I found my way of expressing the connection with my subject. To me, my photography has become a way of communication with my subject and also with the viewer. I enjoy many forms of photography, but I will always concentrate on social documentary work. In my view, street photography is a big part of that social documentary spectrum. By choosing other subjects, I was afraid of losing my inner focus and creativity with regard to the subject that enchants me most of all: human in their habitats.

Tell us about a typical on-the-street portrait session. Do you coach the people you photograph, or do you just let the impromptu session develop? My photography comes from 60% direct spontaneous encounters with people and 40% from snapshots of moments I see happen or sense are coming; I take my time and let the shutter go when the time comes. There has recently been a slight shift in my work and I see that capturing the moment is becoming more prevalent in my photographs. I notice that my awareness on the street is increasingly sharp, particularly regarding the content of the image.

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When addressing people on the street I take off my hat, give them a hand. Or I put my hand on my heart and make a friendly nod (depending on the habits and culture). When travelling abroad, I can communicate in English most of the time, but language is never a barrier; good intentions and friendliness open many doors. My encounters are brief most of the time: I introduce myself and explain what I want to do. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really coach people. When people consent to being photographed, I ask them to just look at me. This might seem a bit too simple, but from experience, I know when moving the person, or by asking to look in a certain way or to smile it can make people uncomfortable.

You can read it from their pose and in their eyes. Mostly I just let them stand or sit as I found them since I have already studied the light and framed my shot. The location mostly determines the composition, and that can be checked quickly on the LCD screen. To avoid certain elements in the composition, I prefer to move around my subject instead of moving him or her around. Coaching people often destroys a certain open-mindedness in your subject as it leaves little room for spontaneity. I know from experience that their natural pose or a certain gaze in their

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eyes that made me choose can quickly vanish. If I want to catch that first impression, I have to act quickly. My method is to let people stand or sit as you found them, and don´t disturb. I almost always take the photo first even if I also want to engage in a conversation, so I sometimes take some time for a chat. A unique life story often adds an extra dimension to the experience, and eventually, I get another opportunity to take more pictures.

People are at the very heart of every town, village, and city and everyone relates to being infinitely human. How do you think street photography influences communication across cultures? Humans are inquisitive by nature, curious to know about the behaviour of others living in cities, villages, and towns all over the globe, and photography answers questions about people in all corners of the world. Where the drawings of the old explorers who painted a picture of the newly discovered worlds still seemed a fantasy, the first “street” photographers brought a fraction of an unknown reality to our eye. By means of the magic black box, this

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curiosity about other cultures was awakened. For many decades, photographers have displayed their images of unfamiliar cultures in expositions, lectures, and in newspapers and magazines. Today thousands of images per minute fill the internet. I find it a positive development that photography and consequently, movies, have broadened our view of the world. This disclosure of cultures by means of photography started a process of connecting people on a mental level. Photographs of the past and present also inspire people. Nothing human is alien to us, so we’re able to recognize the emotions of others. This recognition can be strong in pictures because they are considered as a representation of reality. For example, humour in a photograph is a universal language; a humorous situation is clearly recognizable. Mutual respect comes from recognition, and recognition and respect is an opening to communication. Besides the registration and communication of facts through images, a street photographer brings his or her own experience to the viewer. I try to convey my empathy for my favourite subjects: men, women, and children. Empathy with the subject appeals to the empathic skills of the viewer and fosters communication between cultures. And the photographer certainly plays a role in this. How have the people you’ve met and photographed helped you grow as a photographer? By constantly focusing on people and their actions, you discover an immense spectrum of emotions: a great challenge for a people photographer. The continual trust people I’ve been given by people I’ve photographed has encouraged me tremendously. Subjects who confide in me make communication possible, which is crucial to achieving a good result. By experiencing this trust from people, I’ve become more self-confident in realizing that I am on the right track to my goal. But I also realize that I should not betray this trust; this awareness makes me humble and respectful. Because people are open and vulnerable with me, they give me a chance to make the images that I want to make, and I am very grateful for that. Trust gives me the chance to keep on digging into what I want to do: photographing all aspects of humankind. Trust is the driving force. The confidence that I get is a beautiful gift that encourages me not only as a photographer but also makes me richer as a human being. If someone finds that their street images don’t convey an emotion, what would you tell them to improve? It’s important to cultivate empathy and be aware of your own emotions and motivations so that you can also recognize them in another person or a situation. If this is difficult for you, I urge you to seek peace instead of panicking or shooting at random. Use this rest and peace to immerse yourself into the work of others and analyse the contents of their work, not just the form. Pore over books to see how those you admire make their photos by learning to look at the essence of the image. Try to find out how a photographer has captured emotions; learn to recognize the eye and heart of the photographer. Visit lectures and watch documentaries in which photographers explain their vision, and draw inspiration by listening to their testimony. It can be enlightening; the ear can often catch more than meets the eye. But don’t lose yourself in just imitating form or composition; concentrate on your own intentions and what you want to convey and keep practicing. What do you think the photographic world needs more of right now? Today’s hectic flow of images makes me miss peace and calmness. Quiet and ease is necessary for me to understand a topic, and that takes time and focus. I see too many effects being used in photography only for the purpose of drawing attention. The tendency is that if one doesn’t score immediately with a subject or method, they jump onto another topic, some other process, or to another camera. If you’re not expanding into something and exploring possibilities, you can’t grow. It might sound contradictory considering this medium captures slices of reality into split seconds, but photographers should take the time to cultivate calmness to work within that same medium.

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But many aim too high too quickly, expecting too much in the short term, only to end up disappointed and frustrated. The camera that was purchased with such enthusiasm ends up sitting idle on a shelf when it becomes clear that contents, depth, emotion, and storytelling aspects complete an image. The development into a passionate and committed photographer is usually a lengthy process; patience and determination are necessary to keep the passion alive. The massive response to photos on social media is also dangerous. Too many photos are assumed to be good if they get a lot of likes or comments; it often becomes an exchange of compliments for the sake of friendship. I recommend you show your work not only on social media, but also visit portfolio discussions and contact photographers who inspire you. Most of them are pretty open to their fans. This is my experience over the years and I still do it. Learn more about Willem's philosophies of street photography in his eBook, On Street Photography: Making Extraordinary Photographs of Ordinary Life. More information: https://craftandvision.com/products/onstreet-photography. Contact Willem directly and you receive discount of 25% (before 21-09-2017). Email: stichtingwillemwernsen@gmail.com. Indicating: ENEWSLETTER.STREET Willem Wernsenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s keen interest in people led him into photography 38 years ago. Since then, he has come to know that humankind responds to humankind and that communication is key to making honest photographs - a belief that is evident in his work. Willem searches through cities, villages, streets, alleys, markets and pubs in an ongoing quest for engaging stories to tell with his camera. See more of his work at his website www.willemwernsen.com/en.

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IN EVERY STREET - POSTCODE 3077 text and photos by Armando Jongejan FRPS These photos were taken on Friday 24th March 2017, between 11.00 AM and 5.15 PM in neighbourhood postcode area: 3077. I made this series for Rockin’ Rotterdam, this is a photographic project of our Royal Photographic Society Benelux Chapter. The aim is to take one creative photo "in every street" within the Rotterdam ring road (A4, A15, A16 and A20) in the Netherlands (see also pages 10-14). There are 2000+ streets to shoot. It was possible for everyone to participate and submit photos. Variety of work was also important. Several meet-ups were organised, and you were able to work on your own or with others. I choose to work on my own and for one special neighbourhood postcode area: 3077. This area is inside and outside the ring road, so I made just photos within and this includes the “Veranda”, the Stadium of football club Feijenoord, a marina, business areas, residential areas, the Van Brienenoord island and the Van Brienenoord bridge on the A16. There was one important restriction: only one image per street name. After my shooting I came home with a few hundred photographs and I made a selection of the 49 streets in this postcode and one of the ring road. It was not always easy to make the images. For example the day I went to Rotterdam was a sunny day, but there were almost no people outside, a strange way for me to make street photography. For that reason I choose to make photos of streets without people, but you could feel the people. I wanted a coherent body of work, just of a view in or from that street. Some streets were really boring, perhaps 50 meters long with just one door in a wall. There were also very attractive areas including the Nieuwe Maas, which meanders through Rotterdam.

Rotterdam ring road: A4, A15, A16 and A20

Postcode 3077 within the Rotterdam ring road

See also the book at http://nl.blurb.com/books/7850070-in-every-street

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