CA PITA L INTEREST JUNE 2 0 1 5 / VOLUME 1 / NUMBER 6 / W W W .RPS.ORG
W ELCOM E TO THIS M ONTH?S CAPITAL INTEREST BLEEDING LONDON We have some marvellous news to start the month, namely that Quilter Cheviot Investment Management will be sponsoring the Bleeding London exhibition. We?re very excited to have such an illustrious partner for this important show, which represents the culmination of one of the most ambitious photo projects that the capital has ever seen. So a big thank you from RPS London to QCIM. With less than six weeks to go, the excitement is mounting in the Region as preparations for the show are well underway. The pix have been chosen, the canapes have been ordered, the author?s booked his flight and the BL team is running on adrenaline and caffeine. As we want to bring you all the news from the exhibition, next month?s Capital Interest will be issued on the 14th July with a full report from the opening and private view. Meanwhile, the Londoners have not been sitting on their laurels in other areas and as you can see from this month?s contents, there?s still a lot going on in the region. And talking of laurels, the cover image is one of our favourites from Bleeding London author Geoff Nicholson. Vari Caramés published by La Fabrica 2015 A BOOK REVIEW by Jonathan Taylor Little known outside his native Spain, Vari Caramés has been exploring the mystery of images, through his evocative windows on memories, the fleeting moment, for four decades. I first came across his work in a gift from a friend of a beautiful photo of a motorcycle (see attached); both full of clarity and intrigue it began a continuing quest to discover more about the author through slim volumes and exhibition catalogues bought on Abebooks. This wonderful new monograph, which has not yet found it's way on to a shelf, brings together all Caramés work from grainy monochrome to achingly simple colour images with an extensive interview to inspire me. It?s best bought in person from the publishers, La Fabrica, my favourite photography gallery / bookshop / bar / restaurant in Madrid or you could do it online!
CONTENTS LONDON, URBA N : Old Father Thames by Roger Kelly
3 -9
LONDON, TOPICA L : Michael Chopra-Gant ARPS
10 - 16
LONDON, STREET : Norman Smith LRPS reports on his last Street Workshop
17 - 18
LONDONER EX PLORES Prague's Music Scene By Natasha Bennett
19 - 21
BLEEDING LONDON : N1 9 By Jen Pedler
22 - 24
SOCIA L M EDIA : Events, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Blog, Website
25
LONDON, URBA N OLD FA THER THA M ES BY ROGER KELLY Preparations for the first volume of the photography projects of the London, Urban micro-group are coming along nicely. This month, Roger Kelly shares some of his project images
As the RPS London Region micro group, London Urban was borne out of The Crusting Pipe in Covent Garden, late 2014 I was most surprised to learn that, of the twenty or so collaborators to the impending book project, no-one had considered the Capital?s ?artery,?Old Father Thames itself. With a nod to Ida Pap?s excellent workshop to the region, "The Abstract Beach," I decided to use this as the basis for my contribution, ?London?s Urban Beach.? Using "The Photographer?s Ephemeris" iPhone app together with a copy of the Port of London Authority?s, "Thames Tide Table,? I keep a careful watch, mainly for low tide times coinciding with appropriate sunlight direction. All this coupled with a neat ?guide? to Thames shoreline access points leads me to some interesting spots. I?m about midway through my journey along both banks and have, so far, enjoyed hassle free photography. Some locations are a bit dicey with vey slippery steps and some access gates, whilst locked, show no restriction notices. So being a card-carrying member of the ?an apology is more convenient than permission?society, I boldly go! I?ll be aiming to include ten square monochrome images for the final work - however, that could all change. But for the purposes of this article, I include here six images of the current ?work in progress.?One or two, or none at all, may make it to the final cut. I hope you enjoy viewing them as much as I did producing them.
LONDON, URBA N
Water Music Despite regular displacement by the Fun Police, these cheerful buskers are regular visitors to Gabriel?s Wharf. I chose St Paul?s as an easily identifiable iconic background for this shot and dipped into my pocket for twenty pence and waited the group?s interaction with each other. (I wasn?t really that tight - I sent them all a copy!)
LONDON, URBA N
Broken Prospects This was a quick impromptu grab opportunity as I made my way to Westminster on a river bus. I?m wondering if the wonky sign has any relation to the thoughts on the minds of the couple on the beach as they catch any opportunity of London sunshine on the beach.
LONDON, URBA N
Old Father Thames The "Another Time? statue was created by sculptor Antony Gormley (also famous for The Angel of the North) and, so I?m told, commissioned by Sir Ian McKellen who had it sited outside his pub, The Grapes, in Narrow Street, E14. The idea being that at high tide, it would appear that the statue was walking on water. I could have waited but it would have detracted from my beach theme. In this case, a short inaccessible shingle shore at Limehouse. The speeding yacht, apparently doomed for a bankside collision is, in fact, about to enter hidden Limehouse Basin.
LONDON, URBA N
Dis Fromage Whilst shooting the emerging ?blue hour? under a full moon over The City at Oxo Tower Wharf, the scene, and my concentration, was briefly disturbed by these two French tourists. The ?other' photographer here found a great location for this portrait of her friend.
LONDON, URBA N
Up The Creek This is a famous view for those traveling on the Charing Cross to Greenwich overground line. But its a research intensive exercise to get the timings right for a late afternoon setting sun and a low tide exposing the wonderful mudflats at Deptford Creek. A nearby charity offers guided walks along the creek. I hope they time the tides correctly too!
LONDON, URBA N
Shard of Light Whilst the packed commuter trains rumble on the overhead bridge at Canon Street station, I dip below the surface to capture the peace and tranquility of the London Sunrise.
Cl i ck HERE t o si g n u p f o r t h e Ni k o n Sch o o l New sl et t er Det ai l s o f t r ai n i n g co u r ses can b e f o u n d HERE.
A LL IM A GES - ROGER KELLY
LONDON, TOPICA L FROM THE ?HEA RT?S EYE?: SNA PSHOT PHOTOGRA PHY A ND FA M ILY HISTORIES DR M IKE CHOPRA -GA NT A RPS A new historical project examines the meanings and significance of everyday family photographs In 1974, Aperture published The Snapshot. In many ways the book was very timely, appearing at a moment when the world of art photography started to embrace the aesthetics of amateur, snapshot photography: pioneers of the style, such as Stephen Shore and William Eggleston exhibited some of their most renowned work around this time. If The Snapshot is any guide, it seems that many of Shore?s and Eggleston?s contemporaries in art photography shared a similar disposition toward vernacular photography: Lisette Model proclaims in the book, ?I am a passionate lover of the snapshot because of all photographic images it comes closest to the truth?. Notwithstanding this artistic enthusiasm for the casual, artless aesthetic of snapshots, the book focuses entirely on the work of well-established photographic artists exploring the potential of the vernacular aesthetic. Ironically, then, The Snapshot celebrated vernacular photography while entirely ignoring the abundance of ordinary amateur photography that was both the origin of the aesthetic and its most ample resource. Perhaps this reflects a reluctance on the part of the ?official? art photography world to relinquish its hard-won status by throwing open the gallery doors to all-comers. If the barriers between art and popular culture were still firmly in place in the 1970s, then things have clearly moved on since then, and recent years have seen a great increase in serious interest in amateur snapshot photography. Thomas Sauvin?s Beijing Silvermine Project exemplifies recent work that recognises the value of amateur snapshot photography, and implicitly accepts that vernacular styles of amateur snapshot photography have aesthetic value; the practice is not simply of interest as a notation of times past. The images presented here are part of a long-term research project I am undertaking, examining domestic photography in the last half of the Twentieth Century. These photographs have been taken from an opportunistically acquired collection, currently amounting to tens of thousands of transparencies taken between the 1940s and 1990s. By examining these everyday images produced by numerous, unknown amateurs I look beyond the purely descriptive, notational quality of the photographs: how people dressed, what cars they drove, how they decorated their houses, how hairstyles changed etc. Beyond these superficial aspects of the images are deeper, more important stories to be told; stories that touch on every aspect of life. Taking my cue from elements of cultural theory that insist that what we consider ordinary and everyday - what we consider ?normal?? should not be thought of as a given, but as a production resulting from the interplay of a complicated array of social forces, my work with this archive explores the production of ?normal? life, as recorded in the photographs, and the role that photography itself plays in making and reproducing that ?normality?.
London, Urban i s su p p o r t ed b y t h e Ni k o n Sch o o l
Thus the images register varying attitudes and values through the period and provide the most valuable kind of insight into the meanings attached to everyday life by those who live it.
Unsurprisingly, the technical quality of the images is variable. Some are well taken and have remained in pristine condition; a testament to the archival value of transparencies. Others would generally be considered technically poor; out of focus, badly composed and incorrectly exposed. However, all these images have an intimate charm that transcends technical shortcomings.
Taken by family members and close friends, the images give us an uncensored insight into unguarded family moments: the ?shell-shocked?expression on a bride?s face moments after (or is it before?) her wedding; the look of resigned disappointment of the face of a holidaymaker; a variety of (often bizarre) house parties, including some very ?fancy? dress; the awkwardness and affected intimacy at a ?swingers?wife-swapping party (not included here, for the obvious reasons); the naked gardener tending his cabbage patch, and so on. Looking at these images we begin to appreciate the role played by photography in both developing our sense of who we are, and in investingLondon, the most mundane Urban i aspects s of life with greater meaning. For now, this is very much a work in progress, which will, when completed, provide a rich resource to further our understanding and appreciation of domestic photography and the importance of the simple snapshot.
LONDON, TOPICA L
London, Urban i s su p p o r t ed b y t h e Ni k o n Sch o o l
LONDON, TOPICA L
London, Urban i s su p p o r t ed b y t h e Ni k o n Sch o o l
LONDON, TOPICA L
London, Urban i s su p p o r t ed b y t h e Ni k o n Sch o o l
LONDON, TOPICA L
London, Urban i s su p p o r t ed b y t h e Ni k o n Sch o o l
LONDON, TOPICA L
LONDON, STREET No r m an Sm i t h LRPS r ep o r t s o n h i s r ecen t st r eet w o r k sh o p We were the gallant few on this walk as the ?usual suspects? were mostly committed and the weather forecast did not make for an inspiring day out, which, I guess, put people off. However, the weather forecast I use was changing by the minute (it gets it right just before it happens!) and we were afforded the sun peeping out from the clouds quite early in the day. There?s always something happening in London and as travelled in Star Wars enthusiasts were heading to a convention in full dress. The tube travel in costume apparently being part of the experience.
After the customary coffee and chat Tottenham Court Road was already buzzing with street entertainers, who have adopted the corner opposite the new main entrance to the Tube, and so we commenced our walk. Oxford Street has such a variety of stores, having once been a major shopping street it still has lots to recommend it, but also has the tourist shops for that ?essential? fridge magnet or Union Jack. Nobody seemed to be selling my ?I?m not a tourist, I live here?badge, though. Obviously, not a lot of call for that here! We saw fascinating facades near the TC Rd end of Oxford Street, where yet another building is being reconstructed from back to front, so the merest skeleton is left apparently waving in the breeze, followed by brand new architectural magnificence further down the street. We ?swam? through hordes of shoppers to reach Oxford Circus, crowded enough but with added action courtesy of a jazz band.
LONDON, STREET
On to Bond Street with leaflet waving staff enticing us into shops ? I managed to resist - and yet more street entertainment. Further activity at the Marble Arch end involved a political demo about Egypt, so we had gone from fashion to action and music to mayhem all in one day! By now we had brilliant sunshine, which made it difficult to stop shooting for lunch, but we each did as we needed, having had a most worthy trip through the metropolis.
For the results see our Flickr site at And check out the web site for our next date Sat 13th June 2015. Supported by Olympus cameras. See the current on-line Olympus magazine here.
LONDONER EX PLORES PRAGUE'S M USIC SCENE BY NATASHA BENNETT Continuing her series of travelogues, Natasha is in Prague this month. Prague is a city of beauty and music. The architecture is wonderfully preserved and as visitors enter the old town they step back in time. I arrived just before midnight and was struck by the beauty of the 14 century buildings lit up in the night sky. I was also immediately aware of music hovering on the cold night air.
Music can be heard night and day, in squares, restaurants, clubs and concert halls. The variety of music is eclectic, from jazz to classical, to traditional folk music. The Old Town Square is Prague?s central hub. Crowds gather on cobbled streets, surrounded by church spires and a magnificent clock tower, in a square which really is picture perfect. Horses and carriages line one side of the square and add to the atmosphere. It?s a great place to soak up Czech music. Bohemian Bards were one of the many bands I saw there. They play traditional, medieval Czech music with a modern twist.
LONDONER EX PLORES PRAGUE'S M USIC SCENE BY NATASHA BENNETT Donning Bohemian costume, they put a great deal of energy into their performances, using historical instruments such as bagpipes, with gusto. It was incredibly atmospheric and I really felt transported back to another time. I also heard some great jazz in Prague. Out on the square, I heard Vladimir Pinta. A sax player, in his 70?s, who?s still playing jazz with passion and panache. At night Prague?s many venues are packed. At Ungelt Blue and Jazz Club, I saw Cesar?s Band who had the room roaring. The club was just as it should be, underground, in a vaulted room and heaving with tapping feet. In Prague, jazz has a young following, so many of the audience were in their 20?s and 30?s. Jazz is very much alive. Even the restaurants in Prague have a house band who will serenade you. Prague assaults your senses. There are beautiful vistas at every turn and as I wandered the streets I heard some amazing musicians, which was an unexpected pleasure.
London, Urban i s su p p o r t ed b y t h e Ni k o n Sch o o l
London, Urban i s su p p o r t ed b y t h e Ni k o n Sch o o l
BLEEDING LONDON
BLEEDING N1 9 BY JEN PEDLER A year of tramping the streets has inspired a number of Bleeding Londoners to compile Bleeding London blogs and website pages. This month, Jen shares part of her travels around N19.
When I signed up for the Bleeding London project I set myself the challenge of photographing every street in N19 where I live. Stuart, of course, would have walked all these streets but only two get a specific mention in the book. Magdala Avenue runs between Dartmouth Park Hill and Highgate Hill. Here Stuart encountered two ?dowdy, overweight? women waiting at a bus stop. ?They were deep in conversation, but as I got level with them one looked up and turned to me as though she wanted me to settle a difference of opinion they?d been having. ?Excuse me,? she said. ?You?ve heard that expression ?the seven-year itch?? Well, what does it mean exactly??? (p.192) They sought Stuart?s reassurance that when ?a man goes off on a seven year itch he always comes back, doesn?t he?? His reply, ?sometimes he does, sometimes he doesn?t? left them ?gloomy and disappointed.? So maybe one of them had lost her man and they were waiting for the C11 to take them to Brent Cross to buy sexy lingerie in the hope of tempting him back. Not surprisingly, they weren?t there the day I went to shoot the street. In their place was a woman with a walking stick.
BLEEDING LONDON The other N19 street that gets a mention is Station Road, near Tufnell Park. There used to be a station here until the 1940s. There?s no trace of it now although the Gospel Oak to Barking Overground line runs alongside behind a fence. Here Stuart encountered a big boy kicking a smaller boy, sending him into paroxysms of laughter. Stuart ?walked on before it all ended in tears? (p.195). But all I found to photograph was graffiti on an electricity substation.
Although I often found myself taking photos of shapes, patterns and objects on the street, it?s the ones with people in them that really have a story to tell. The mother and daughter sitting reading in the car park of the Islington Chinese Association in Hatchard Road. Waiting for a taxi to take them home?
BLEEDING LONDON The old lady sweeping the street in Despard Road. Does she spend her life cleaning? The guy showing off his tats on a sunny day in Cornwallis Road. Obviously proud of them.
A couple carrying a mattress down Hornsey Road. Just setting up home together?
I?ve written about my adventures in N19 with more photos on my blog (yet to be completed) here: http://www.ipernity.com/blog/jenpedler/726087 Bleeding London has been an inspiration and my documentation of the area I live in has become an on-going project. Looking forward to the exhibition in July.
PHOTOGRA PHY EX HIBITION REVIEW THE PRODUCTION LINE OF HA PPINESS BY STUA RT SM ITH A Retrospective of the Work of Christopher Williams at The Whitechapel Gallery, London.
Green wallpaper pulls you through the exhibition like a thread leading Theseus through the Minotaur?s maze, because this space is unsettling and disorientating. The Whitechapel Gallery has high ceilings with tall dominating rough plywood mounting boards. They are blank, except just below the eyeline where you find the photographs of this Christopher Williams retrospective exhibition. Williams is a Conceptual Artist and everything in this exhibition reinforces that. The gallery space is a fitting cathedral for photographic images that often take normality, and, through a sublime use of oversaturated colour or stark monochromatic lines, challenge the viewer to assess their relationship to the moment and the art. The boldness of Williams?near surreal use of colour with everyday objects or exaggerated portraits is striking. However, the image of the Death Feigning Beetles perhaps is the most poignant summary of this challenging photographic show. Two beetles, one in focus, the other without, lie on their backs fooling predators that they are already dead. There is much in Williams?imagery throughout the exhibition that gives a sense of being misled and adopting guises to protect us from predators in our own world. There is the woman whose smile is too wide; the two blue contact lens wearing South Korean girls, one of whom has removed a lens revealing a tiny subtle glimpse of her brown eye, her true colour. Even the images of John F. Kennedy are inverting the norm. His back is always to the viewer, never giving you attention. Is it really him? The Christopher Williams exhibition reminds us why Conceptual Art rarely hangs freely in the walls of domiciles, it is not relaxing. There is an unnerving quality to the production, from the oversaturated colours through to the awkward viewing angles. You are welcome but don't make yourself at home.
London, Urban i s su p p o r t ed b y t h e Ni k o n Sch o o l
(c) Christopher Williams Kodak Three Point Reflection Guide, Š1968 Eastman Kodak Company, 1968, (Meiko laughing), Vancouver, B.C., April 6, 2005 Ringier Collection, Switzerland Image courtesy Galerie Gisela Capitain, Cologne and David Zwirner, New York/London The Production Line of Happiness runs until the 21st June at the Whitechapel Gallery, 77-82 Whitechapel High Street, London, E1 7QX
ARPS Advisory 20th May 2015 - Reported by Adrian McCarthy. The ARPS advisory ably organised by Lorraine Grey LRPS and held at the Idea Centre in Whitechapel was most successful. I know Lorraine had a few frustrations and difficulties while organising this but the outcome was first class. The event kicked off with a talk by the panel judges of what is expected at this level and discussed the preparation of the ?Statement of Intent? as well, then a previously successful panel was viewed and commented on, further successful panels were made available to view at the Lunch break. The premises were ideal for the purpose and the Idea Centre is an easy location for people to get to. A number of prospective ARPS candidates brought their panels in various stages of readiness and benefited from the advice of our two panel judges who gave advice on quality, content, statement of intents and even mounting. Everybody benefited even the audience from the structured and practical advice and encouragement given. It would be inappropriate for me to report details of the candidates or give details of their panels, but I think I will be allowed to say that there was some very nice work presented. Some panels presented were at or very close to the required standard in the opinion of the advisors, other candidates were at a very early stage of preparation bringing many prints but not always mounted. It really didn?t matter what stage the panels were at because the advisors were happy to see them at any stage and were most encouraging to all candidates. I learned a lot from watching, in particular I learned it is really worth attending an advisory at a very early stage as the advice and encouragement was so good and could potentially save potential candidates a lot of time and expense and would definitely put them on the right road to success.
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