The Newsletter of the Central Region of The RPS

CENTRAL REGION NEWSLETTER

Winter 2015

FROM THE REGIONAL ORGANISER ur second AGM under the new team was held 12th March 2015, and was heralded as a great success.

The existing committee was re-elected together with Gerald Griffin, the Newsletter Editor.

The committee decided to feature more work by Midlands photographers in the future and this issue bears that out!

The Central Region Committee have organised many other events utilising the Smethwick club room as our hub.

The events this year have continued to be a great success, with all the committee members offering excellent support.

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feature more work by

Midlands photographers and this issue bears that out!

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The committee decided to

We have held three Distinction Advisory Panels, one organised by the Central Region as an evening event, and two all day events run by Head Office in Bath.

The distinction evening workshops have given great encouragement to members seeking to gain distinctions.

The advice and support given by Roger Parry and Anne Sutcliffe to potential applicants was both supportive and honest. Their wealth of knowledge was very useful to the 30 members present.

The Distinction Advisory Day organised by Bath was also a great success. Chris Palmer, Leigh Preston, Malcolm Kus, Colin Harrison and Clive Haynes all gave concise advice on the criteria and the requirement for gaining both LRPS and ARPS. This included the importance of presentation, printing

quality, and in the case of the ARPS, making sure the statement of intent and the images are coherent. The 40 members present found the days most valuable. The Central Regional Committee welcome all RPS members and anyone else who has an interest in Photography.

Being positioned in the centre of the Country, and at the heart of the photographic world, the Region includes some of the best practitioners in British photography as this Newsletter confirms. The committee are looking to involve these photographers and many more in future events. The committee and I are seeking to promote photography in the Midlands and to help everyone realise their dreams and potential as photographers.

We aim to cover a broad range of interests in the region and to organise events, lectures and workshops in a bid to share knowledge and to learn from fellow photographers. At the same time we are keen that members develop their own photographic skills, styles and interests.

We are looking to assist and support Central Region members in developing their photographic skills and gaining one of the Society's distinctions, if that is their desire. Please let me know if there is any way in which we can help! Most of all we seek to promote a happy friendly experience for all to enjoy their photography.

Mike Sharples ARPS Central Region Organiser

CONTENTS

Page 2 The work of ‘Mr Midlands Photography’, Roger Parry ARPS.

Page 3 Anne Sutcliffe FRPS. The fascinating story of Anne’s photographic journey.

Pages 4/5 Judi Dick’s successful ARPS panel.

Pages 6 Peter Clark FRPS. A look at Peter’s wonderful landscape photography.

Page 8 A few bonus pictures from our featured Midland photographers.

REGIONAL COMMITTEE Regional Organiser: Mike Sharples ARPS Committe Members: Peter Frisby LRPS (Treasurer) Gerald Griffin ARPS (Editor) Roger Parry ARPS Judith Parry DPAGB Anne Sutcliffe FRPS Colin Trow-Poole FRPS

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ROGER PARRY

RPS CENTRAL REGION NEWSLETTER

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oger and Judith Parry have been (in Judith’s words) involved in the photography world for too many years to want to remember. Roger and Judith’s depth of experience, knowledge and understanding of all facets of the photographic sphere, and their contribution, guidance and support not only to Smethwick PS, the RPS, MCPF, PAGB but the whole of photography in general, is not possible to quantify with any superlatives: to Midlanders, The Parrys are Mr and Mrs Photography!

Judith’s work was featured earlier this year and so it is time to have a look at Roger’s!

Here are some recent examples of his work which have all helped to support Midlands photography.

Mr and Mrs Photography!

Top left to bottom Ready to bathe, Classic Beauty, Love Chaos and High Step.

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To Midlanders, The Parrys are

Anne Sutcliffe

RPS CENTRAL REGION NEWSLETTER

nne Sutcliffe has been a keen amateur photographer since 1986 when she bought a Minolta 7000 film camera. It was the first camera with autofocus and was a godsend because until then Anne's severe short sightedness caused significant problems with focussing. At first Anne took only transparencies and gained her LRPS and ARPS with them. In 1997, Anne acquired an early edition of Photoshop, a scanner and a digital printer. From then on, her photography was transformed and she fell in love with prints. The joy of creating and then printing an image is as addictive today as it was all those years ago. At first Anne's manipulations were obvious and, in retrospect, extremely crude. Over time she became more adept. Her images were described as pastel or pale and interesting. Given that she also favoured matte papers, the effect was frequently described as painterly. Although her series remains

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passion for photographing

ladies public conveniences!

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many people remember her

small, many people remember her passion for photographing ladies public conveniences! Anne was awarded her FRPS in 2003. In 2004, Anne was delighted to be invited to become a member of the London Salon of Photography.

Around 2009, to become less dependent on Photoshop, and, where possible, to capture her images in camera she broadened her interests to include landscape, wildlife and macro photography.

After retirement as an NHS doctor, Anne wanted to give something back. To this end, she judges and lectures. She was the chair of the LRPS and is currently a member of the Visual Art distinction panels. Recently she contributed to decisions about the content and style of the revamped Journal. In 2014 she was appointed as the liaison person between the RPS and the Photographic Society of America.

Top to bottom Crossing the pond, Dancing turkeys, Thoughtful and Hunting fox.

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RPS CENTRAL REGION NEWSLETTER

JUDI

Here is a selection of images from Judi’s recent successful ARPS panel.

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I DICKS ‘A

fter many months of trying to capture candid moments I decided it was time to submit my panel of work for Assessment for an ARPS. After much trepidation and an excruciating wait on the day in March this year, imagine my jubilation on being successful. Being a glutton for punishment In April this year I also submitted 15 images for assessment for a DPAGB and was once again successful.

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Judi writes...

RPS CENTRAL REGION NEWSLETTER

ARPS - Statement of Intent My images capture a candid moment in people’s lives and provoke a response from both the photographer and the viewer as to wonder who, why and what happens next.

I have photographed ordinary people going about their everyday lives, the ones in a rush, maybe to or from work, who knows? Others having a rest, some playing or relaxing, the tired, the busy, the thoughtful and the envious.

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RPS CENTRAL REGION NEWSLETTER

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am primarily a landscape photographer of 35 years standing.

In my formative years I took part in several landscape workshops, mainly in the Lake District, where I learnt for the first time the importance of lighting and the basics of composition.

In common with many Midlands’ photographers I plied my ‘trade’ in the mountains and abandoned quarries of North Wales, in Derbyshire, Yorkshire and in Scotland and developed an image style which led eventually to the award of the Fellowship of the RPS in 1992.

Inspired by the work of Ansel Adams I first travelled to Yosemite in 1996 and became completely hooked on the South Western United States which I have had the good fortune to visit on innumerable occasions in all seasons.

From the very beginning I wanted more from an image than simply entering it in a club competition and then resigning it to storage and soon started entering National Exhibitions.

Success spurred me on to enter International Exhibitions which I now enter exclusively, amassing in excess of 2,450 acceptances with numerous awards.

There are three distinct phases in my photography, each of which I enjoy immensely – image capture, image processing and exhibiting the final image and although my first love will always be for a monochrome image I have worked extensively in projected colour images for many years.

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PETE

ER CLARK From the very beginning I wanted more from an image than simply entering it in a Club competition

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RPS CENTRAL REGION NEWSLETTER

Opposite page: Mountain Light, Rhythms in the Dunes, Rannoch Tree.

This page, clockwise: Passing Storm Yosemite Valley, Moon over Half Dome, Racetrack Crossover, Saltburn Pier.

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RPS CENTRAL REGION NEWSLETTER

Top row Peter Clark: Boat Houses, Linisfarne & Mountain Light.

Second row Judi Dicks: Time, Peter Clark: Yellowstone Winter.

Third row Judi Dicks: Stealing the scene & Walk on by.

Bottom row Roger Parry: In the dorrway & Dance.

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