RPS DI ONLINE MARCH 2024

COVER IMAGE

ABOUT THE COVER IMAGE

Photographer David Gilliver

Camera: Canon 5D Mark III

Lens: Canon EF 24mm f1.4L II USM Lens

ISO: 200

Aperture: f/10

Exposure length: 6 seconds

This image was created in a blackout studio using a 'Liteblade' which is a particular kind of light painting tool, it is essentially a shape of acrylic that attaches to the end of a torch and is called a Kama-Art Kata Blade.

Editor DI ONLINE: Melanie Chalk

Contact: dignews@rps.org

CHAIR’S CHAT

THOUGHTS FROM THE CHAIR…

Spring is in the air – it brings with it hope and energy. We hope that you can feel this feeding through to the new member opportunities that we have been delivering. And are encouraged to get out and about with your cameras.

Conceptually we are trying to bring you new opportunities to engage over more sustained periods, rather than popping in for one ‘something’ and then having to go off on your own to practise what you have learnt. With the new project based programmes we are offering you a chance to pick ‘n mix the elements of the programme that either appeal to you, or you wish to learn. Let’s take the Books & Zones project as the example.

We offer DI members free talks to get you started. Then there are various skills workshops to book in to, feedback sessions, peer to peer. Another free inspirational talk approximately half-way through the programme to keep you going when we know many of us start to flag. A new Facebook group where you can exchange ideas with one another or offer mutual support if a member is struggling. As we identify any other areas where members need support we’ll set up additional sessions. There is an online resource area where supporting material and presentation recording links can be found, to enable you to revisit things you might need later or missed first time round. By November we should all be at a point of producing some quality books or zines.

Very shortly we will be launching the Seed to Bloom: Plants, Flower and Garden photography. Again this is structured the same as the Books & Zines project, as a pick ‘n mix and will last throughout the year.

The DI Print Portfolio 2024 top 30 was announced at the AGM. We had some great work to choose from and trying to get it down to 30 meant some tough choices for the selectors. To view the top 30 accepted images go to https://pollunit.com/polls/diprintportfolio24 Currently we are collecting text from the photographers, then we can start on Portfolio production. If you were one of the selected top 30 then CONGRATULATIONS. Please do return your requested text to us a.s.a.p.

The Digital Imaging competition is progressing nicely with a good number of images being entered each round. Again this is a continuous process of shoot, submit, vote – then on to the next round with a different theme. Remember you only need to get an image into the top 5 in any one round to be in the final round 6 and be in with a chance to win the beautiful glass trophy.

So clean your camera, dust off your lenses and get shooting.

Hope to see you at one or other of the initiatives.

Janet

CHAIR’S CHAT

AGM 2024 REPORT

For those of you unable to attend the AGM I thought it might be a good idea to give you a short overview of events.

Main AGM business session went smoothly with our Treasurer, Trevor Pogson, providing a good look at the DI finances and explaining that the compound effects of delayed income coming through from RPS House from 2022, plus bank balances from the DI Centres that didn’t reform post pandemic, have put us in the strong position we find ourselves in. Due to this surplus we have been able to reduce the DIG and DIO subscription for 2024. To read the reports go to the AGM web page https://rps. org/groups/digital-imaging/di-main-agm/

However for 2025 we are, having had the approval of those attending the AGM, going to decouple DIGITs from the DI membership subscription. In 2025 we will have one DI subscription fee of £8 for everyone. Those wishing to still receive printed DIGITs will purchase these for 2025 in November/December 2024 at a cost of £10 (4 issues in 2025). By decoupling the printed DIGITs from the subscription in this way it means the rising costs of DIGIT print/postage will not be cross subsidised by those who choose to read the publication online. Every publication we produce is always online; taking printed DIGITs will be an optional extra.

Example - if you are a DI member in 2025 it will be £8 subscription. If you then choose to buy printed DIGITs at £10 the total is £18 and that is the same as the DIG subscription rate was 3 years ago - so overall you aren’t paying any more than you were then.

Immediately following the days’ session there was a DI Facebook posting about DIGIT. So let me reiterate

● we are not taking DIGITs away from you.

● we are NOT stopping printing DIGITs. Those who want printed copies will simply order them separately from paying for your annual subscription. So stop setting the hares running – it is business as usual, just a different way to pay.

Janet Haines digchair@rps.org

DIGITAL IMAGING COMPETITION

We are now open for voting on Round 3 – People Go to this page, https://rps.org/ groups/digital-imaging/di-competitions/digital-imaging-competition/ read the instructions and please vote.

This is your opportunity to choose the winner who will go through to the final Round 6. There is a very wide choice in this category and some great images to select from.

Round 4 – Scapes.

Are you thinking laterally about this? The theme is wider than just the normal land, sea, body scapes – what else might be considered a ‘scape’?

We will open up the submission PollUnit on April 1st and remember all submitted images must be no older than 6 months. This rule is there to encourage you to take new work and to not raid your library.

A MEMBER’S STORY

For the past couple of years the Digital Imaging group have collaborated with the RHS to promote and encourage entries to their RHS Portfolio Competition. Many of our members have entered and been selected to exhibit, and been awarded a prestigious RHS Medal. Here is Julie Pigula’s touching story of her successful entry and ultimate Silver medal!

Summer in Paradise

by Julie Pigula FRPS

I was born into a world of flowers. My father was a keen horticulturist we had a large cottage garden with two large greenhouses where Dad used to grow his prizewinning chrysanthemums. As a little girl, I was always down in the garden in the greenhouses. I loved getting my hands dirty and transplanting the seedlings ready for the new season. I bought my first camera so I could take pictures of our garden and the flowers in it. It was not long after I became hooked on photography, and it has been my passion ever since.

With this background in horticulture, I have always wanted to visit one of the RHS gardens, but they were too far away. RHS Bridgewater in Worsley opened in 2021. I was eager to go as it was only a short drive from home.

In 2022 they started allowing dogs in after 4.00 pm on certain evenings. This allowed us to bring Bailey, our labradoodle along too. It was a win-win, situation. I could take pictures whilst Vic took Bailey for a walk around the garden.

On my first visit, there was so much to photograph I didn’t know where to start. I specialise in macro work concentrating on single flowers. But with all I saw before me, I decided I needed to change to encapsulate the feeling of ambience and space within this part of the garden. I took my Canon 100-400mm lens the next time I visited. Using the lens to compress the landscaping to try and capture what my eye was seeing. To try and capture the colours of the perennials with the soft shapes of the grasses.

One advantage I find when using my mobility scooter is that I can steady my camera on the arms of my scooter. In effect, I have a monopod for taking images from my scooter. I see the garden at a different level providing a different perspective on the garden.

In November of that year, I noticed that ‘The RHS’ was holding a photographic competition in conjunction with the RPS. The winners receive RHS medals. This involved submitting a panel of six images with a common theme. The images submitted would be judged by a selection of expert photographers and horticulturists. The winning images would be hung in the Saatchi Gallery in London as part of the RHS Botanical Art & Photography Show.

That was my challenge for the year to try and sort out a panel of images taken at RHS Bridgewater for the RHS portfolio competition.

Like the RPS and DPS, you needed to provide a statement of intent ( no more than 250 words ). This was my Statement:

Summer in Paradise ( RHS Bridgewater )

With these images, I have tried to capture the essence of summer within the western section of the Paradise Garden at RHS Bridgewater with gentle shapes and flows of colour to create a tranquil space to enjoy, using a telephoto lens to compress what I was viewing through the lens, capturing the colours of the perennials and the soft shapes of the grasses.

As a disabled photographer, taking images from my motorised scooter means I see the garden at a different level and perspective. The pictures were taken in the evenings when the garden remained open after 6 pm, my favourite time for photography with the soft evening light.

Several panels are then shortlisted, the successful photographers are invited to send in A3-mounted prints of their images. The selected images will displayed in one of the galleries at the Saatchi as part of the Botanical Art & Photography Show.

The final judging only takes place once the images are hung in the gallery. At this point, the judges award medals.

The opening took place in June last year but due to health reasons, I was unable to attend the exhibition myself, my husband went down on my behalf and FaceTimed me and took pictures. I felt very honoured to be awarded a silver medal.

“On a sentimental front, the medal meant so much to me as my father also gained a silver medal in 1937 with his chrysanthemum blooms”

Julia Pigula

Me and My Dad

INTERNATIONALS

Each month we will feature an International member and learn more about them and their photography. Here Janet Haines informally poses questions to Richard Lavery.

Janet - You have been a member of The RPS for a long time but can you remember your original motivation for joining and have your hopes for membership been fulfilled?

Richard - I have been interested in photography since my teens. I was even lucky enough to get a summer job with the Scientific Photography Unit of the Royal Aircraft Establishment in Farnborough before I went off to University. However, my career in research soon got in the way of photography. After moving to Paris in 1977, it wasn’t until the digital revolution was well underway that I had time to take up photography again. I participated in quite a few workshops in France, but I didn’t have any contact with the RPS until I went to Venice for a winter workshop with Jonathan Critchley. We photographed the atmospheric city and some of the islands in the Lagoon, during a very cold and windy week in January 2017. The weather at least meant that we didn’t have to fight any crowds. During the workshop, one of the

participants mentioned that she was hoping to use some of the images of Venice for her LRPS application. As soon as I got home, I looked up the history and organisation of the RPS and immediately decided to join. In particular, the idea of being encouraged to progress with my photography by aiming for RPS qualifications appealed to me. I got my LRPS the following year and went on to an ARPS in the Fine Art category in 2020. I am now beginning to think about putting together an FRPS application. However, I admit to being traumatised by one speaker at the advisory day I attended who told us about his first FRPS attempt based on photographs taken over many months on a small Scottish island, only to be rejected on the basis that the portfolio wasn’t coherent enough.

Janet - Living in France must give you a different experience to a UK based member, now that we do so much online has that helped you to engage more? (If YES please elaborate on what you join us for)

Richard - Although, I haven’t been able to attend many RPS events in person, I was at the first Landscape group conference and which gave me the chance to listen to some excellent talks, including one from Charlie Waite. I also went to an advisory day in early 2018, just before I submitted my LRPS portfolio. In France, I regularly follow online talks arranged by the RPS and, more specifically, by the Digital Imaging group on both aesthetic and technical subjects (the latter, recently being dominated by the growing influence of AI). I have participated in several online workshops, including “Natural Light Portraiture” by Simon Ellingworth and very artistic “Macro Photography” by John Humphrey. I also enjoy the RPS publications and the ability to get advice, particularly, before applying for qualifications. Access to RPS resources, and especially the photographic archives at the V&A, has also furthered my interest in the early pioneers of photography and helped significantly in preparing a recent talk I gave on the career of Julia Margaret Cameron. So, although I live outside the UK, and not near to any of the international chapters, I still feel I have profited a great deal from my RPS membership, not least, by simply looking at the work of other members which encourages me to push my photography further.

Janet - Assuming you engage with other photographers in France do you notice any difference in style from the French to your work?

Richard - This is not an easy question for

me to answer. First, I would say that after almost 50 years in France, my photographic style is probably more French than British, if these indeed differ. So I would try to contrast French style from what I know of British photography. Also, my main interactions have been with other members of the photographic association I belong to and which is centred on studio portraiture (see below) and, in this speciality, I don’t see any obvious differences, except perhaps a more open acceptance of male or female nudity. In other fields, despite many strong street photographers in the early 20th century (Doisneau, Cartier Bresson, Lartigue, Ronis, …) I have the impression that street photography is now less popular in France, at least amongst amateurs, perhaps because of stricter French laws governing the exploitation of images which include identifiable individuals, and a general French dislike for being photographed in public. Concerning people photography in general, I would guess that French fashion photographers, including the likes of Bourdin, Demarchelier and Newton (who made most of his career in France from the 60’s), have made (decadent) elegance a dominant characteristic. I also have the impression that wildlife photography dominates landscape photography and, in the later field, I am not aware of the same concentration on outstanding landscape sites for French photographers, where you can expect to find groups of photographers on any given day, but I might be wrong. Lastly, I don’t see many proponents of the satirical style of Martin Parr in France.

Janet - What was the catalyst for you starting to do model shoots?

Richard - Funnily enough, it was again a workshop in Venice that led to a change in my photographic focus. This workshop was one of many organised during April 2019 on the island of San Servolo as part of the Venezia International Photo Festival. My workshop was run by Albert Watson, an outstanding photographer, that I had admired for a long time. Just before this workshop, I had looked for a photography group in my home town of Lyon (where my wife and I moved from Paris in 2007). The only active group I found was an association called Imag’in. They had their own studio and the association included not only photographers, but also models and makeup artists. Until this time, I had mainly been interested in urban photography and, particularly, in graphic patterns. I can even say that I had actively avoided photographing people. My first contact with Imag’in, quickly followed by the workshop with Albert Watson, radically changed my orientation. I found that I liked collaborating with models to build an image. I also found that working in a studio where you can control every aspect of the environment suited my personality. During the workshop, I was very impressed by the ease with which Albert Watson could use a couple of pieces of card to perfectly balance the light and shade on a model, creating a beautifully composed and powerful portrait. On getting back home, I started to learn studio photography with the help of workshops regularly organised by

Imag’in. I learnt to deal with studio lighting and began to evolve a style that kept something of my interest in simple, graphic images. Over the next few years, I made friends with both photographers belonging to the association, but also a number of models with whom I have worked many times, and who have greatly contributed to my continued progress in photography.

Janet - Please can you shows us two of your images and tell us why you choose them and little about each?

Richard - The choice of just two images is certainly not easy for any photographer, since all of us certainly have an emotional attachment to so many images, and to the memories of the people, the places, or the moments that they evoke.

After a lot of thought, I chose a first image from my initial year as a studio photographer with Imag’in, one that I felt had was coming close to conveying an emotion. It is a rather wistful, black and white image of a beautiful model. I tried to enhance this atmosphere by creating the impression of her looking through a window on a rainy day (using water droplets sprayed onto a Perspex sheet suspended in front of the model, combined with key lighting from top left and an opposing fill light onto the dark grey background). I made several series of images with this setup and, while I like some of them in colour, I generally prefer the black and white images for their ability to strengthen an atmosphere.

DAVID GILLIVER

A member of RPS DI had recently returned from a in-person workshop with David Gilliver, and had contacted me, recommending him as a potential speaker. Following his enthusiastic endorsement, I made contact and had a conversation with David. Although he has paused his talks to Clubs, he agreed to present two talks for Digital Imaging. I also invited David to write an Article for us, telling of his great successes in two very niche genres. I hope you enjoy reading it and will be interested in booking his talks to learn more, with lots of new work never seen before.

I graduated from the Glasgow School of Art in 2001 with a BA Hons Degree in Fine Art Photography and I have been working hard to establish myself as a respected professional photographer and artist ever since. I specialise in long-exposure photography (the art of ‘Light Painting’) as well as macro photography (my ‘Little People’ series).

During my degree I focused almost entirely on macro photography. In 1998 one of my professors suggested I take a look at the artworks of an American Artist, David Levinthal, and from this point onwards I was hooked and spent the next 2-3 years of my degree photographing toys and figurines. Towards the end of my degree, my professor told me I was one of the most prolific students the Art School had ever seen – a trend that I try to keep up by creating

hundreds of new artworks every year. When I graduated in the summer of 2001 I was involved in a couple of small exhibitions in Glasgow. I sold a couple of pieces, but it soon dawned on me that I now needed to make a living and so I ended up moving to the Channel Island of Guernsey where I got swept up into the world of offshore finance! Quite the departure from the world of fine art. But in order to maintain a level of sanity, I continued to make a lot of new artwork in the evenings seeing as my days were now being spent in an office (a lifestyle that my brain would never be fully comfortable with). It was during my time on Guernsey that I became utterly obsessed with long exposure photography and the art of light painting. For several years I became virtually nocturnal, often heading out to capture my work during the hours between 10pm-2am. I ended up creating a vast portfolio of light painting photography captured between 2008-2014, and I have amassed one of the largest collections of Light Painting tools in the world. When our daughter Lea was born in October 2014, sleep became more of a priority (not that we got much of it in the early years!) and I stopped venturing out late at night, instead I turned my full attention to my macro photography whenever I had the time.

In late 2015 I moved back to Scotland with my family. By this time I was married to my wife, Melissa, and we returned to Scotland with our daughter Lea who was just turning 1. This was when I realsied I had arrived at a professional crossroads, and in 2018 (after a brief return to office life) I finally took the plunge and became a full-time Artist. Not a week goes by without some kind of emotional rollercoaster taking place, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Being a full-time Artist just feels so natural to me. My work has since received some very welcome attention which has led to me becoming involved in some very exciting projects all over the world. Highlights from the past few years include having some of my photography stocked by John Lewis, running Creative Photography Workshops across the UK, and working on bespoke commissions for companies like ThreeUK, Sony, Adobe, Samsung, Lexus, the Noor Riyadh Festival of Light and AIDA Cruises to name a few. For every job/commission that I receive, I feel an immense sense of gratitude.

As well as regularly exhibiting my work I love running my Creative Photography Workshops for amateur and professional photographers, and in late 2018 I started travelling the country teaching my Workshops in schools across the UK. I now also regularly present to Colleges, Universities and Camera Clubs online via Zoom. Out of everything that I do, my main passions are creating bespoke artworks for my clients, and teaching others about the magical techniques I have fallen in love with: Light Painting and Macro Photography. It’s funny, I never set out to teach but it has become such an instrumental part of my art practice over the years. I also love interacting with the public and fellow Artists at any exhibitions I am lucky enough to be involved in.

DAVID’S LIGHT PAINTING

DAVID’S LITTLE PEOPLE

David Gilliver Talks to the RPS DI GROUP

Click the Ad to take you directly to Billetto for more information including the Date and Times.

David Gilliver Workshops and Books

David Gilliver has agreed to hold two workshops, in Glasgow, specifically for RPS Members.

So for anyone interested, and in easy travelling distance of Glasgow, there are limited places available at a reduced price for DI.

Six Places

Five Places

And his ebooks with Discounts

Books £20 Discount Code CLUB25

For his 2 Books no discount code as it’s already built into price of £30

Macro-photography Workshop June 8 2024

Light Painting Workshop

DISTINCTIONS STORY

Accolade 13 has recently gone live HERE , but for a couple of reasons this publication is on pause. The main reason is that we have real difficulty obtaining, from The RPS, up to date lists of those attaining Distinctions. We are also trying to recruit a replacement volunteer to steer the production of Accolade in the future. So we have decided to have an ‘Accolade section’ in each DI ONLINE whilst production of Accolade is not possible.

Jill Hillman is the first member, invited to share her Distinction journey and show her successful Panel with us.

JILL HILLMAN LRPS

As an artist my interest in photography has been mostly an aide memoire for my visual art practice and also to document the work for my website. This has now changed completely as photography has brought a new dimension to my life.

A few years ago, I began to realise that I could improve my photography if I understood how to use all my camera settings, so in June 2022 I embarked on the RPS/ Open University Course TG089 Digital Photography: creating and sharing better images. I have always had difficulty getting my head around numbers and the technical side of photography but eventually after much practice successfully completed this course. Later that year I completed another course, TZFM201 – Digital Photography: Discover your genre and develop your style which I thoroughly enjoyed and learnt a great deal. I currently use a Sony A7 III and lenses include a Sigma 28-70mm F2.8, Tamron 70300mm f4.5, Sony Prime Lens 50mm f1.8, Sigma 105mm F2.8 Macro Art Lens and recently I bought a Tamron 24mm wide angle. I aim to incorporate art into my photography in the future as I see the exciting possibilities this will bring.

The second course made me realise that it’s a good idea to develop a personal style and to think about specific genres which suit my personality and objectives. I’ve also learnt that I need to practise many many times when photographing something new.

The panel provided me with an opportunity to develop a range of approaches I had rarely done before which opened up new ways of thinking about how to accomplish them.

The Trowbridge Camera Club which I joined a few years ago, has many talented enthusiasts who shared their skills. On a photoshoot night, a club member showed me the basics of photographing water droplets, which I became so fascinated by, that I spent many evenings trying to perfect the technique with a bag of water hanging off a tripod to capture the water droplet in the centre. I had never really attempted wildlife before, nor photographing flowers, so it became a very long and steep learning curve.

Strangely, although I am not a bird photographer, the shot of the bird gave me the least problems all the way through. I attended an Advisory Day in Bristol in October 2023 and took all the advice on board and re shot a few images and changed things around. After advice from Stewart Wall ARPS from the Western Region about how the panel should balance, I decided on my central images and worked around them. I found getting the last two images the trickiest. All the way through I printed out postcard size images to move around, to give an indication of what might work before using high quality paper to print the final photographs.

I don’t have a favourite shot because each image is a reminder of the valuable lessons I learned with natural or artificial lighting, shutter speeds and correct apertures. It’s incredibly interesting going out to take photographs as the unpredictable nature of it teaches one many things –especially what to take, such as a light diffuser, small torch or something to clean the lens with and the prospect of encountering the unexpected. I generally find taking a tripod and remote control of great use.

I do enjoy working in my studio and also setting shots up in the garden. The snail was particularly captivating to watch and hundreds of shots later I decided I would be mindful with white lipped snails for ever more!

I watched the assessment on Zoom and was absolutely thrilled to have been successful and am now planning my next project – an A panel.

RPS DISTINCTIONS

FIND OUT HOW TO START OR CONTINUE YOUR DISTINCTIONS JOURNEY:

Each of the pages below includes handy links to guidelines and genres for distinctions, assessment dates, and a “how to apply” document:

• Licentiate (LRPS)– the process for LRPS is changing – see below for more details.

• Associate (ARPS)

• Fellowship (FRPS)

Changes from 1st February 2024: Applied and Portraiture genres will be merged into Applied for ARPS and FRPS. Book submissions (not photobooks) are in the process of changing, so make sure you include the correct number of images as specified. No way of identifying the author may be included in these books.

Changes from 1st February 2024:

Applied and Portraiture genres will be merged into Applied for ARPS and FRPS. Book submissions (not photobooks) are in the process of changing, so make sure you include the correct number of images as specified. No way of identifying the author may be included in these books.

Changes to LRPS:

The LRPS application process will be changed in 2024, to make the process easier to use for both applicants and panel members, quicker and more affordable for applicants. The RPS is developing an online application system to replace the current manual one, which is too labour-intensive to cope with any increase in number of applicants.

Whilst this means that print submissions will not be possible after April 2024, it’s hoped that the new process will provide feedback for all applicants, better support international members and the panel members, and reduce the number of assessment sessions that have to be cancelled or postponed for various reasons.

Workshops and talks to support would-be licentiates will be developed in tandem, for example addressing issues that commonly result in unsuccessful submissions. ARPS and FRPS submissions will continue to support print-based assessments.

The Photobook genre, available for all distinctions, has its own special guidelines and submission process (as opposed to an LRPS, ARPS or FRPS submission in book form). You can find out more here: Photobooks. You might also like to see a talk hosted by Stewart Wall which is both informative and inspiring.

Six tailored hybrid advisory days for both Associate and Fellowship levels at RPS House will cover Visual Art, Natural History, Landscape, Documentary, Applied, Contemporary, and Travel – limited spaces; book here.

Six tailored hybrid advisory days for both Associate and Fellowship levels at RPS House will cover Visual Art, Natural History, Landscape, Documentary, Applied, Contemporary, and Travel – limited spaces.

To help you prepare, you can request a one2one portfolio review – an online session with a panel member appropriate to your genre/distinction. See this page for more information: How to book a one2one

There has been some confusion over what happens next – someone from HQ will find you an advisor and put you both in touch to arrange a date and to send images/ presentation plan. This can take time depending on how many volunteer assessors in your genre or at your level are available, and you are advised to make your request at least 4 months before an assessment.

Some regions are offering Advisory Days online and in person. Look out on our Facebook group or for broadcasts from your regional group for details, or use this link https://portal. rps.org/s/event-listing and click the ‘Advisory Day’ button at the top – best to disregard the filters at the left hand side which often seem to find nothing or hide some events! You can generally attend as an observer if you aren’t ready to step up yet (usually advertised a week beforehand on the Facebook group). In addition, some Chapters and Regions offer online Distinctions Study Groups. You can find these by searching the RPS website (these are in random date order including past dates, so you do need to be patient).

Assessment dates for 2024 are on the website ( and the last print assessments for LRPS are now 26/27th March. You can send your booking forms to distinctions@rps.org or by post to head office. As for advisory days, you can sign up to observe an Assessment Day (in person or online) tickets for assessments – currently free.

And don’t forget, as well as projected and printed images, you can also apply for a Film, Digital and Multimedia Distinction at any level, and also a written Research Distinction: Film And Research. The Research page on the website has been updated, and more changes are scheduled for other pages.

More avenues of support:

If you missed any of the Distinctions Live talks, you can catch up here. (Also accessible via the RPS Distinctions channel on YouTube.) This talk from Stewart Wall gives advice on how to gain your Licentiate.

The Facebook Group RPS Distinctions **Official Group** is still growing after 3 years, with 4986 members. It includes news from HQ, links for observer places at assessments, and posts celebrating distinction successes to inspire you. It’s a civilised venue to ask questions, share your successes – and disappointments – and ask for critique or expert advice on your proposed portfolio.

If you aren’t sure which genre or level to apply for, you can post 6 images (plus your SOI if appropriate) and request moderator advice.

FROM SEED TO BLOOM

In 2024 DI are expanding the Programme of Talks and Workshops on the subject of Plant, Flower and Garden Photography. The RPS Digital Imaging group's collaboration with the RHS continues, but we are taking a slightly different path and this new project is entitled 'From Seed to Bloom'.

To launch this new initiative, Celia Henderson LRPS has brought together a new series of workshops, as part of the ’From Seed to Bloom’ programme, selecting a seasonal flower to highlight each month, starting in April with the Bluebell.

We have also invited some guest presenters to expand and enhance the programme. In May we have a talk from Charles Needle followed by some Smartphone apps workshops led by him and also an exciting Face to Face opportunity for a Creative Flower workshop, for 16 people, within travelling distance of RHS Wisley, with Charles. We have arranged a Talk with Polina Plotnikova FRPS and are also planning for Cherry Larcombe ARPS to share her photography mastery with us. Our hope is to engage you, inspire, and offer opportunities to polish your skills, both when capturing your images, and later when enhancing them, our aim is to further unlock your creativity!

More details and links to events follow over the coming pages, lots to read! Some is still in the planning with dates and events being added all the time.

Two places to find the updates and new dates are on the DI Homepage/ From Seed to Bloom or on the Billetto DI Public Profile page type a particular tutor in the Search Bar to refine your search.

From Seed to Bloom......

A new project encompassing Plants, Flowers and Garden Photography

Learn new processing techniques. Be inspired on ways to present your work. Sow the seed and watch it flourish

Talks, Walks, Workshops and Support Springtime to Autumn 2024 and beyond.

All the events below are bookable now, more being added all the time! FULL RANGE

SOWING THE SEED

Ideas and inspiration: Germinate and Water

April:

• See- Make-Take First in the series of workshops with Celia Henderson The Bluebell April 13

May:

• Creative Plant & Garden Photography a Presentation with Charles Needle May 4

• See- Make-Take second in the series of workshops with Celia Henderson The Tulip May 7 & 9

June:

• Hands on Workshop at Wisley with Charles Needle June 4 16 places June 4/6

• ‘Chasing Seasons’ a Talk with Polina Plotnikova about using Lensbaby & special effect lenses June 7

• How to Edit Wow Photos on your phone a Workshop with Charles Needle featuring flowers June 11

Spring Summer and Autumn: Nurture & Fertilise the Ideas

• Supportive Image Evaluation with Charles Needle July 2 Participant July 2

• Supportive Image Evaluation with Charles Needle July 2 Observer July 2

• How to Create jaw dropping Closeups using your phone a Workshop with Charles Needle July 24

• How to Craft Painterly/Abstract Images Using Your iPhone a Workshop with Charles Needle Part 1 Sept 17

• How to Craft Painterly/Abstract Images Using Your iPhone a Workshop with Charles Needle Part 2 Oct 8

Celia Henderson LRPS writes about her vision of this new series of workshops, part of the From Seed to Bloom programme which will select a seasonal flower each month.

The Art of Flower Photography is all about seeing the scene, taking the photo and making the art. We’ll start at the end of the process by visualising the finished masterpiece, consider your intended output (print medium, digital). That directs us to the take stage, what equipment, lens, camera settings, backgrounds, compositions, lighting, do we need. And before you even click the shutter button, reflect on the features and magic that can be applied from the post processing software.

Whether you are seeking to create a sharp botanical study, a still life, a competition entry or a dreamy watercolour painting, let me guide you through the “See-TakeMake” workflow. With each workshop putting seasonal flowers in the limelight, we will put our vision plan to the test and consider how to best capture the shot(s) and which tools will be required to complete the post processing workflow, so you are fully prepared and motivated to capture the tulips of spring, the sweet peas of summer, the glorious dahlias and rudbeckia of autumn and the resilient snowdrops in winter.

The workshops will be added to Billetto as the detail for each workshop is completed.

See all Celia's DI Workshops on Billetto

Many enjoyed the presentation that Charles Needle gave in the last months of 2023 and Charles has now agreed to work with DI workshops, on a programme of events over the coming year. Some aligned to the From Seed to Bloom project but also with Four iPhone Mini-Workshops, when Charles will be joined by his wife Melissa, herself a lecturer on Smartphone Photography.

Many were entertained and inspired by his ‘whistle stop tour’ around Smartphone apps and what they can be used for both at the taking stage as well as in post processing. We have invited him back to do a deeper dive into several different apps, that he is very familiar with, showing how to get the best from them and in more creative ways.

Charles is also taking the lead with three events on Creative Flower and Garden Photography, starting with a Talk on May 4 at 16:00 BST . Then for 16 lucky people, within travelling distance of Wisley, have a chance to join him on a Hands-On Workshop in this RHS Garden in early summer on June 4 starting at 11 through to 4pm Then finally he is returning to do a Virtual “Supportive Image Evaluation” indepth feedback session on people's images featuring flowers and gardens. There are 20 place to participate and provide images or lots of places to just come and observe the process.

Go here for the full programme and more detail

DI Homepage/ From Seed to Bloom

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FROM SEED TO BLOOM

TALKS AND WORKSHOPS

AI SNAPSHOT

UNVEILING THE LATEST INNOVATIONS IN AI-DRIVEN PHOTOGRAPHY WITH NEWS & VIEWS FROM OUR ROVING REPORTERS !

Commands, Parameters and a Cheat Sheet ! BY SIMON NEWLYN

First, congratulations to all of you who attended the DIG AGM ‘Fun with AI’ session and spotted the original images correctlythe majority of you I’m pleased to say.

Also, a quick ’shout out’ for those of you who didn’t spot the AI generated images - it makes all ‘the burning of the midnight oil’, for me, worthwhile.

For alI DI members interested in exploring image to text generation further and would like to ‘play’ with Midjourney I recommend that you wait, just a little longer, until it is ‘relaunched’ in a browser version. This will save you the quite laborious task of trying to get into Midjourney via the Discord server. Further, as Midjourney no longer offers a free trial and is only available on a monthly subscription basis you might want to investigate Leonardo AI as discussed below.

The AI AGM session, I hope, also demonstrated that through the use of Commands and Parameters, to help increase ‘control’ over the final image generated, you can start to make a difference to your outputs. For Midjourney here are two links to further information about the use of Commands and Parameters.

COMMANDS PARAMETERS

I also suggest that you download a free Midjourney Cheat Sheet that explains how both Commands and Parameters are used. One Cheat Sheet ( there are hundreds! ) can be found on this link: CHEAT SHEET

LEONARDO AI

As Midjourney is no longer free you might want to take a look at Leonardo AI for two reasons.

First, Leonardo AI is good and is available in a browser version and second, there is a free service available. While the free service does not offer you every feature, that a monthly subscription provides, it gives you the opportunity to ‘have-a-go’ and experiment in creating an AI image. Again, take a look at the following links, giving information on how to use Leonardo AI, before you actually try it:

Link 1

Link 2

POLL RESULTS

AI SNAPSHOT

Janet Haines, Chair of DI, tells us ‘I recall having some software from this Canadian company many moons ago, somewhere at the start of my digital photography journey. To be honest I had not appreciated that they are still around today so when I was made aware that they were moving into the AI space it felt like time to revisit what they might have to offer. The following article gives us an overview and even a special DI members 10% discount code. If any member gives this software a try perhaps in a couple of months time you might want to give us and update article for DI Online’.

AI in Photography - What does the Future Look Like?

Photography and technology have always been closely interlinked. In the 19th century, we saw various photographic processes emerge, including calotype, tintypes, and albumen prints. In the late 19th century, flexible roll film – leading to the invention of the Kodak camera in 1888, making photography more accessible to the masses.

The 20th century witnessed rapid advancements in photography technology, including the introduction of 35mm film, SLR cameras, and colour photography. The digital revolution in the late 20th century brought about the transition from film to digital photography, enabling photographers to capture, store, and manipulate images electronically, ranging from digital asset management software from ACDSee and editing software from Adobe in the 90s.

As such, the integration of AI was only a natural movement for photography - but that doesn’t come without its controversy. With many software offering seamless AI integration and new tools popping up, it seems everyone can now create. But with this, comes many questions. Are people using AI to create images and not disclosing it? Are people passing AI creations as photography? While it’s currently quite easy to distinguish real photography versus digital and artificial creations, with time it will only get harder to distinguish.

Many liken the rise of AI to how photography was initially perceived when it first came to be - deemed an abomination compared to traditional artistic mediums. While some avert themselves from AI completely, it can in fact be an enhancer to creativity within photography, simplifying some processes and allowing more time for the creative aspects of photography and editing. In this sense, it provides a canvas for enhanced creativity.

AI within Photography

The evolution of photography and the rise of AI technologies have been intricately intertwined. Early iterations of photo editing software focused primarily on basic adjustments like cropping, exposure correction, and colour enhancement. However, as digital imaging technology advanced, so did the demand for more sophisticated editing capabilities. These early software solutions laid the groundwork for the integration of AI into photography editing. As digital photography evolved, so did the complexity of editing tasks, prompting the development of AI-powered features that automate repetitive tasks and offer intelligent recommendations.

AI-powered features, such as automatic image tagging, facial recognition, and contentaware editing, have become indispensable tools for photographers seeking to streamline their workflows and unlock new creative possibilities. ACD Systems' products, including ACDSee including ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate 2024, have embraced AI technologies to deliver intelligent solutions that simplify complex tasks and empower photographers to focus on their artistic vision.

Furthermore, ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate 2024’s key features include things such as AI keywords, which provide content-aware suggestions, simplifying the process. In ACDSee’s case, AI is shaving minutes and sometimes hours of time off editing processes photographers were doing anyway. Additionally, the Develop mode introduces AI improvements focused on masking for localised adjustments, including AI Subject, AI Background, and AI Sky options. Such AI tools, like these from ACDSee’s Photo Studio Ultimate 2024, offer comprehensive controls and functionality, empowering photographers to achieve professional-grade edits with ease and efficiency.

There are also some editing software also offer generative AI features, which allows the user to type in a word and have the software generate an image entirely out of nothing. Similarly, these can simplify aspects and save time, but some people do question whether they dilute creativity, or count as photography at all – as with anything, this comes to how the individual chooses to use it.

As technology advances, ethical considerations regarding transparency, accountability, and the preservation of human creativity become paramount. As with anything, balancing the benefits of AI with these concerns is crucial for ensuring a diverse and sustainable future for photography.

The future of AI in photography

The future of photography and AI holds immense potential to revolutionise the editing process and enhance creative storytelling. Automated photo editing tools promise to streamline workflows by reducing manual labour and allowing photographers to focus more on artistic expression.

These AI-powered tools can recognise and analyse various elements within photos, aiding in creative storytelling and storyboarding. Moreover, AI image recognition technology simplifies the management of large photo collections by automating tasks like photo organisation and selection. Real-time image analysis techniques and deep learning algorithms further enhance editing workflows, offering immediate feedback and precise adjustments.

However, while AI brings significant advancements, photographers must maintain their personal editing styles and ensure that AI tools enhance rather than replace their unique perspectives. As AI technology continues to evolve, the future holds exciting possibilities for more intuitive editing commands and seamless integration of AI assistants into photographers' workflows. Embracing these advancements while preserving personal aesthetics and addressing ethical considerations will be essential for photographers to thrive in the dynamic landscape of photography.

AI has a place, and if you want to maintain creativity, freedom, expression and individuality within your photography then it’s likely you’ll want to use time-saving tools that software such as ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate 2024 provide. AI is going nowhere, but neither is photography and the raw, evocative images that can be created with a camera and editing techniques.

Liv Gardner

Find out more about ACDSee’s AI software at ACDSee.com and unlock 10% discount on any lifetime licence with the code: 10DGACDSEE

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The Exhibition will be open

Wednesday 20th March at 11am to Sunday 24th March at 4pm

The formal opening will be held on Thursday 21st March from 7.00pm

Featuring the work of over 100 exhibitors, the Exhibition will be displayed across two floors plus a rolling digital display of further images at

The Espacio Gallery 159 Bethnal Green Road London E2 7DG (100m from the top of Brick Lane)

As well as the main Exhibition, there will be features from the Region’s regular monthly photo-walks included Midweek Explorers, Street and Landscape

In addition, as part of the Region’s commitment to community engagement, volunteers from RPS London Region in conjunction with CafeArt, support people who have suffered the effects of homelessness by running a photography mentoring group. A small selection of work from the participants of this group will also be on display as part of this Exhibition.

JOIN US – IT’S FUN AND IT’S FREE AND YOU WILL BE ASSURED OF A WARM WELCOME!

For more information, please contact RPS London Region Organiser by e-mail: london@rps.org or Co-Deputy Regional Organiser londonro2@rps.org

THE RPS LONDON REGION MEMBERS’ PRINT EXHIBITION 2024.

On Monday, 8 April 2024

EDITOR’S WORDS FROM THE COMPUTER CHAIR

Flowers have received a huge amount of exposure in this issue, so let me complete the circle with the Iris! No not those irises, ‘The Iris’ in one’s eye! Descriptive words for the Iris are, Aperture, Diaphragm, how light is regulated entering the eye/lens, are terms very familiar and used in the camera world too. What might the importance of our own ‘Iris’ play in technology, in the future? For many of us our Mobile Phone has become an integral part of our lives, however much we resist its incipient stealthy intrusion.

I caught a brief segment of ‘Click’ on Breakfast TV on Sunday, a science programme, ‘Exploring the latest technology innovations shaping our lives’ it’s available on iPlayer, so I was able to watch again. My attention was caught by ‘Gaze Control’ a statement that intrigued me, “Your devices will know what you want to do without you even touching them”! “Interaction with our devices is on the cusp of change” “Looking is the new pointing”

Have you heard of NPU? A Neural Processing Unit, it’s arriving at a phone near you very soon, if it hasn’t already! NPU heralds the arrival of real AI on your phone, making it predictive, you might look at the phone and interact with it and it will know what you want to do even before you want to do it! However, one benefit was mentioned, privacy wise, if all the computation is done on your device, your data isn’t leaving your phone and being sent into the cloud, so you are not relinquishing control. That’s good then!

So, a new regime for you, exercise your ‘Iris’ it could control your future.

Melanie Editor DI ONLINE

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