JANUARY 2020
HERITAGE PHOTOGRAPHY
CONTENTS HERITAGE PHOTOGRAPHY
EDITORIAL
Journal of the Archaeology and Heritage Group
3 Perspective
January 2020 Editor David Bryson heritage.editor@rps.org Advisory Editor Eric Houlder LRPS Advertising enquiries David Bryson heritage.editor@rps.org Archaeology & Heritage Group Committee Members Gwil Owen ARPS Chair heritagechair@rps.org George Backshall LRPS Secretary heritagesec@rps.org Richard K Evans FRPS Treasurer David Bryson Heritage Photography editor heritage.editor@rps.org Rodney Thring LRPS Published by the Archaeology and Heritage Group of the Royal Photographic Society, January 2020. Copyright in all text and photographs is held by the credited authors, or as otherwise stated. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted or stored in any form without prior written permission of the Publisher.
DAVID BRYSON
“Landscape“ as a key element of Heritage Photography.
4 Gwil’s rant . . . GWIL OWEN ARPS
FEATURES 6-11 Island Stones JIM SOUPER
No visit to the Outer Hebrides would be complete without a visit to the stone circle at Calanais.
12-17 Qasr Al Hosn ROBERT GALLOWAY LRPS
Qasr Al Hosn was opened to the public in December 2018, as a museum of Abu Dhabi history, after extensive restoration and reconstruction.
ERIC HOULDER LRPS
Landscape features captured with Kodak Infrared Aerial Ektachrome 8443.
PLACES TO VISIT 21 Revealed in the Landscape
Front cover photograph Beachy Lighthouse, Eastbourne by Paul Diette
REPORT
Printed by Digitalprinting.co.uk Milton Keynes, MK9 2FR United Kingdom.
21
RICHARD K. EVANS FRPS
22-23 Members’ Showcase 2019 MIKE SASSE
Diversity of members’ photographic interests.
NOTICES & EVENTS 24 Future events
A&H AGM and Members’ Print Show 2020. 2
12
18-20 Aerial Adventures
Print ISSN 0958-0565 Online ISSN 2632-3346
Back cover photograph Calanais, Lewis, March 2019. by Jim Souper ARPS
6
23
EDITORIAL
Perspective “Landscape” as a key element of Heritage Photography DAVID BRYSON
T
he Archaeology and Heritage Group in the Royal Photographic Society (RPS) is in many ways very distinctive as we can quite legitimately cover every other type of photography of the other groups, to a lesser or greater extent. What does make us distinctive though is our approach often addressed by our Chair, see Gwil’s latest rant, and what we photograph. This issue of Heritage Photography exemplifies this looking at aspects of “Landscape”. We cannot but be aware of landscape as a integral part of archaeology and heritage photography. The appearance of the landscape we live in has been determined by the continual historical changes and their effects. From vast and significant monuments and earthworks down to hedgerows and narrow country lanes. Archaeologist’s talk about the relationship between their excavations and the wider surrounds putting these into context. So as Archaeology and Heritage photographers we need to look beyond the buildings and fine details to look at the place of these in the landscape. This starts with the cover photograph taken by Paul Diette at a recent RPS workshop in Eastbourne, Cuckmere Haven and the Seven Sisters guided by Mark Reeves, featuring the Beachy Head Lighthouse. Jim Souper’s photographs go further than the traditional views of the Island Stones of the Outer Hebrides to look at the juxtaposition of ancient, not so ancient, relatively recent and modern additions to the landscape. In this way we can see the landscape as living and ever changing.
Robert Galloway’s feature provides contrast in the landscape between the old and the very new as skyscrapers and tower blocks loom over the well preserved remains of Qasr Al Hosn in Abu Dhabi. Similarly aerial views of the landscape, from regular contributor Eric Houlder, looks at the marks that previous generations have left on the landscape seen using false colour infrared film. Aspects of these issues were also covered from a wide range of personal perspectives in our Members’ Showcase which took place in October 2019 reported on by Mike Sasse. As Mike says in his report.
“Overall, the event demonstrated the diversity of members’ photographic interests and approaches to archaeology and heritage, but also the common interests and themes that bind the group together.” Themes for the next two issues are: May 2020: “Alternative views of places of worship” I have noticed a lot of photographs on the facebook page for the group, now 47 strong, https://www. facebook.com/groups/rpsah/. Interestingly the nontraditional views often have a greater impact. So do submit an article or single images that show places of worship in a different light. September 2020: “Scientific and technical” An opportunity for many of our group who are working in “Archaeological and Heritage Photography” whether aerial kite photography, infrared or specialist techniques like Polynomial Texture Mapping (PTM) as well as simple ways to take great photographs of objects. Ideas for themes/issues for 2021 are very welcome. The aim is to have as many features and photographs ready in advance of the publication dates. Many contributors will have noticed that I am working through their submissions and whilst not everything can’t be published straightaway they are being published. If you have an idea for photographs or articles and photographs for the journal please contact me. heritage.editor@rps.org
Photograph from Mike Sasse’s talk at the Members’ Showcase on “Reminders of the coal industry in England”.
DAVID BRYSON 3
EDITORIAL
Gwil’s rant . . . . . Chair of the Archaeology and Heritage Group. GWIL OWEN ARPS.
I
n the last issue of the journal I was able announce the exhibition of our members’ work next autumn - September 13th to 27th to be exact. Enclosed with this journal you will find a letter giving all the nitty gritty details for submissions - prints, dates, sizes and suchlike. Here, though are the basics. The venue is the Michaelhouse cafe, attached to Michaelhouse church in the centre of Cambridge, which is a well established venue for art exhibitions. Our basic premise is that the exhibition will show as broad a spectrum of members’ work as possible - not just of those who are already great and good, but for beginners and “improvers” alike. With this in mind I hope that we shall be oversubscribed, in which case selection will be based on the variety of A&H work as much as on absolute excellence. Credits will be by forename name and surname only; no gongs or letters attached. I urge you all to put something into the exhibition. If you are diffident about your work, remember that we have a core of members who are more than able and willing to offer advice - so please talk to me or any of our committee. More generally the group’s main problem continues; that few members are active participants in our events. The members’ showcase is a case in point - a few regulars, the presenters and the odd first timer. Offering some hope is the way the RPS is itself evolving, promoting closer contacts between regions and groups. This has been going on for some time within the south and east of Britain, which is our key demographic area. I have, myself, managed to discuss this with my local regional chairman, with a view to joint activities. Your other committee members, too, pursue a similar line in their own localities. Now for my other regular beef - we need more committee members. This issue will be my last chance to remind you, again, before the AGM in March. Currently our committee is five. In March it will be three. This will be perilously close to the group becoming unable to continue. In particular we must elect a new treasurer. I’m sure there are many members who can offer the skills a committee needs. The commitment is not onerous - three committee meetings a year, the AGM, and the ability to sing our praises in your own area, geographical and/or interest based. Get in touch. The shortest day has only just passed as I write this. Many of us will have put away our cameras, except for the odd foray around the family at Christmas - unless, of course you holiday in the Bahamas or
4
Zermatt! Here is a thought to pursue. We do not just take photos - we make pictures. You don’t need a camera to make pictures - they are made in your head, whether or not you have a camera with you. I have several pictures in my head which I have yet to make. One is because I’m fascinated by the pollinating insects in our local botanic gardens. I have many close up images of insects on flowers but not my key one where the insect is “just coming round the corner and staring directly into the camera”. It’s in my head. One day, maybe. Of course the best photo I ever took is also permanently in my head. I was thirteen, an avid train spotter, with a new roll film camera and Trains Illustrated as my photographic bible. I wanted the archetypical “steam engine bursting out of the tunnel” picture. I set up by our local tunnel exit, the engine burst out, and I nailed it! Unfortunately, when I developed the film, in my enthusiasm I forgot to put the fixer in before I opened the tank. What a klutz! I have never seen my best ever picture, but, like the insect, it’s always with me.
Train in landscape. Kodak Brownie127. Gwil. c. 11 years old.
Here’s a suggestion then. Go for a photographic walk, but leave the camera at home. Take a notebook and a pen. When you “see” a picture, write it down - shape, lighting, viewpoint, timing (not the shutter, silly), and most importantly why you want to take it. Not just because it’s nice, but why it appeals to you, what are its salient features, and how can you make that clear to someone else. You may end up only with a notebook full of imaginary pictures - but you will still be a photographer! Happy new year!, Gwil. Just email me: heritagechair@rps.org.
GWIL OWEN ARPS
FEATURES
Island Stones
No visit to the Outer Hebrides would be complete without a visit to the stone circle at Calanais. Sitting astride a dominating ridge, it offers a commanding view of landscape in every direction. JIM SOUPER ARPS
T
he tones and textures of the stones and how different they look in varying light conditions, make them a great subject for photography. They are, however, only the tip of the iceberg; Calanais sits at the heart of what has been described as ‘one of the largest ritual landscapes in Britain’. My own exploration of the archaeology and heritage of the Outer Hebrides began on North Uist, where I took part in an Art and Archaeology Summer School run by the University of the Highlands and Islands. Inspired by the summer school and with the help guidebooks produced by the Hebrides Archaeological Interpretation programme, I chose to navigate the rest of my time on the islands by their archaeology. Most of the images I made on this first visit were of the more imposing standing stones and stone
circles. My compositions were, for the most part, made to emphasize the stones and to exclude more recent construction. During my two subsequent visits to the Outer Hebrides I have approached things differently. This was prompted in part by feedback from a 2017 exhibition, where two images in particular were remarked upon as being the more interesting and compelling. These were images of the standing stone at Breibhig (on Barra), which included a relatively recent stone hut, and another of the Iron Age remains at Cleitreabhal Deas with modern communication masts in the background. Throughout the islands ancient Neolithic, Iron Age and Bronze Age remains lie beside the marks left on the landscape by later inhabitants of the islands. These layers of history have become my main focus.
Breibhig Standing Stone, Barra, August 2016. I spent a great deal of time framing an image of this stone looking out to sea. This composition was something of an afterthought, but subsequently proved one of the more successful images when exhibited the following year.
5
Cleitreabhal a Deas, North Uist, August 2016. One of my first images from the Outer Hebrides, this image was made ‘in the field’ during the Summer School. The Neolithic chambered cairn is juxtaposed with the radio station at the head of the military road. 6
The Bridge to Nowhere, Lewis, March 2019. The Bridge to Nowhere was built around 1921, as part of Lord Leverhulme’s grand plan to build a new road north from Tolsta to Sgiogarstaigh, on the east coast of Lewis; the road was never built. The graffiti belongs to the present century and may be familiar to those who have travelled the motorways of north-west England.
7
Cnoc Ceann a' GhĂ rraidh, Lewis, May 2018. In this image, made on my second trip to Lewis, I was looking to show the different layers of histor 8
ry in the Hebridean landscape. 9
Cleitir (Calanais VIII), Great Bernera, May 2018. This unusual semi-circle of stones stands over-looking the Bernera bridge, built to link the island to Lewis in the 1950s.
Cnoc Ceann a’ Ghà rraidh, Lewis, August 2016. Also known as Callanish II, this smaller stone circle is one of a number that lie close to the main Callanish stone circle.
10
Beainn a’Charra, North Uist, May 2018. The ‘committee road’, in the distance to the right of this 2.8 metre standing stone, was built to provide work during the 1840’s potato famine.
I have often sought to juxtapose the Neolithic with the modern. Compare the image I made at Cnoc Ceann a’ Ghàrraidh in 2018, with dilapidated buildings in the background, with the one I made on my first visit in 2016, for example. Elsewhere, many stones and stone circles now lie within the boundaries of working crofts and I have sought to embrace this in the composition of my photographs. The most extreme juxtaposition of the ancient and modern I have found, is the standing stone at Stonefield which stands, on its original site, adjacent to a 1960’s housing development in Breasclete. After three visits to the Outer Hebrides there is still much to discover. There are sites I have yet to find and others where I feel I can make a better image.
I am also keen to study the history of the islands in greater depth. I look forward to my next visit!
Additional Information The images I exhibited in February 2017 can be viewed at: https://www.jimsouper.co.uk/v/ photos/72558nrx/island-stones I have used a number of websites to help my research. These include: https://www.megalithic.co.uk https://www.ancient-scotland.co.uk https://www.themodernantiquarian.com
JIM SOUPER ARPS 11
FEATURES
Qasr Al Hosn
Qasr Al Hosn in the centre of the city of Abu Dhabi overlooked by a landscape
of towers and skyscrapers. ROBERT GALLOWAY LRPS.
Figure 1. The Watchtower c1795, at the North East corner of the Fort, is the oldest building on Abu Dhabi island, and is viewed here from inside the fort.
Q
asr Al Hosn, in the centre of the city of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, comprises an inner fort with historic watchtower and outer palace. It contains the oldest surviving stone building on Abu Dhabi island, the historic watchtower built c1795 and from this “little acorn” the mighty city of Abu Dhabi has grown. Qasr Al Hosn was opened to the public in December 2018, as a museum of Abu Dhabi history, after extensive restoration and reconstruction. The Bani Yas people, who later came to populate Abu Dhabi, had prior to the 19th. Century been centred around the Liwa oases, about 150km inland and made only passing visits to Abu Dhabi island. During the 18th Century they decided to form a permanent settlement at Abu Dhabi where a good freshwater spring had been found. In 1795 Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab Al Nahyan moved his centre of rule to Abu Dhabi and a protective watchtower and fort were built. The building material was coral stone from the sea bed which was rendered with a calciferous mortar, so that with bits of sea shell in the mortar, the building looked bright white. During the 1940s the outer palace was constructed and developed by Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan Al Nahyan, both as family living quarters and as administrative centre. This work was financed by revenues from concessions to search for oil. The historic fort was enclosed within the walls of the outer palace.
12
In 1966 Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan succeeded as ruler of Abu Dhabi and, with the formation of the United Arab Emirates in 1971 he also became President of the U.A.E.. In 1978 Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan decided that Qasr Al Hosn should be restored in honour of his ancestors
to its appearance in his grandfather’s days (Sheikh Zayed the first, mid19th century). During conservation work in the 1980s the historic (North East) watchtower was given the support of an inner concrete liner while the outer wall surface retained its traditional colour. Radiocarbon dating of two coral stones from near the base of the tower indicated that they dated from 1795 and 1805. In the 1980s work much of the inner fort was rebuilt in concrete and painted white to resemble the original mortar. Combining non-porous concrete with porous coral stone lead to problems with dampness trapped in walls, from both rising damp and condensation even in a desert land. This delayed completion of the project which continued all-round the outer palace and well into the early 2000s. Rooms used by the Sheikh and his family in the upper level of the South wing of the Palace were decorated with carved plaster bas-reliefs in the 1940s construction and most have survived. To fulfil its new role as Museum of Abu Dhabi history, Qasr Al Hosn now houses a wide range of displays of objects, old photographs, audio visual presentations and explanatory texts (in English). One object in particular caught my eye, the jambiyya (curved dagger) showing magnificent craftsmanship in gold. Photographs were taken hand held with a Sony RX100VI pocket camera, comprising 20MP 1 inch sensor with Zeiss Sonnar zoom lens 2.8-4.5/9.072mm (24-200, 35mm equivalent) set to ISO400 or 800, most at wide angle, f/8, with auto exposure from 1/800 to 1/5000 s outdoors and 1/10s indoors.
ROBERT GALLOWAY LRPS.
Figure 2. The attractive tower at the North East corner of the Palace. Part of the wall here shows the skill of the traditional
builders while the smooth faced horizontal and vertical concrete beams provide support for the old structure and run the whole length of the East and South wings of the building inside the courtyard.
13
Figure 3. Within the 1940s Palace courtyard showing the inclusion of the old fort to the left and the East wing of the Palace to the right. 21st 14
t century buildings of modern Abu Dhabi provide a contrasting background. 15
Figure 4. The view from one of the open arches in the upper South corridor. Note the decorative edging to the arch. 16
Figure 5. An example of a carved plaster decorative bas-relief in one of the upper rooms in the South wing occupied by the family of Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan Al Nahyan and dating from the 1940s construction of the Palace. It is interesting to note that the antlers portrayed are those of a Red deer which is not native to this part of the world. The native deer, Onyx, Gazelle, do not have branching antlers.
Figure 6. Jambiyya (curved dagger) showing very fine craftsmanship in gold and which belonged to Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan Al Nahyan, ruler of Abu Dhabi from 1928 to 1966.
17
FEATURE
AERIAL ADVENTURE Landscape features captured with Kodak Infrared Aerial Ektachrome 8443. ERIC HOULDER LRPS Back in those long-ago summers of the late 1960s, I was working as an archaeologist for the British Museum on Britain’s most charismatic archaeological site, Sutton Hoo. Part of my responsibility as a site supervisor was shooting colour transparencies. For this I was using my Minolta MD outfit including a Weston V meter, with Agfacolor (sic) CT18, which was acknowledged as the most accurate colour film for scientific purposes, though not perhaps the sharpest. I also had a Yashica 44, a twin lens reflex using 127 film for monochrome. Whilst going about our daily work on site, we could not help noticing USAF F100 Super Sabres passing over on regular patrols; the pilots were intrigued by the dig below and visited us in the base chopper, a Kamen Husky, which raised clouds of dust and caused many symbolic two figure gestures! So they re-visited us in their cars, and offered to make amends by shooting some aerial pictures of the site. This they duly did, and a week later, together with the other three supervisors, I was called into the director’s hut to see the weirdest transparencies I had ever viewed. This was my first experience of Infrared Ektachrome which had only recently been de-classified by the US military.
Back home in Yorkshire, in the pub following a meeting of PontArch, I mentioned these pictures to a friend, Michael Leach (who sadly died very recently). Michael possessed a pilot’s licence, and offered to provide the necessary wings. Cliff Green, our local dealer went to enormous trouble and eventually obtained two twenty exposure cassettes of the film direct from Kodak Rochester. Swatting up the extensive leaflet, I tried everywhere to obtain the Number 12 filter. Initially I used a Wratten gelatine one, but this bulged in the 120 mph slipstream. Cliff finally discovered that Toshiba produced a glass version and got one. We soon discovered too that the dense filter obstructed the view in an SLR, so I purchased a Zorki 4 rangefinder camera. The film was processed using Kodak E4 process, but expensively as the solutions could not be re-used.
Kamen Husky taking the first 8443 images at Sutton Hoo. The observer’s ‘bone dome’ may clearly be seen at the window. Minolta SR1v, 55mm Rokkor, Agfa CT18.
The aircrew were not photographers, they had no access to the necessary No.12 (3x yellow) filter, and the Husky, being twin rotor, contra-rotating, shook like mad. Frankly, the images were rubbish, though today some would label them DCM and pretend that they were deliberately shot. However, they demonstrated that this film could see through thin sand, soil, some crops, and shallow water. 18
Michael Leach in the Chipmunk which was used in our initial sorties. Yashica 44 TLR. FP3.
The recommended speed setting was 100 ASA which included the filter. This proved to be accurate, but as another camera with conventional film was required as a control, it would make metering unduly complex
An Iron Age village near Bawtry on the Yorks/Notts border in infrared colour. This was the first ever infrared colour cover image published in Britain. Zorki 4, 50mm Industar. 8443 Ektachrome.
19
to continue using 50 ASA CT18. Luckily, Fuji had just released a new 100 ASA film, Fujichrome 100, so some of this was purchased. Later, I received a small legacy and bought a Minolta SRT101 with matchneedle metering, so that the Weston Master could be reserved exclusively for the 8443. One of the problems of using 8443 was that we were trying to photograph traces of an ancient world that were, by definition, invisible to the human eye; so where did we point the camera? After a couple of sorties in which the camera was directed serendipitously, we decided that the best bet was to seek out places that promised results, like strategic spots along Roman roads, and sites of known interest. This quickly produced results, though ironically, the cost of colour printing then made it difficult to publish the results at the time. Today, however, it is possible to restore these old images (I use Affinity Photo), and they may be seen for the first time in their full glory. One was actually a runner up in the 2017 Historic Photographer of the Year.
His area of operations covered the North Midlands and all Yorkshire. We flew in most conditions, using the aircrew lounge at Leeds Bradford Airport, or flying club bars, to eat our sandwiches, though on one sortie we inadvertently opened both side windows of the Cessna 150 at the same time, only to see an OS map and a pack of sandwiches momentarily wrapping themselves around the tailfin before disappearing behind us! The results were published in the usual journals, and in Derrick’s book, though only in monochrome because of the cost. In 1979 disaster struck in the form of Méniére’s disease, an inner ear infection. Leaning out into a vicious slipstream with a roaring engine at arm’s length in front just may have had something to do with this! I could not stand for several weeks, whilst leaning out of an aeroplane was strictly verboten. The effects lasted, so that today I still cannot fly comfortably. However, our adventures make a fascinating lecture which I deliver to both photographic and historical societies all over the country. I gave my Zorki to my son-in-law, a Leica enthusiast who had it and its lens re-conditioned. The SR1v was presented to the Sutton Hoo site Visitor Centre, whilst the SRT101 was stolen in an airport whilst on loan to a friend. My son has my Weston Master V, together with my Mamiyaflex outfit. I still have the slides, which though faded do scan most satisfactorily with the ‘restore color ‘(sic) button engaged. I do wish the human body had a similar button. However the memories remain along with the pictures, and they return each time I project them.
The author in flying helmet in action. An early selfie. Minolta SR1v, 28mm Lumax, Fujichrome 100.
I attended a number of conferences on aerial photography, and on one memorable occasion actually projected for Professor JK St Joseph, the guru of the discipline. On another occasion, Sir Mortimer Wheeler on viewing one of my pictures in an exhibition arranged by the RPS Archaeology Group said that it was the best aerial photograph that he had ever seen. Happy days! There were a number of exceptionally dry summers in the ‘70s, and we were kept busy using both 8443 and conventional emulsions. With the acquisition of the SRT101, the older SR1v became available for monochrome. At the same time, Derrick Riley (DSO & bar, DFC, with three tours with Bomber Command under his belt) one of the leading exponents of the discipline asked me to fly and photograph with him. 20
Cartoon of me by on of my students Simon Thorp, now Editor of VIZ. This is one of his earliest efforts at caricature.
This article first appeared in ANALOGUE No 8, April 2019, the journal of the RPS Analogue Group, and is reproduced with thanks to, and by permission of the Editor, Richard Bradford ARPS.
ERIC HOULDER LRPS
PLACES TO VISIT
Revealed in the Landscape RICHARD K. EVANS FRPS
Sarsen stones or grey wethers, so-called for their resemblance to sheep, were deposited by Ice Age glaciers and often placed by prehistoric men in formal religious arrangements. These sandstone erratics lie on the chalk downs near Marlborough in Wiltshire.
Industrial heritage can take its place in a landscape. The Fontinettes hydraulic boat lift, near St Omer in northern France, was built in 1887 to raise and lower 300-ton barges the 43ft between the NeufossÊ canal and the river Aa. It was replaced in 1967 by a single-basin lock, but remains in place as an evocative museum of the canal’s history.
Carved from a natural rock face overlooking the river Danube at Mraconia, Romania, this memorial to the Dacian king Decebalos recalls his successful campaigns against the Roman armies of Emperor Trajan in the 1st century AD. The face measures 130ft from chin to forehead.
The Bronze Age stone circles of Stonehenge dominate the sweeping landscape of Salisbury Plain. Parts of the site date from 2100 BC; it was completed some 900 years later.
21
REPORT
Members’ Showcase 2019 Topics ranged from the Coal Industry, Churches in Berkshire, the Misericords of Downside Abbey, and The Art of Seeing, through to Lost Albums; Destroyed Negatives; Dark Places, The Stories Behind Photographs and the Heritage Highlights of Norfolk. MIKE SASSE
T
his year’s event took place on 12th October at the Leatherhead Institute in Leatherhead, Surrey. The attendance was disappointing considering the recent trend of increasing numbers, but there was a variety of presentations fully exploring the range of members’ photographic interests in archaeology and heritage. Hiring a larger room gave space for display of prints between presentations, and for circulation during the mid-morning refreshment break, which was also new this year. Refreshments were available on arrival and, following a welcome from the Chairman and the organiser, the event opened with one of the regular presenters, Mike Sasse. In ‘Reminders of the Coal Industry in England’, Mike drew on projected digital images from around the country to depict what could be seen in the recent past and what remains of one of the country’s largest industries, which shrank rapidly and essentially disappeared in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. The images were of mines in the later years of operation and following closure, mining landscapes, and sites where buildings and equipment have been preserved. Mining settlements and dwellings were
22
also covered, as was the once ubiquitous coal train hauled by coal-powered steam engines, still an occasional site on preserved railways. Rodney Thring LRPS follows the practice of many earlier members of the group in depicting built heritage through traditional black & white prints, although digital and colour prints also featured in his presentation of ‘My Heritage Photography’. The subject matter included a number of country churches in Berkshire and the surrounding area, showing details or a wider view of the church interior, and the colour prints included a series on stained glass windows by John Piper. Images of other heritage sites were shown, including ancient monuments. The prints were accompanied by information and interesting stories about each site, as well as the camera techniques employed. A refreshment break allowed for further discussion, with some of Rodney’s prints on display. The morning session resumed with Walter Brooks, whose presentation ‘Photography at Downside Abbey’ concerned his recent commission to photograph the choir stalls at this 19th and 20th C working monastery for a large format colour book.
Speakers and attendees at the Members’ Showcase, Leatherhead Institute. Photographs by Eric Houlder LRPS.
Projected digital images showed the Abbey and examples of the choir stalls, and Walter described the process from project plans to finished images. He described various challenges such as access to the tightly-packed misericords, and the technical aspects of post-processing and consistent colour balance throughout a body of work. In addition the small-scale photobook of the project was available to view (the book follows later), and there was discussion after the presentation on various technical aspects of the photography. Ken Keen FRPS rounded off the morning with ‘The Art of Seeing’. A longstanding supporter of the group, Ken showed some of his prints of church interiors, taken with a large format camera and produced using historical processes (many of them being salt prints). His work in general aims to capture the atmosphere and religious feeling of churches rather than to provide a record of the building. The pictures shown were taken as illustrations for a book, and they depicted various religious themes concerning the life of Christ. In many cases two different versions of the same image were shown, derived from variations in the printing process, so the mood evoked by different treatments could be compared. Some of Ken’s prints were left on display during the lunch break, which many took at the nearby ‘Edmund Tylney’ in the High Street, affording a further opportunity for members to get to know each other. Proceedings recommenced with a presentation by another of our regular contributors, Eric Houlder LRPS. This year’s offering, titled ‘Lost Albums; Destroyed Negatives; Dark Places’, illustrated three episodes from his long involvement in archaeology and local history. The first strand concerned recently rediscovered photographs of an abandoned clay pipe factory taken in the Pontefract of his youth, Eric’s first real involvement in an archaeology project. The second part involved the discovery and printing of lost glass negatives depicting the harvesting of the last liquorice crop in the area, and the third described the discovery of a secret tunnel leading from the crypt of Horbury church during a recent photographic project there. The role of photography in recording events and stories was continued by the next presenter, David Bryson. In ‘The story behind photographs, and photographs as stories’, David showed how an old photograph can lead to an interesting story through further research, using the example of the launch of the ‘Larchwold’ as featured on the cover of a recent edition of ‘Heritage Photography’, Research revealed the story of shipbuilding in Beverley and events in the history of what seemed an unlucky ship.
Actress Frances Day sending the narrow boat on its journey.
Research into some family pictures led to the story of a canal boat journey in connection with the Festival of Britain in 1951 – here a series of pictures told a hidden story. And in a third case the photographs were themselves the story – a series of postcards of skeletons indicated how this subject matter has been used over time for serious, educational and humorous purposes. To conclude, George Backshall LRPS provided projected digital images on the theme of ‘Some Heritage Highlights on a recent trip to Norfolk’. This was a photographic exploration of various aspects of the county’s heritage. Starting with the old houses and churches of the city of Norwich, George took us on to a narrow gauge railway and a military collection open to the public. The photographic journey continued with the town of King’s Lynn, once an important port, possessing historic buildings round its waterfront, and finished at Sandringham with its royal connections in both house and church. All this showed the rich variety of heritage to be enjoyed and photographed in just one county.
Narrow guage railway in Norfolk. George Backshall LRPS.
Overall, the event demonstrated the diversity of members’ photographic interests and approaches to archaeology and heritage, but also the common interests and themes that bind the group together. Hopefully, more of you will be encouraged to present or just join us in 2020 to continue the success of this longstanding event.
MIKE SASSE 23
NOTICES
AGM & Members’ print day 28th March 2020 Date and time: Saturday 28th March 2020
For further details about events please go to the group’s web pages on the RPS site at https://rps. org/groups/archaeology-heritage/
10.00am till 5.00pm
Venue Address: Leatherhead Institute, Room G6 67 High Street Leatherhead United Kingdom KT22 8AH
Calanais, Lewis, March 2019. A strong wind meant that the snow stuck to the west face of the stones. Having travelled in thick snow I was lucky to have an hour or so’s respite to make some images. Jim Souper ARPS
