Landscape THE MAGAZINE OF THE ROYAL PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY LANDSCAPE GROUP
Spring 2022
THE ROYAL PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY
RPS LANDSCAPE GROUP
RPS House, 337 Paintworks, Arnos Vale, Bristol, BS4 3AR, UK rps.org Incorporated by Royal Charter
Editor Robert Brittle ARPS Assistant Editor Gaynor Davies ARPS Artwork & Layout Editor Paul Cayton
Patron HRH THE DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE President and Chair of Trustees SIMON HILL FRPS Chief Executive Officer EVAN DAWSON Hon Treasurer TONY CEARNS
Committee Richard Ellis ARPS (Chair) Sue Wright (Web Editor) Peter Fortune (Newsletter Editor) Andy McLaughlin (Secretary) Mark Reeves ARPS (Vice-Chair and Pro-Events Manager) Diana Wynn (Treasurer) Dave Glenn (Member-Led Events Manager) Robert Brittle ARPS (Magazine Editor) Fiona McCowan FRPS (Member Without Portfolio)
Please send contributions to landscapemagazine@rps.org
COVER IMAGE: “Aura of the Dunes” by Mohammed Arfan Asif, FRPS
Landscape is the magazine of the RPS Landscape Group and is provided as part of the annual subscription to the Group. © 2022 The Royal Photographic Society All rights reserved on behalf of the contributors and authors. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the written permission of the copyright holder. Requests for such permission must be addressed to the Editor. The Royal Photographic Society, RPS Landscape Group and the Editor accept no liability for any misuse or breach of copyright by a contributor. The views expressed in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the policies of the Royal Photographic Society or of the Landscape group.
Printed and Published on behalf of The Royal Photographic Society by Henry Ling Ltd., The Dorset Press, Dorchester, DT1 1TD.
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Landscape Magazine Spring 2022
Contents Regulars
4. Editorial 5. Musings from the chair
Distinction Successes 32. Geraint Evans ARPS
Geraint’s intention to apply for a Distinction provided him with a different way of developing his photographic methodology.
38. Alister Benn FRPS
Alister explains why seven expeditions into the Gobi Desert of northern China were his inspiration for his distinctions submission.
Featured Photographers
20. Mohammed Arfan Asif FRPS
Landscapes have always fascinated Arfan. In his earlier days in photography, he was drawn to the outdoors.
26. Lindsay Southgate LRPS
Lindsay’s happiest memories since childhood are related to spending time on a beach; she loves to capture the feelings of peace and calm to be found whatever the weather and however ferocious or calm the sea.
Members Portfolio
44. Morag Forbes LRPS
Morag has a love of the Scottish landscape, whether inland or by the coast. Her portfolio of monochrome images are fine examples of Morag’s vision.
Special Feature 6. Monthly Competition
Showcasing the 12 winning images from the group’s 2021 monthly competition.
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Welcome Welcome to Landscape;
the magazine of the RPS Landscape Group.
Welcome to the Spring 2022 issue of the group’s magazine. In this issue we feature the winners of the group’s monthly competition, together with the overall winner, Mohammed Arfan Asif FRPS. It’s been great to see so many stunning images submitted by our members over the last year and we are privileged to include the monthly winners in this issue, voted for by members, with the overall winner being selected by Tom Heaton. We would like to congratulate Arfan on his success and it is with great pleasure that we include in this issue a portfolio of his work. We are also pleased to include two successful distinctions, each with a completely different theme. It is always interesting to see how other photographers use images to define their own definition of ‘Landscape’. After a mild winter in the UK and a temperaturebusting March, hopefully we have all had the chance to get out and about with our cameras. I’ve visited a number of local
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nature reserves, looking at the landscape as the trees and plants start to bud and change what was once an industrial scar back into something less stark and wildlifefriendly. The group’s magazine couldn’t happen without the support of the group’s members so, if any reader would like to contribute to the next issue, please get in touch; to date, everyone who has been in touch has been published. Please don’t be worried about the technical elements of sending text and images as we will happily guide you through the process. The Editorial Team hope you have an uplifting spring and hopefully we’ll be able to feature some great images taken in the early part of 2022 over the next few issues. Next copy date is 15th July 2022. Robert, Gaynor and Paul
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Musings from The Chair Chair’s Welcome
Richard Ellis ARPS, Chair, RPS Landscape SIG
After the excitement of the AGM and two fabulous presentations, the committee is now focusing on projects and mainstream events. The outdoor exhibition is coming together nicely with locations in Edinburgh and York confirmed. There has been a good take-up for the close-to-home project so if you have not signed up you can still do so via the website. In this issue we are featuring the winners and overall winner of our monthly competition which ran throughout 2021. We had a wide variety of images entered and a great selection of monthly winners. It was a tough job for Thomas Heaton to choose one image. Congratulations to Arfan for his Aura of the Dunes image – a very worthy winner. The competition is a great opportunity to show your work so please have a go and enter. With the winds bringing dust-laden clouds to the UK from the Sahara, those of you who
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were fortunate enough to be out should have captured some amazing images. The transition of seasons has also brought some wonderful conditions to the UK; snow one day, high pressure the next. This poses some challenges, as well as opportunity, for landscape photography. It really tests our creativity and willingness to adapt. I have been continuing my walk along the South West Coastal Path and enjoying the ever-changing scenery. It has also been really interesting to pick a beach close to our accommodation and visit it after we have finished walking. Seeing the landscape change each day presents a real creative challenge and allows you to become much more familiar with a landscape than a one-off visit would do. I find a key skill in coastal photography is to anticipate where the tide will be in ten minutes, not where it is as you look at it. With an ever-changing seascape, this anticipation allows
you time to set up and compose your image without getting a wellington boot full of water. I am also enjoying visiting my local woodland repeatedly and seeing how the landscape changes with the season. I find this a great way to slow down and really enjoy the place you are visiting. I hope you will all be able to enjoy the great outdoors as the weather warms up. Good luck Richard
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2021 Monthly Competition
Showcasing the 12 winning images from the group’s 2021 monthly competition. The twelve winning images from 2021’s monthly competition are printed in all their glory on the following pages and more information about the entries can be found using the link below:https://rps.org/groups/landscape/monthly-competition/2021/ The full YouTube video with Tom Heaton discussing how he selected the overall winning image can be found at: https://youtu.be/ZoTsXqUspos. It’s not too late to start entering 2022’s monthly competition; some very strong entries have already been submitted during the first three months. Like many of the things the group organises, the competition would not happen without the input from members but also the time and efforts put in by Sue Wright, the group’s Web editor. I hope the whole group would like to join me in thanking Sue for her time and efforts in administering such a successful project, from the initial idea through to making it happen. We would also like to thank the individual photographers for allowing their images to be featured in the group’s magazine. We have included a title for each image and more information can be found using the web link above. Details on how to enter 2022’s competition can be found at:https://rps.org/groups/landscape/monthly-competition/
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January Harris Blues by Carmel Morris ARPS AFIAP
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February Church In The Sea by Rolf Kraehenbuehl ARPS
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March Frosty Dog Walk on Whitegate Way by Mike Lloyd
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April The Old Abandoned Railway by John McDowall
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May 2am And All Is Well by Peter Benson
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June London Geometry by Morag Forbes LRPS
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July Last Leaves by Simon Turnbull FRPS
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August River Rib on a Misty Morning by John McDowall 14 14
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September Garry River at Killiecrankie by Tim Pearson Landscape Magazine Spring 2022
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November Aura of the Dunes by Mohammed Arfan Asif, FRPS
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Overall Winner
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October First Light at Bamburgh by Phillip Dove
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December Queensferry Crossing by Viv Cotton
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Featured Photographer
Mohammed Arfan Asif FRPS The year is 1994, when Arfan first set foot on the enchanting dunes of ‘Rub Al Khali’, literally meaning the ‘Empty Quarter’, in the United Arab Emirates. At first, he saw and interacted with the dunes, making cliché images. Years later, after greater introspection and constant efforts, he arrived at a better understanding of landscape photography and how to create images in a more dynamic way.
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About my Landscape Photography: Landscapes have always fascinated me. In my earlier days in photography, I was drawn to the outdoor genre for pictorial and portraiture work. It was the year 1994 when I first set foot on the enchanting dunes of ‘Rub Al Khali’, literally meaning the ‘Empty Quarter’, in the United Arab Emirates. At first, I saw and interacted with the dunes, making cliché images. Years later, greater introspection and constant efforts helped in arriving at a better understanding of landscape photography to create more distinctive images. With time, I was gradually able to implement certain techniques. This refinement helped me to present a personal taste as well as reflect a deep connection with the arid, mysterious and enchanting Arabian desert. Eventually, my work with the Dunes enabled me to produce a body of work that was successfully submitted to the Landscape genre of the RPS qualifications in 2021. Indeed, a great satisfaction that a cohesive set of ‘Dunescapes’, all in monochromatic medium in square format printed on archival quality paper, connected well with the distinguished jury. The FRPS in Landscape genre was a significant marker, rather than an endpoint, in my nearly four decades of sojourn as a photo artist.
The pristine agricultural fields in Europe were another project I have been pursuing with great interest. Here the hue, in particular during autumn, has an enchanting ambiance that attracts my attention. The colour content is sometimes overwhelming to say the least and consequently may lead to mere documentation. Therefore, in such an exotic environment, it will always be challenging for the photographer to present an individualistic approach and skills. I have enjoyed the barren as well as the lush terrains that I was fortunate to photograph and hope to continue this rendezvous of love for the land. Importantly, photographing landscapes has been both meditative as well as a very satisfying experience. Thanks & Good Light to you, Arfan Mohammed Arfan Asif, FRPS Member Landscape SIG Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Autumnal Hue 1
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Autumnal Hue 2
Autumnal Hue 5
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Autumnal Hue 10
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Dunescape 01
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Featured Photographer
Lindsay Southgate LRPS Lindsay’s happiest memories since childhood are related to spending time on a beach. As is often the case, these experiences form us and are reflected in the work that is produced and probably explains Lindsay’s preference for heading to the beach to create images. Lindsay has lived in Cornwall for the last twenty years, where the wide open beaches have inspired her to try and capture the feelings of peace and calm to be found whatever the weather and however ferocious or calm the sea. The far distant horizon, the movement of the water and how the sea, sky and land intersect all fascinate Lindsay.
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My happiest memories since childhood are related to spending time on a beach. As it is often said that the experiences which form us are reflected in our work that probably explains my preference for heading to beaches for my photography. Having lived in Cornwall for the last twenty years that is far from a hardship!
Unlike some landscape photographers, I do not plan my visits according to the time of day, for sunrise or sunset. The state of the tide matters more than the weather or time of day so I will visit just as high tide is turning and follow the sea back down the beach. I will use whatever light is available according to the time of day dictated by the tide.
On a wide open beach, with an outgoing tide, I love to capture the feelings of peace and calm to be found whatever the weather and however ferocious or calm the sea. The far distant horizon, the movement of the water and how the sea, sky and land intersect all fascinate me and encourage me to try to capture the emotion I feel just being there at that moment in time.
Similarly, I am happy to experience roaring waves or gentle lapping of the water. By using long exposures of varying lengths I represent the rhythm of the sea and show its mood on any particular day. Long exposures also enable me to reflect the textures of the sea and sky, which so often mirror each other, as I look out to the horizon.
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In terms of composition, I prefer to create minimalist images with a relatively soft focus but will often include an element of the land to anchor the image and reflect its sense of place. Tonally, my preference is to use pastel colours to impart the feeling of peace and calm, which is my emotional response to the location and conditions at the time. After the first lockdown in 2020, I relished the opportunity to get back to my favourite beaches and create images, having been unable to visit for some time. The variety of online talks and courses put on by the RPS in those intervening months had encouraged me to undertake more project-based work so it was important, therefore, to do more than just produce individual images.
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To celebrate the freedom of being on the beach again and as a believer in the power of words as well as images, I decided to create a series including a verse or quote about the sea. Selecting quotes which resonated with me and comparing them to the images, I carefully chose each one to create a match. In doing this, I wanted to ensure that the whole series is worth more than the individual sum of the parts; that the images and words benefit from being placed together. I hope that the viewer is encouraged to linger over each image, reading the quote, viewing the image and reflecting on the two together on the same page, as well as enjoying a little bit of Cornwall.
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Distinction Success
Geraint Evans ARPS Over a number of years, Geraint has built up a body of work inspired by his love of woodland scenes and, in particular, the way in which woods change over the seasons and their complexity. Having read about and watched so many vlogs explaining how to simplify woodland images, often making the use of mist, for Geraint it is composing the relationships of elements in a woodland scene that is so rewarding.
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Geraint Evans ARPS The idea of applying for a Distinction came about as I considered how to develop my photography. I had entered a number of competitions and, while doing OK, I felt they were rather soulless; what I was seeking was some form of dialogue. Of course, competitions serve a different purpose and I’ll still enter but applying for a Distinction offered a different way to develop my photography. Although I’d known about the RPS for quite some time, it probably took a couple of years for me to feel I had a possible set of images worthy of putting forward initially for an advisory session. The images I selected came about really only after I started using a Hasselblad 501c. I found the square format and the colours I was getting from using Porta and Provia film were what I’d been looking for. I have a digital camera and love using it but there was something about the images I was getting back, once developed, and then digitally worked on
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in Lightroom, that I loved. The square format, I think, suited the images I wanted from woodland settings and the medium format possibly helped give me a softer feel. The images themselves were the result of spending hours in a few woodland settings, none more than 30 minutes drive or so from home. I have always spent hours in woodland settings as a child and as an adult and, while West Yorkshire is not exactly well-endowed with woods, there are areas of really quite wild woodland nestled in the steep-sided valleys that cut through the moorland. It was this love of woods, the change to my photography that I found with the Hasselblad and the slow realisation that I had a body of work, that led me to see that I could perhaps go forward and submit for an Associate Distinction.
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This idea was confirmed through a really useful Advisory Session. There was some very helpful discussion around colour saturation and the layout of the panel, as well as whether my submission should be to the Fine Art or Landscape genre. The Landscape route was the one chosen. The statement I had drafted was also discussed and felt to be on the right lines. I must admit that writing the statement had not taken long; however, you could say it organically developed in my mind over the two or so years of taking the images. Having said that, actually producing the words did certainly help clarify my thoughts and proved very valuable in then making the final choice of images. So, over a couple of years I built up a body of work inspired by my love of woodland scenes and, in particular, the way in which woods change over the seasons and their complexity. I read about and watch so many vlogs telling us how to simplify woodland images, often making the use of mist but for me, while a bit of mist is lovely, it is composing the relationships of elements in a woodland scene that is so rewarding. While I like a lone tree as much as the next person, that’s a very rare sight in the woods of West Yorkshire. Therefore, what I always sought to do was make images that expressed the complex and changing forms, patterns, textures and colour
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of these wooded areas. What inspired my submitted images was the interrelationship between these elements. Achieving a set of consistent images that did that and portrayed the changes over the seasons did take a while, with some swapping in and out, which all added to the learning process. The images included in the submission were printed commercially by Peak Imaging. I’d love to be able to print but having the space and the costs are another thing. I did go back and forth with some test prints first before the final run. If there is one piece of advice I could give, it would be to photograph what you love and let your submission develop from that rather than try and shoehorn images into a submission. To return to my starting point of seeking more in the way of dialogue, I feel the experience of submitting my panel did that. I find it is easy to lose sight of saturation and this, along with how to put a panel together, which I had previously never undertaken, are pieces of advice I still apply. Though a tad nerve-wracking, it was great to get feedback both from the Advisory Session and then of course from the Landscape Panel.
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Statement of Intent I have played, walked and just stood still in woods since childhood. I have sought to portray my local woodlands, all within 20 miles of my home in Leeds, through the seasons. My aim in this collection is to invite the viewer to contemplate the changing colour, texture and forms of these places. Yorkshire is not known for its wooded areas; coast, moor and dales, yes – woods, no. Yet, hidden in the very steep-sided river valleys which cut through the moors of West and North Yorkshire are wild woods. Largely untouched by humans, these old woods cling precariously to their slopes. I have tried to embrace the interwoven and intricate patterns of these wild woods as they change, in all their complexity.
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Distinction Success
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Geraint Evans ARPS
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Distinction Success
Alister Benn FRPS Alister’s exploration of the emptiness of the landscape, which at first seemed daunting, soon began to seduce him, asking questions and demanding engagement on an intimate level. The interplay of luminosity, contrast, colour, geometry and space opened his eyes to a new way of seeing and photographing.
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Alister Benn FRPS
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Statement of Intent In January 2017 I made the first of seven expeditions into the Gobi Desert of northern China. Having travelled hundreds of miles off-road, I found myself in a remote and hostile environment where, at night, the temperatures fell to -26ºC. The emptiness of the landscape, while at first daunting, seduced me, asking questions and demanding engagement on an intimate level. Leaving my tent in the dim light before dawn, I would climb to 1600 feet above an endless vista, devoid of scale apart from the occasional scrubby bush. For a while, the cool, frosted shadows would resist but, finally, succumb to the delicate kiss of sunrise and daybreak. I became very much aware of my changing emotions and perspectives as I watched the landscape emerge from darkness into light. The interplay of luminosity, contrast, colour, geometry and space opened my eyes to a new way of seeing and photographing.
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Distinction Success
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Alister Benn FRPS
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Member’s Portfolio
Morag Forbes LRPS The editorial team is always pleased to share members’ portfolios and Morag’s portfolio of monochrome landscapes and seascapes gives the reader an insight in to her photographic inspirations and techniques.
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Page 45 Top: Blackchurch Rock Bottom: St. Monan’s Zig Zag Pier This Page Top Left: Berwick Lighthouse Top Right: Elie Birdcage Bottom Left: Harris Saltflats Bottom Centre: Glen Etvie Bottom Right: Falls of Orchy
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