NEWSLETTER March 2019/vol 4/ No 2
Tollesbury Creek at Dawn © David Penrose LRPS
CONTENTS 2 3 4 5 6/9 10/11 12/15 16 17 18/19 20/23 24/26 27 28 29 /30 Page 1
Editorial Committee news Help and Advice Mirrorless Cameras—Ingrid Popplewell AGM and Conference Hidden East Coast—David Penrose LRPS Polarisers—Justin Minns Research request Pennine Way—Roger Styles Somerset -Margaret Beardsmore LRPS Shape,Form and Lines—Rod Ireland Readers Gallery Susan Rowe LRPS What’s on Landscape Group Events
Submissions The deadline for submissions to the next newsletter is Friday 12th April, 2019. Please note that it may be necessary to hold some submissions for a future newsletter. If you have an idea for an article, please send a brief synopsis of the purpose and content of the piece. Please submit your images as jpegs, sized to 72 dpi with 1200 pixels along the longest edge and borderless. Please send all submissions by email to: landscapenews@rps.org
NEWSLETTER MARCH 2019 / VOL. 4 / NO. 2
Editorial Welcome to the March edition of the Newsletter. There’s plenty to read and choose from , whether it’s the reports on the AGM and Conference at Malvern, or some of the field trips, and workshops. Malvern Conference Ingrid Popplewell has kindly written about her experiences at the Conference, and I have done a brief summary of the AGM. In addition to Ingrid’s piece are a number of images taken during the walks which were offered as an alternative to indoor seesions. See page 8/9.Thanks to Richard Ellis and Jim Souper for arrangements and guidance. The weather was not too bad on the Saturday, but Storm Freya played a part on Sunday, so most people went home. Still, since when have Landscape Photographers NOT complained about the weather, haha. Ingrid Popplowell has also written an article about her photography with a mirrorless camera, with images to support. Justin Minns, whose name will be familiar to many, has written about Polarisers. Justin’s book about East Anglia is to be published shortly by Fotoview, and it must have been a massive task to cover such a complex region. Justin has risen to that challenge.. Justin is mentioned twice in this edition. On page 10 David Penrose describes a field trip led by Justin to The Hidden Essex Coast . Rod Ireland tells us about lines, form and shape in photography. This is a two part article and the next part will appear towards the summer. We have many more interesting articles planned about specific subjects or equipment such as Tilt and Shift or Filters. Please let me know if you want something specific, but please remember that we are not simply helping professional Workshop leaders to sell their business attributes. We want to use them to extend knowledge about Landscape Photography for the benefit of the Landscape Group Members. Send me your suggestions! There’s an enlightening article from Susan Rowe LRPS. Susan happened to mention to me that she was disabled, so I took the liberty, very carefully I might add, of asking her if she was prepared to write an article about her photography. I always visit the Disabled Photographers stand at the Photography Show, if only to be amazed at their inventiveness in adapting equipment made for the able bodied. Well done to Susan for her determination. How many times have we cried off from a shoot for some feeble excuse? This article may make us think more carefully about what we may be missing!
Mick Rawcliffe,
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Newsletter Editor
NEWSLETTER MARCH 2019 / VOL. 4 / NO. 2
Committee News Following an excellent weekend conference at Malvern, your committee stayed on for a meeting on the Monday. In addition to reviewing the conference and all the work leading up to it the committee had a full agenda, and certain decisions are listed below. (Full minutes can only be agreed at the next meeting) Next Conference and AGM. Agreed we could increase numbers to 100 max – should the demand be there. Anything over 100 and hotel accommodation becomes problematic. Agreed to enquire about Audio visual support, lapel mikes for speakers, and backing boards for unmounted print displays. Discussion about the price point for the Conference and AGM. Those with lower disposable income could not contemplate attendance, but hotel quality has to be balanced against cost. Agreed 2020 to hold an AGM with two main speakers before and after, with entry cost considerably lower(one day only). For 2021,another AGM and Conference at similar standard of Skipton and/or Malvern hotels. Committee membership. The Chair reported that a person appeared willing to take on the role of Treasurer, Fiona McCowan was elected at the AGM and another member was interested in joining. Agreed the Chair continue discussions with the interested parties, announce names when agreement reached, and job roles allocated. Also agreed that the expanding committee and expanding activities required back up /extra support/ continuity to the Chair, with the establishment of a Vice Chair. Richard would draft a job role for the next meeting. Volunteers. Newsletter Editor to write an article about simple requirements for Articles, such as word count, Word software and detail of images. Also to explain that proof reading would occur to help those who may lack confidence - in that their Grammar, or images, are not up to scratch. Events Manager. Agreed to expand courses on post processing, and to offer portfolio reviews. Refunds. Policy required for consistency when members could not attend a workshop/photowalk because of bad weather at their home or on route, but others attended the workshop. Agreed the principle that if we provided the Service – no refunds. Where we cancel, full refunds, as now. Newsletter Editor required advice on timing of invoices, when professional articles are ‘banked’ to assist with publication dates. Agreed the invoices be sought and paid upon receipt of articles, with Editor adjusting publication dates to suit the newsletter cycle. Also, ‘What’s on’ to include those events already fully booked in order for members to understand the broad range of workshops/photowalks provided by the Landscape Group. Ed.
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We need your help! The new RPS website… your views? As a very regular user of the RPS website (for publicising all our events), I am acutely aware that its functionality can, at times, be extremely frustrating – both from my point of view as a web editor or from members’ points of view as web users. As a result, I have from time to time made suggestions to the IT team at RPS HQ about how the site could be improved. The good news is that the RPS is now embarking on a major redesign of the website and I have been invited to be part of a working group to input into its development. I would therefore like to invite any of our members who have suggestions for improvement to contact me so that I can collate and feed in more ideas than just my own. That said, of course, we need all to be aware that the project leaders at HQ will have to prioritise suggestions and that it will be impossible to incorporate every bright idea suggested! Constructive suggestions (only) please to me at rps.landscape.events@gmail.com. (If you have previously given me comments about event booking procedures on the website, there is no need to contact me again as I have already noted these.) With thanks, Mark Reeves Events Manager (Professional Events)
Why Don’t you write something for this newsletter? Following discussion with members at the group conference, it has become clear that some members are reluctant to submit articles about fieldtrips, either through a feeling of false modesty—’I’m not good enough’—or a worry that they cannot make themselves interesting to others.. I think I need to explain what is required. There is no doubt that bookings increase after publication of this newsletter. So members at least read it! Members reading about field trips encourages interest in going on them. It follows that your experience can and does help bookings. If you can work a keyboard you can send me some notes about your fieldtrip with a few jpgs—it’s that simple. I don’t want ‘War and Peace’ - just a few paragraphs. Those of you who think that your grammar is not the best, and let’s face it some of us learnt a long time ago, don’t be put off. Jot your ideas and thoughts on a page and send to me. I will proof read and make changes so that the article flows and reads correctly. It doesn’t have to be completely accurate on detail—because it is your experience which counts. If I have any doubts about accuracy, I can always email to check. I recently asked an Author to check out one of his images, it looked rather dark, next to 5 other images printed on the same page. After explanation and slight changes, the article is published today. The original was not wrong, but he didn’t have the space to explain why he wanted it dark. Slight compromise—leading to an excellent piece! Your images should be sent as jpgs sized to 72 dpi with 1200 pixels along the longest edge and borderless. I may need to tweak the overall size on the page but I will not distort your images. Sometimes they may be even larger than you intended, but not at the expense of quality. There! How easy is that. Let’s hear about your trips! Mick Rawcliffe Editor
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landscapenews@rps.org
NEWSLETTER MARCH 2019 / VOL. 4 / NO. 2
Mirrorless cameras and ‘grabshots’ by Ingrid Popplewell
My entry into landscape photography came though walking holidays in beautiful countryside. Having now attended many photography workshops, I understand better the art of composition and the aim to produce an individual image that reflects my own response to where I find myself. This is less easy to achieve when you are on the move. Walking holidays and photography workshops are at opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of how to go about creating a worthwhile picture. In the one case, you can spend hours at a single location working on the perfect picture, using tripod, filters and remote shutter release as required waiting for the perfect cloudscape or that fleeting gorgeous light you hope for or experimenting with long exposures. In the other, you are on the move and need to spot an opportunity and make the most of it: as quickly as possible if you are walking with others who don’t share your passion for photography. I have found my Olympus OMD-E a great asset in both these situations. It is mirror-less and therefore relatively small and light. I have two bodies, one attached to a 12-40mm lens, the other to a 40-150mm lens. As this is a micro four-thirds system, this equates to a range of 24-300mm on a full frame camera. I find I can carry both cameras in separate conventional camera bags quite easily when I am walking. The camera’s electronic viewfinder is excellent and enables me to judge perfect exposure as I look through it as you can set it to show the histogram or just tell by the way the image appears. You can set the electronic spirit level, if you like to use that as you take the picture. You can also view the scene in black and white. The camera has very good image stabilization and a good ISO range allowing sharp handheld images. I use the Lee Seven filter system, which is scaled down to fit these smaller cameras. It is easy to use as you can leave the filter ring fixed to the front of the lens. The filters and holder fit easily into a reasonable sized pocket. I do now intend to purchase a lightweight small portable tripod to carry on walks where I feel there may be an opportunity for long exposure photography, such as rivers, waterfalls and coastal locations and where of course there might be a bit of time to spare! These images were all taken, handheld, in the Lake District this January. It would have been a great pity not to have had the camera with me!
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Landscape Conference March 2019 Malvern Report by Ingrid Popplewell The Landscape group held its second conference on 1st – 3rd March 2019 in Malvern at the Abbey Hotel, attracting around 80 photographers. We joined each other for dinner on the first evening, the seating plan based on where we lived, which was useful for sharing local knowledge and helped break the ice. A rotating exhibition of impressive prints brought along by the delegates provided another forum for discussion and conversation. (Thanks to Kempsey Camera Club and Worcester Camera Club for the loan of their print racks. Ed.) We heard some excellent presentations from well-known photographers over the course of the weekend. There were also opportunities for getting out in the Malvern Hills for photography, and for attending distinction, print mounting and advanced Photoshop workshops. Paul Gallagher, whose photography career and obsession started at the age of 16, showed beautiful pared down black and white images and shared amusing anecdotes from trips to Hokkaido in Japan and the Yellow Mountains in China. He talked about the importance of pattern, rhythm and shape in composition. He discussed image processing, advising against always going for high contrast in black and white photography: ‘a whisper may be better than a shout’. A viewer may ultimately stay longer with a quieter more subtle image than one that catches the attention immediately but does not hold it. Paul also showed how his method of processing, using Camera Raw, could bring out subtle greys, with more detail than simply using the ‘black and white’ converter. (Editor’s note) I’m hoping to persuade Paul to write an article about his camera Raw conversion. Thomas Heaton is a young landscape and travel photographer, known widely for his regular photography videos on You Tube. His brief was to help with how to go about achieving rewarding landscape photography. He described his approach as 90% opportunistic and 10 % pre-visualised: in other words you need to get out there. He suggested National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, nature reserves, woodland, coast and mountain. He approaches an area rather than a particular ‘iconic’ viewpoint and aims to make an image unique to him, based on his response to the landscape, uninfluenced by others who may have gone before. He discussed photography through the seasons, explaining that he found summer least productive, and used this time to experience the landscape hiking and camping, though never without his camera! He summarized “ why photography’: purpose, escape, adventure, creativity, peace, connection with nature, health and wellbeing. His talk was illustrated with impressive images and video, which demonstrated the pitfalls as well as the triumphs.
Marianthi Lainas loves to photograph the North. She talked about trips to Iceland and more recently Ilulissat in Greenland. She gave some useful practical tips on how to go about such expeditions. She showed brooding pictures of icebergs, with a minimal colour palate demonstrating the arctic blue of winter ice as well as almost spiritual abstract images of ice floating below the surface of the sea. Her expedition to the North had been informed by her reading: Boundless by Kathleen Winter, Arctic Dreams by Barry Lopez and This Cold Heaven by Gretel Ehrlich. She makes her own books, binding them herself and using different papers within the book including exquisite images printed on Japanese tissue paper. Steve Caplin is a graphic designer and he completely changed the mood with his demonstration of the power of Photoshop to alter an image, which entertained but left most of the audience just wondering.
Paul Mitchell is well known for his beautiful painterly images of woodland and trees. He described his influences: artists John Constable, Thomas Gainsborough, John Sell Cotman and Paul Sandby and photographers Christopher Burkett and Shinzo Maeda. He described his approach, always starting his time in the landscape with 10 minutes of ‘mindfulness’ to attune to the surroundings. He talked about composition, suggesting starting with a longer focal length lens to find a tableau within the bigger landscape and help reduce the chaos that woodland can present to the photographer. He went on to work though the seasons, showing images to illustrate the particular conditions and considerations that come with each.He shared his processing approach aiming for the luminous painterly effect he is known for and had some wonderful prints for us to enjoy. Continued on next page Page 6
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Malvern Conference, Continued from page 6 Vanda Ralevska is a young photographer known for producing ethereal images and she was asked to talk about how to achieve this. She describes her ‘why’ for photography as ‘a love affair with life’ Her underlying message was that nature provides these fleeting magical moments and you have to be out there to experience and capture them. The ‘blue hour’ before dawn, mist, rain and snow all increase the chances of experiencing a moment of magic, and it can be found in both large and more intimate landscape. ‘Joy comes to us in ordinary moments. We risk missing out when we get too busy chasing down the extraordinary’ Ben Brown. Neil Hulme explained how he pre-visualises an image, working hard to eliminate, rather than add, to an image. His work is extremely minimalist, mono and usually square, but if he cannot get it right in camera, he Photoshops with ease. The conference was inspiring, educational and fun. It was very well organized and ran smoothly and I would certainly recommend the next one in 2 years’ time. Ingrid Popplewell Thanks to Ingrid for her comprehensive review.—Ed
AGM 2019 Official minutes to be adopted at the 2020 AGM 46 Members attended the AGM which started with the Chair,Richard Ellis, making a ahort slide presentation of the history,programme of events and membership figures of the Landscape Group. The Treasurer presented the Summary of Accounts, which showed our healthy financial position. There were no questions from the floor. The Committee reports were accepted, followed by the Election of Committee for 2019.. The Chair explained why ‘Events’ were being split into two, an Events Manager (professional led) and Events Manager (volunteer member led). The following were elected:Chair Richard Ellis;Treasurer John Urquart; Secretary pending; Events Manager Mark Reeves (professional led); Events Manager Dave Glenn (volunteer led); Newsletter Editor Mick Rawcliffe; Magazine Editor
Robert Brittle;
Website Manager Jim Souper; Members without portfolio Richard Glynn-Jones and Fiona McCowan. The accounts for 1st January - 31st December 2018 were adopted. Agreed that the Chair will be the Landscape Group representative who attends the Advisory Board or equivalent. Finally it was agree that we formally change the titles of Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary, to Chair, Treasurer and Secretary. Following the AGM, Richard presented Pauline and Bill with a small thank you for all her hard work as Secretary of the Group. Ed.
Richard with retiring Secretary, Pauline and Bill.
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Members attending one of the presentations
NEWSLETTER MARCH 2019 / VOL. 4 / NO. 2
The Malvern Conference 2019 The Conference activities were varied in order to cater for everyone’s wishes. A popular outdoor activity was the guided photowalk arranged by Richard Ellis and Jim Souper. The weather forecast wasn’t good (is it ever?) with Saturday being the better of the two. A few hardy souls braved the Sunday shoot when the weather turned out to be better than forecast and they were rewarded with side light on the bridge and Abbey at Pershore. Members had a choice of a walk into the Malvern Hills, above the British Camp Reservoir, into Pershore or walk around Malvern. Here are some images from the Weekend, mainly on Saturday Thanks to the Authors Ed.
Above the British Camp—Saturday
Abbey Hotel © Pauline Benbrook
© Jim Souper
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© Richard Ellis
© Ingrid Popplewell
© Pauline Benbrook
© Richard Ellis
© Ingrid Popplewell
© Pauline Benbrook NEWSLETTER MARCH 2019 / VOL. 4 / NO. 2
© Richard Ellis
© Ingrid Popplewell
© Richard Ellis
Images From Sunday © Jim Souper
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‘The Hidden Essex Coast’ Workshop with Justin Minns by David Penrose LRPS The Essex marshes at dawn on a freezing January morning are not for the faint-hearted! There was a bitterly cold wind blowing as seven of us, mostly members of the RPS Landscape Group, assembled before sunrise at Tollesbury for a workshop entitled ‘The Hidden Essex Coast’. The event was hosted by professional East Anglian photographer, Justin Minns.
Bell© Steve Oaks LRPS At dawn the sky was almost cloudless, apart from some obliging streaks on the horizon for the rising sun to illuminate. Our frozen fingers fumbled by torchlight with tripods, filters, cable releases and camera settings. We had around an hour of beautiful golden light in which to capture dawn images of a moored lightship and other craft, serpentine mud channels (the tide was low), boardwalks and old waterside buildings, before the sun rose above the cloud line and the sky brightened into full daylight.
Tollesbury Quay Lightship © Hillary Bailey
After a couple of hours at Tollesbury we retreated to a boatyard cafe for hot drinks and bacon sandwiches. Then we took a short drive up the coast to West Mersea to photograph a pleasing line of identical beach huts, whose pastel colours were dazzling in the bright sunshine. Time for a touch of negative EV! Fisherman’s Shed © Jim Stopher Page 10
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Low tide at Tollesbury © Holly Stranks LRPS
Next, just a few hundred yards west along the coast, we made our last stop to capture a variety of boat and beach subjects. By now the sun was at its highest point in a clear blue sky – perfect for an August seaside holiday, but not the best light for photography (well, that’s my excuse, anyway!). However, we found plenty of waterside subjects to fill up our memory cards, each of us spotting our own
Tollesbury Creek at dawn ©
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Mersea Beach Huts © John Bailey
Justin was a skilful tutor and his intimate knowledge of the locations was invaluable. He knew when to give us guidance on composition and technique, and when to stand back and let us experiment with our own viewpoints and camera settings. It was a most enjoyable and instructive day. Thanks Justin!
David Penrose LRPS
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Getting the best from a polariser By Justin Minns As a landscape photographer filters are an essential part of my kit. Neutral density (ND) filters allow me to control the shutter speed for creative effects such as blurring water or clouds, while graduated ND filters are invaluable for balancing the light in unevenly lit scenes, when the dynamic range would otherwise exceed that of the camera. Top of the list though is the very useful but often underrated polariser which deserves a place in every landscape photographers bag. Using a polariser So what exactly does a polariser do? Without getting into the science too much, light becomes polarised when it bounces off a flat non-metallic surface, such as water or foliage as well as off moisture and pollution in the atmosphere. This polarised light is what causes reflected glare or haze which can reduce the intensity of colours in an image. A polariser simply filters out these unwanted reflections, the result is bluer skies, greener leaves, reduced or eliminated reflections, and greater clarity in the final image.
Polarising filters need to be rotated to change the angle of light that is filtered out, the effect can clearly be seen through the viewfinder so it’s just a matter of rotating the filter until the desired effect is achieved. The intensity of the effect can be controlled by changing the angle of the camera, the strongest effect coming with the camera at an angle of 90 degrees to the sun. Linear v circular There are actually two types of polarising filter: linear and circular. These terms refer to the way that the filter modifies the light waves that pass through it rather than the shape of the filter.
Linear Polarisers only allow light waves moving in one linear direction to pass through, something which can cause problems for modern camera’s metering and auto focus systems. With a circular polariser the light enters the lens in a circular pattern and this is the one to use with digital cameras.
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Add punch Polarisers are best known for the effect they have on blue skies. On a clear sunny day, much of the light in the sky is polarised, and when used at 90 degrees from the sun the filter will deepen blues making white clouds will stand out dramatically. An effect that while working well in colour can add even more punch in black and white.
Big Suffolk skies.. Canon G1-X, 28mm, ISO 100, 1/400s at f/8. Hoya polariser.
Cut reflections The other main use for polarisers is to cut or reduce reflections from water, revealing details such as rocks or sand patterns below the surface. A polariser is also invaluable for reducing reflections when shooting through glass. Of course there are times when you want the reflections but a polariser can still allow you to fine tune their intensity. Even glare is sometimes desirable, when low, golden hour light is reflecting from wet rocks for example
RPS-5.jpg First light at Dovercourt, Essex. Canon 5D IV, 16RPS-5.jpg lightISO at 100, Dovercourt, Essex. 5D&IV, 35mm atFirst 16mm, 0.3s at f/14. Lee Canon polariser 0.616hard 35mm at 16mm, ISO 100, ND grad, tripod.
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Autumn colour at Felbrigg, Norfolk. Canon 5D II, 24-105mm at 45mm, ISO 100, 2.5s at f/8. Lee polariser, tripod.
Reduce glare In the autumn months the attentions of many landscape photographers turn to woodlands to capture the autumn colours. Forests in autumn are invariably damp, so when photographing autumnal woodland scenes, the glare from light hitting the wet leaves can cause them to be too bright, reducing the colour or even blowing them out completely. In fact, even dry leaves will reflect some light but in either case circular polariser can be used to cut out this glare, producing richer more saturated colours
Brighten rainbows (below) Changeable weather can be wonderful for landscape photography. Passing showers and sunny spells often provide dramatic light and rainbows. Rainbows are caused by light reflected in water droplets so a circular polariser can almost make them disappear but rotate the filter to just the right angle and it will enhance the colours and make them ‘pop’. In Slow it down Polarising filters reduce the amount of light reaching the camera’s sensor by 1-2 stops so can be used at a push as an ND filter to add a subtle blur to moving water or in combination with a stronger ND filter to increase the effect.
Changeable weather at Brightlingsea. Canon 5D MkIV, 24-105mm at 32mm, ISO 100, 65s at f/16. Lee 0.6 medium ND grad & Big Stopper, tripod.
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Increase contrast Light reflecting off distant haze or, at the coast, sea spray can affect visibility. In the image below taken in the Tatra Mountains in Slovakia, a polariser was used to increase contrast by filtering out this reflective light.
A word of caution Polarising filters aren’t without their problems, the most common is uneven polarisation. The effect of a polariser is at its strongest at a 90 degree angle to the sun and it’s weakest at 180 degree, so at certain angles the effect may be uneven across the frame most commonly appearing as a dark area in one part of of the sky. This effect is emphasized when using a wide angle lens as it can show a wider area of sky. It can be difficult to correct this problem in post-processing but it can be easily cured in camera, either by reducing the level of polarisation by turning the filter slightly, changing your shooting angle in relation to the sun or using a longer focal length.
Another occasion when a polariser can cause problems is stitched panoramas when the changing angle to the sun with each shot could cause a slight change across all the frames and make stitching difficult and the final result uneven, the best solution in this case is to avoid using a polariser altogether.
The view from Lesnica, Slovakia. Canon 5D IV, 24-105mm at 45mm, ISO 100, 0.4s at f/16. Lee polariser & 0.9 soft ND grad, tripod. https://www.justinminns.co.uk/
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Research Project
Please see if you can help Martin with his research project (Ed)
I am a mature student and am running a major project as part of my Masters Degree in Photography at the University of Falmouth
I am planning to photograph as many of the sites of former PoW camps in the UK
There were over 500 and whilst two have been preserved a lot have been lost or built over. As such I am looking for help on the research aspect of this project and want to know The condition of any camps near members or sites that they have visited.
I have already been talking to the Documentary Group who are planning to put a request In their next news letter on my behalf and I would be grateful if you could do the same with the Landscape Group ?
The text is below‌..
Request for Help on PoW Project My name is Martin Richards and I am a Mature Student taking a MA in Photography at the University of Falmouth. I am undertaking a project as part of my MA to photograph the 500 or so former WWII PoW Camps scattered around the UK. I am seeking help from the group in finding out what you know of any of the camps close to you or sites that you may have visited. Details can be found on my site systonimagesblog.wordpress.com set up for this project and by contacting me on Syston.images@gmail.com
I am also planning to apply for a Post Grad Bursary from the RPS for this project
Yours
Mr Martin J Richards BA(Homs) ARPS +44(0)7535 676 893 Syston.images@gmail.com www.systonimages.co.uk
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Pennine Way Stones and Stories There are no photogenic single trees or limestone pavements on the stretch of the Pennine Way close to where I live in Lancashire. It is a bleak, windswept moorland section from Blackstone Edge to Stoodley Pike. Spring brings the fluffy Cotton Grass, in summer patches of purple heather appear, then as winter approaches the grass turns a golden brown. But the dark rocks are a constant element. The Pennine Way passes over the Roman Road, as it is called, which is most likely a medieval pack horse route used to take cloth from the home weavers of Lancashire to Halifax for sale at the Piece Hall. It was the M62 of its day! Several stones bear inscriptions which are hundreds of years old while one in particular, the Rain Stone is more recent. This is one of six so-called Stanza Stones which have poems by Simon Armitage carved on them. The 47-mile-long Stanza Stone Trail runs from Marsden Moor to Ilkley and the poems are titled Snow, Rain, Mist, Dew, Puddle and Beck; all of which can be used to enhance a landscape photograph! The full text on the Rain Stone:Be glad of these freshwater tears, Each pearled droplet some salty old sea-bullet Air-lifted out of the waves, then laundered and sieved, recast as a soft bead and returned. And no matter how much it strafes or sheets, it is no mean feat to catch one raindrop clean in the mouth, To take one drop on the tongue, tasting cloud pollen, grain of the heavens, raw sky. Let it teem, up here where the front of the mind distils the brunt of the world. Further along the Stanza Stone Trail at Rivock Edge, Silsden, as you exit a dark pine wood, the split Dew Stone is revealed.There are several small long-disused quarries around which are scattered discarded worked stones. Additionally, due to last year’s dry summer, the low water level in the reservoirs has revealed inscribed stones that were previously submerged. Roger Styles All imagesŠ
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Long Exposures on the Somerset Coast Workshop - 1st February 2019 by Margaret Beardsmore LRPS This workshop was nearly cancelled due to bad weather, but eventually it was postponed by a day. Out of six expected participants only two of us attended.
The two of us met Andy who was our tutor for the day at Clevedon Pier. Luckily the pathway by the rocky beach was sheltered from the weather so Andy could run through the mechanics of long exposures. We spent quite a while taking photos of the pier. Andy encouraged us to change the white balance settings to create some funky colours in our images.
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After a quick coffee break (and welcome warm up), our next stop was the Old Lighthouse at Burnham-on-Sea. This for me was the most challenging of the locations. I found it really difficult to fiddle around with the filter system with frozen fingers. Andy was dying to jump in and help me but being an awkward northern girl I insisted on ‘doing it by myself’.
In the end I got the hang of it and after that it was reasonably plain sailing. We had been warned in advance that there would probably be one location where the tide conditions wouldn’t be perfect and Burnham was the one for me. But we still got in a lot of practice and left with photographs to show for our troubles.
Our last port of call was Weston-Super-Mare Beach as the light was fading in the late afternoon. This really didn’t look promising as the pier is modern. It was also bitterly cold. Andy warned us we were going to be there at least an hour the chocolate biscuits came out!
However, there was a surprising amount of colour in the sky so we took up positions and set up with filters etc. The tide was gradually going out and as the sun set it became apparent why we were there. The sky and lights on the pier reflected beautifully in the shallow water.
All in all, it was a very difficult day to take photographs, and also for Andy our tutor, but although it was cold the rain/ snow kept off. I learnt a lot and there is no way I would have gone down there on my own, let alone stood for over an hour on a beach in the freezing cold while it went dark!
My thanks to Andy Page for his coaching, his driving on the day and last but not least for his patience with me.
Margaret Beardsmore LRPS
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An article that explores how design elements such as line, shape, form are present in images and how they can be used purposefully to make more interesting landscape images. By Rod Ireland "Design in Mind" - Elements of Design in Landscape Photography Intuitively, we judge whether landscape images look 'right' or not, yet the subconscious considerations taken when reaching our conclusions aren't obvious. This article looks to identify some of these and argues that creating good landscape images requires more than attentive observation of what is going on around us and technical skill. We also need to recognise different design elements available within a scene, utilising these to create the best possible image. We'll look at six design elements recognisable across different landscape photography scenes: Line, Shape, Form, Colour, Pattern and Texture. The first in this two part article covers line, shape and form. So, let's have a look at the key design characteristics or elements we might be able to emphasise in an image. Line First and foremost is 'line'. Lines form edges of shapes, as well as shapes of their own. They can serve as a powerful compositional tools familiar to landscape photographers such as 'leading lines' that guide viewers through an image, often towards key aspects of it. Lines can be formed by many things: paths, lines of trees, rivers, fence lines etc. These can help convey a sense of dynamism and movement, elevating the level of interest.
The line of the wall leads us through the image, nicely depositing us at the walkers near the gate]
A line is, well, just a line isn't it? Look through a series of landscape images, identifying the different characteristics of the lines within. Are they vertical, horizontal, diagonal or curved, how tall or short are they, what thickness are they, do the lines lead you forwards or backwards? They can influence emotional responses to an image, for example, vertical lines convey strength and stability whilst horizontal lines in the land or seascapes can feel restful and peaceful. Curved lines are perceived as settling and relaxing. The Scots pine give a sense of strength and stability as they stretch vertically from the reflection in the water upwards.
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Perhaps the most interesting lines are those that aren't actually present in the image! Lines might be implied through directional elements such as shape, hand gesture, eye contact etc. The lines from the receding waves continue invisibly into the distance towards the mountain.
Without lines, we can't form shapes. Without shapes there can be no form. Without form we can't have textures or patterns. Lines are a key building block of photographic design so learn to see them and love them for their ability to make our pictures look much better than they otherwise would! Shape The second fundamental element of design is 'shape'. These are subjects in the landscape that appear to lack depth and have a two-dimensional appearance. We might see a large variety of shapes within a scene and these can create different feelings and responses within us.
Rounded shapes like circles and ovals can provide a sense of flow and movement whilst squares and rectangles give a sense of stability. Triangles (real or implied) can be used to lead our eye to the top point of the triangle and around the other two angles. The strongest shapes in landscapes are formed of silhouettes which even though containing no detail, act as a key way for the viewer to identify subjects.
When utilising shape within a scene, they should be readily visible, contrasting strongly with their surroundings. Lighting is often critical in achieving a strong contrast between a shape and other parts of the scene, with front, back or flat lighting being a friend and side lighting an enemy in this instance. This largely backlit scene (right) acts to emphasise the shapes of the fells and reduces the visible details within them to a minimum, creating layers of silhouettes. In urban landscapes shapes tend to be geometric, formed by straight lines and defined edges, think buildings, lamp posts, power lines etc. In the natural world, shapes tend to be organic and softer. Think of the irregular shapes formed by a mountain skyline or the soft curves found in flora. Shapes can be positive or negative. Positive shapes are made by the objects themselves and negative shapes being made out of the leftover bits! Imagine a sloping mountainside set against the sky - here the sky forms a negative shape. Often there are different shape types within an image that can be juxtaposed to provide a striking contrast. Where numerous similar shapes appear we might look to emphasise this as a pattern.
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This largely backlit scene (right) acts to emphasise the shapes of the fells and reduces the visible details within them to a minimum, creating layers of silhouettes. There is hardly any sense of depth in this image (left) with the composition being arranged instead to emphasise the building shapes] Often there are different shape types within an image that can be a striking contrast. Where numerous similar shapes appear we might look to emphasise this as a pattern. Form When objects appear to have depth, they can be said to have 'form'. Landscape photographers often look to create a sense of depth or three dimensionality to counter the fact that photographs are two dimensional creations that can make scenes look flat, so form is high on our list of things to look out for. By emphasising form we help develop a sense of presence and attachment for the viewer, amplifying emotional responses to photographs. When a viewer says they 'almost feel like they're in the scene', we know that design elements such as form have been used well. Where the scene has contrasting light,(below) the contours and form of the landscape are clear. Parts of the scene in shadow are reduced to shape with no sense of depth]
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Lighting is a primary consideration when looking to emphasise form. In a landscape setting, lighting that creates areas of shadow and highlight will emphasise the form and contours of an object, best exemplified by side lighting experienced during the golden hours when the range of tones between shadow and highlight is maximised. Perspective is also an important consideration. Rather than looking straight on to the subject, positioning ourselves at angles to it is helpful. We can also place objects at different points in the scene and on different planes further adds to a sense of depth and form.
Shooting the huts front on would not emphasise form, but looking at them diagonally has created a real sense of depth within the scene.
Finally, shooting in black & white (or converting later) can be an excellent way to accentuate form. Sometimes, various colours in a scene can distract from a subjects contours so removing them can help emphasise form. This scene (right) was mostly mono anyway, but converting to black and white helps to draw out the form of the different mountain tops] Conclusion Different design elements will be more, or less prominent in different scenes and rarely will you have to consider all of them in one image. Regardless of the scene, there will be some design elements present and to make the most of their potential it's worth taking time to identify them and determine how they can best be utilised in order to produce the most successful image possible. Š Rod Ireland https://www.rodireland.co.uk/
The second instalment of this article will consider the remaining elements of design: Colour, Pattern
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Members' Gallery ©Andy Kirby
Devils Teeth, Senja: 1/3sec, f/13, ISO 100, D850, 45mm lens
Hamn Sunset Reflected: 105 sec (Big Stopper) f/11, ISO 800, D850, 45mm
Morning Light, Lofoten: 1/25 sec, f/13, ISO 64, D850, 45mm Page 24
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Members' Gallery © Lindsay Southgate LRPS.
Vesturhorn Beach after a heavy snowstorm—Iceland
Vesturhorn Fence Line—Iceland Page 25
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Members' Gallery Sheep have a deep flocking instinct, where a dominant ewe will lead, and the rest will follow, as seen in the image. Taken on the flanks of Ingleborough mountain in the Yorkshire Dales, where this covering of snow is just one of many the sheep will see in the course of a winter.
Exposure 1/1600 sec at f8 and ISO 800, at a 200mm focal length.
Š Michael Hogg
Submission Guidelines Please send your Members' Images by email to landscapenews@rps.org.
Please submit your images as jpegs, sized to 72 dpi and with 1200 pixels along the longest edge. It would also be helpful if you would provide a caption and a note of any RPS distinction that should be added to your credit for the image.
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I’m a geographer and landscape photographer and love to visit the coast. However, I am disabled and suffer from severe osteoarthritis in most of my joints. Increasingly, it’s difficult to walk any distance with my sticks so am usually in the wheelchair, pushed by my husband who sets up the tripod for me as well. I struggle to operate the controls on the camera and even changing lenses is awkward. Hand held shots can be very hit and miss as I can’t keep the camera steady; this means ICM images whether I wanted them or not! Also, I can’t stand up for more than a few minutes, cannot bend down and need somewhere fairly flat and easily accessible. Gone are the days when I could walk up the fells in the Lake District or scramble over rocks on the coast. Nowadays, it’s the view from my wheelchair or a convenient seat or, from the roadside sitting in the car! Nevertheless, although my lack of mobility is a challenge it doesn’t deter me from getting out. My favourite places are at the seaside and I’m fortunate to live close to the coast of North East England. Both the promenade and pier at Saltburn and also Roker, Sunderland, provide excellent locations, as well as the approach to St. Mary’s Lighthouse, Whitley Bay. At Bamburgh, in Northumberland, I can walk a few metres from the car and sit on one of the seats that overlook the sea along The Wynding. I have a Nikon D3200 as it’s fairly lightweight and simple to use. I didn’t take up photography until 2008 when I became disabled and wanted something to do whilst the family were out walking. I originally bought a Nikon D60 and took record shots of places I visited but became more serious about developing my photography in 2011. I then joined the Royal Photographic Society and Disabled Photographers Society and achieved a “Licentiateship” with both. I sometimes use multiple exposures, like to experiment with different shutter speeds and particularly enjoy close ups of the waves. However, it can often be frustrating when I can’t move around or even walk down onto the beach and get closer or in a different position. I’ve recently bought a second hand 55-300mm Nikkor lens to try and overcome some of these restrictions. The images included here have all been taken in 2019. Susan Rowe LRPS All images ©
New Years Day,Saltburn View from Bamburgh
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January afternoon Twilight at Saltburn
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What's On
A selection of exhibitions & events which may be of interest to landscape group members
Landscape Photographer of the Year 2018 “Take a view” The Exhibition is on tour of major Rail Stations There is still plenty of time to see the Landscape Photographer of the Year as the exhibition moves around England and Scotland. Freely accessible during station opening hours. Provisional timetable for Network Rail Stations 2019
Edinburgh - 12 March to 26 March Leeds - 28 March to 14 April Manchester - 16 April to 30 April Liverpool Lime Street - 1 May to 19 May Birmingham - 21 May to 9 June Victoria - 10 June to 24 June Paddington - 25 June to 9 July Reading - 10 July to 27 July See here for details
Conferences, Fairs and Festivals None to report
Don McCullin Hon FRPS Retrospective 5th February to 6th May 2019 Don McCullin is one of the greats. With more than 250 prints—all made by McCullin himself—this Tate Britain exhibition covers his entire career, from early work covering poverty in Britain to photojournalism of wars abroad and his latter interest :Landscapes.
See here for details
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RPS EVENTS See here for full details
Long exposures on the North Wirral coast 23 March 2019 New Brighton Fully booked See here for details
Torridon and Wester Ross with Mark Banks FULLY BOOKED 30 March 2019 - 05 April 2019 See here for details
Creative landscapes at Batsford Arboretum 01 April 2019
Cotswolds
Located in the north Cotswolds, Batsford Arboretum is home to one of the largest private tree collections in the country. It offers visitors year round interest - from the spring blooms provided by the beautiful Japanese flowering cherries to autumn’s spectacular display of colour.
Spring in the Peak District 05 May 2019 Monsal Head, Derbyshire A visit to some of the White Peak locations which include: a high vantage point overlooking a valley using both intermediate lens and long zoom lenses to ‘pick out’ parts of the landscape; an option of a walk to a well- known weir (depending on the weather conditions) Magpie Mine to capture the old mining facilities. or Lumsdale Falls; different cascading falls and surrounding woodland dotted with old mill ruins. See here for details
Night-time landscapes and astrophotography workshop 8th—10th May 2019 Wemouth
A chance to join a two-evening night-landscape and astrophotography workshop on the Dorset coast led by award winning Ollie Taylor.
See here for details
See here for details
Waterfalls of the Vale of Neath
Castles and Causeways: a day on Holy Island
20th May 2019 Vale of Neath
26 April 2019 Northumberland The Holy Island of Lindisfarne is steeped in history which is recorded as far back as the 6th Century AD. Its main attraction is Lindisfarne Castle prominently perched on the highest point of the Island and makes a fabulous backdrop to the many boats and fishing equipment nestled within the small harbour and shoreline.
See here for details (FULLY BOOKED)
Northumberland Coast - FULLY BOOKED 27 April 2019 See here for details
There is nowhere in Wales with as many spectacular waterfalls in such a small area as this part of South Wales known as 'Waterfall Country'. Here, the rivers Mellte, Hepste and Neddfechan have worn away the soft rocks to create steep wooded gorges full of caves and waterfalls. These beautiful secluded woodlands on the southern edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park, contain a series of picturesque tumbling streams and falls. See here for details
Woodland bluebell hunt 28th April 2019
Silverstone
This woodland event, led by Nathan Barry, will be based in several areas of ancient woodland around the Northamptonshire area. In spring, we can expect to find plentiful bluebells, although their peak season is not possible to predict in advance!
See here for details
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The Art of Monochrome 21st May 2019 Vale of Glamorgan Black and white photographs have a classic appeal which stand the test of time. Without the distraction of colour, we can introduce an air of mystery and atmosphere into our images, an interpretation of reality. A black-and-white image allows us to deconstruct a scene and to re-explore the basic elements of composition, lighting, tonal contrast, texture and form. Monochrome is also the perfect medium for creating stunning minimalist images. See here for details
Long exposures on the North Somerset coast 9th October 2019- FULLY BOOKED
Long exposures on the North Somerset coast II 10 October 2019 Bookings available See here for details
Autumn colours and waterfalls of Wensleydale 2nd and 9th November 2019- FULLY BOOKED See here for details
The Landscape Photographers Calendar Workshop with Tony Worobiec FRPS
Autumn Colour - Thorp Perrow Arboretum
09 June 2019 Bristol
08 November 2019 North Yorks
The purpose of this course is to inspire the participant to recognise that each month in the year offers wonderful opportunities for taking great photographs. It aims to be as broad as possible, and features not just pastoral landscape, but recognises that landscape should also embrace agricultural, coastal, industrial and urban locations.
Join Mark Banks for a day of sheer indulgence and learn how to take the most exquisite autumnal images.
See here for details
Adobe Lightroom for landscape photographers 7th July 2019 West Midlands
See here for details
Nightshoot
Introduction to Night Photography
16 November 2019 Bath Explore the wonders of nighttime photography during this creative, hands-on and revealing evening photography workshop.
Julian Rouse LRPS, an Adobe Lightroom expert who has delivered many successful courses for the RPS, will lead the workshop. There will be a maximum of 8 delegates, to ensure a good level of personal attention.
See here for details
See here for details
Cuckmere haven is a haven for artists and photographer’s alike, with stunning views of the river, cliffs and beach on the Sussex coastline
Devils Dyke and the Fulking Escarpment
Cuckmere Haven and the Seven Sisters 07 December 2019 East Sussex
29 August 201 West Sussex
See here for details Visit the beautiful South Downs in an area protected by the National Trust. Capture light as it sculpts the shape of light Winter in Glencoe over these magnificent hills and find plenty of new composi- 12 January 2020 - 18 January 2020 tions as you pass over each individual hill along the South See here for details Downs way. See here for details
Heather moorland and big vistas
Could you host an event?
30 Aug and 6th Sept - FULLY BOOKED
If you know of a promising and photogenic location in your area, and you would be willing to organise an informal session for other members of the Group, please email to rps.landscape.events@gmail.com.
See here for details For details of all Landscape Group events listed above and of additional workshops and events of interest to group members, please visit the Group’s events page Page 30
We welcome all volunteers and would very much like to hear from members in all parts of the UK.
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Event categories The categories below aim to help members understand what is on offer at any particular landscape group event. They are also a guide for potential event leaders who might be worried that their photographic skills are not sufficiently strong for them to lead an event. Group A – Field trips where the guide has a good knowledge of the location (e.g. good viewpoints, good subjects, good times of day, tides if relevant etc.) and will have ideas about what to do in case of unhelpful weather or light conditions, but does not wish to offer any advice on photography skills or techniques. Group B - Field trips where the trip leader has a good knowledge of the location (as in Group A) but is also willing to offer general technical support and advice to inexperienced photographers. The leader is NOT expected to be an expert in anything but should be sufficiently experienced to pass on knowledge of the basics. Group C - Field trips that focus on a particular technique – such as long exposures or photographing at night. The leaders of these events will primarily offer advice about technique and location knowledge will be sufficient to enable participants to learn and practice the technique(s) concerned. Group D - Workshops that primarily focus on skills or technique and where location is irrelevant or is a secondary consideration. These may take place indoors or outdoors. The workshop leader may have limited knowledge of the location but will be experienced and skilled in the topic of the workshop.
Booking Confirmations A few members have contacted us because they were unsure as to whether or not they were booked on an event. Here is a brief guide to how you can check this for yourselves. When you book a landscape event through the RPS website, the system should send you a confirmation email. If you have not received it and want to check if you are booked on an event, then login to your account on the RPS website, select the tab labeled events and tick the box for events you are booked on. Any events you have booked will show up in orange.
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