RPS Northern Region Newsletter September 2018

NORTHERN NEWS NORTHERN NEWS NORTHERN NEWS Issue May2018 2018 Issue 9 97 September 2018 Issue September

Northern Diary Sunday 28 October 2018, 10:00 to 16:00 Newton Community Hall, Newton, Stocksfield NE43 7UL

Distinctions Advisory Day Advisory day for LRPS and ARPS (All categories - see website) Hazel Mason FRPS, James Frost FRPS, Leo Palmer FRPS Full details and booking on the RPS Website

Sunday 18 November 2018,

10:00 to 16:00

Newton Community Hall, Newton, Stocksfield NE43 7UL

Fellowship Advisory Day Before booking, please read the criteria on the RPS website

Sunday 25 November 2018, 10:30 to 16:00 Newton Community Hall, Newton, Stocksfield NE43 7UL

Landscape: How to Cope with Challenging Conditions Tony Worobiec FRPS Full details and booking on the website

Tuesday 27 November 2018,

19:30 to 21:30

Morpeth Camera Club, Morpeth Methodist Church, Howard Tce., Morpeth NE61 1HU

The Water's Edge Lecture by fine art photographer Tony Worobiec FRPS There will be a charge of ÂŁ2 collected at the event, booking not required

All bookings should be made via the Northern Region Events page on the RPS website

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Message from

NORTHERN NEWS

Carol Palmer ARPS

Issue 9 September 2018

Regional Organiser Northern Region

THE NORTHERN TEAM Regional Organiser Carol Palmer ARPS northern@rps.org Deputy Regional Organiser Geoff Chrisp LRPS Treasurer Bob Turner ARPS Secretary Bob Gates ARPS northernweb@rps.org Cover Image Towards Taransay Š Carol Palmer ARPS NORTHERN NEWS INFORMATION Š 2017 All rights reserved on behalf of the 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, Northern Region and the Editor accept no liability for any misuse or breach of copyright by a contributor.

The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the RPS or the Northern Region.

Amongst another set of excellent articles in our September newsletter we have two successful RPS portfolios: Graeme Clarke with his Natural History ARPS and Kevin Morgan with a LRPS. To many RPS members distinctions are of utmost importance and as a region I believe we should encourage this, so we have arranged 5 events, 3 Advisory Days and 2 Celebration of Distinctions over the next 6 months.

Advisory Days for LRPS & ARPS are being held on 28th October 2018 & 31st March 2019. A Fellowship Advisory Day on 18th November which is a first for our region and then Celebration of Distinctions in two separate locations.

Advisory days are intended to provide guidance to RPS members and non-members who are considering applying for a Distinction. They offer an opportunity for you to view successful submissions and receive personal guidance on the standard of your work and preparation of your panel. You may attend the Advisory Day as a Spectator or as a Participant. As a Participant, you should take a minimum of 15 prints for the LRPS, 20 prints for the ARPS (preferably mounted), that you consider could form the basis for a panel.

This will enable the advisors to comment on the quality of your work and offer advice on how the prints may work together as a coherent panel. All advice on the day is given by experienced Distinctions panel members.

Fellowship Advisory Days are in camera and can only be attended by those with a prospective portfolio. FRPS Advisory Days (open to ARPS members only) The Celebration of Distinctions provides an opportunity to see examples of successful LRPS, ARPS and FRPS print panels, to illustrate the standards required to achieve these distinctions, and to inspire you to take on the challenge of starting along the distinctions path or progressing towards a higher-level distinction.There will be time to have a close look at the prints and to discuss your particular interests or ask any questions you may have about the process with Regional Team.

Our first event is on 15th March 2019 at Whickham Community Hall, Newcastle upon Tyne and the other on 17th March 2019 at Houghton Village Hall, Houghton, Carlisle.

I hope to see you at some of these events.

Editor: Bob Gates ARPS

Carol 3

Seascapes from Brittany Ken Rennie

A week in South Western Brittany was an opportunity for me to practice seascapes as well as having a holiday. I was expecting the usual mixture of weather with a fair chance of Atlantic rollers crashing onto rocks and racing up beaches. However my week brought fair weather, blue skies, little wind and no waves. I brought a Nikon D810 with lenses from 16mm to 200mm.

The coast of this part of Brittany has many idyllic beaches that are wide and broad with fine sand but with few coves. The downside of fine sand, apart from wrecking photographic equipment, is that it mixes with the breaking waves and produces sludgy looking water. Whether it was the perfect holiday weather or the good food and wine I was looking to produce uplifting images not my usual dark and moody ones. When producing calm images I usually end up producing letterbox images and this set are no exception.

On my first excursion I arrived at lunchtime on a pristine beach with a small stream flowing across it disturbing the smooth arc of sand and this allied to a couple of offshore islands provided mid and background interest.

The challenge for the entire week was the foreground. With the 1st image I used the tiny rivulets of the stream with a polariser to bring out the patterns in the stream and shallow sea.

1. Plage de Ben Had, Nikon D810, Tamron 24-70 @46mm f8 1.6s shutter speed

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2. Plage de Ben Had, Nikon D810, Tamron 24-70 @55mm f8 5s shutter speed

For the 2nd image I decided to concentrate on the tiny amount of breaking foam. There isn’t really a foreground in this shot and for me the image is about the spit of sand bottom right and the just disappeared under a wave spit middle left. Although the spit has gone I like the colours and different texture produced. I used the s shape produced by the curve of the smooth water continuing onto the opposite curve produced by the breaking foam to move the viewers’ eye through the image finally coming to the island on the horizon balanced by the small cloud on the right. I would have liked to have had the island slightly more towards the centre but no amount of movement on my part would allow me to do this without disturbing the harmony of the bottom 2/3rds.

My only dawn shoot had a little mist and nice orange sky and water. The image was not coming together until the sun popped up and for a few seconds it was possible to shoot before the sun broke through the mist.

This area has a number of WW2 German gun emplacements and at the Plage de Kermabek I was lucky with the tide as the structure was surrounded with water shallow enough to allow a me to get to a few different positions. Careful use of the polariser allowed me to bring out the colour detail in the rapidly receding water in the 4th image.

I visited many local beaches with a stream flowing across them to find something, no matter how small, to break up the constant sand. With the 5th image it is sand ripples as foreground with the sand and flag balanced by the opposite headland and cloud. The 6th image is probably the most traditional landscape/ seascape shot with a fair bit to explore including the terrific reflections in the wet sand and the great clouds.

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3. Anse de Groasguen, Nikon D810, Nikon 16-35 @35mm f14 1.6s shutter speed.

4. Plage de Kermabek, Nikon D810, Nikon 16-35 @26mm f11 1.6s shutter speed

During this short trip I have learned a lot about just how little material you need to make an image and it improved my ability to see an image and how even moving a few inches can radically change compositions. Using a polariser on shallow water changes the water colour from blue to yellow and by careful adjustment of the polarising angle the interest can be brought out of what appears to be plain blue water at the expense of uneven sky colour. The dawn shot apart all of the images were taken in the middle of the day, this provided the best shallow water colour and most of the images rely on this colour.

I hope that I can continue to refine this new found ability to produce images with scant material whether they appeal to others I don’t know but I like them. Most of the images were taken with a 6stop ND filter and although this style of photography has fallen out of fashion I still find it appealing. I used a polariser most of the time and this caused the usual problems with uneven sky colour but I thought that the benefits of better and more varied water colours was worth it. Lastly it is possible to take landscape/ seascape photographs in the middle of the day although you may have to try a little harder than during the golden hours.

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5. Plage de Sainte-Anne la Palud, Nikon D810, Tamron 24-70 @40mm f6.3 1/125s shutter speed

6. Plage de Sainte-Anne la Palud, Nikon D810, Tamron 24-70 @46mm f9 0.6s shutter

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speed

Distinction Success Kevin Morgan LRPS

My journey into the world of photography started when I was about 12 years of age. I had pestered my mother for a camera for some time and she finally relented, giving me my first camera and roll of black and white film. In those days it was a case of shoot all twelve pictures and then down to the chemist for it to be sent away for developing. A nervous wait of about one week to see what the results were and then save pocket money for my next roll of film.

I was certainly bitten by the photography bug and I progressed over the coming years, doing mainly family birthdays and holidays. I tried a variety of cameras, before deciding on the Canon range, both film and then onto their digital range.

I took photography more seriously when I was approaching retirement age and at that point I joined my first photographic club. I was amazed and impressed when I saw the quality of images the more experienced members where producing. But, not one to be put off and always up for a challenge, I decided I wanted to produce images like that. This was the start of the real learning curve for me.

By listening and learning my photography improved and I started achieving good results in photographic club competitions.

I started to believe I could gain an RPS distinction. I knew it would be a difficult journey. What sort of portfolio would I submit? What would the subject matter be? Should I use colour or black and white or a mix of both? These were some of the questions I was now asking myself.

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I decided I would go predominantly for a black and white panel, as I was enjoying this type of photography at the time, with a few colour ones to add contrast.

After several months of image taking and editing I believed that I had the basis of a presentable portfolio. I then asked advice from the members of Whickham Photographic Society of which I am a member.

The encouragement I received from the members of Whickham was excellent, and after a few minor alterations I now had my portfolio ready for an Advisory Day. I can’t stress enough the importance of an advisory day.

Leo and Carol Palmer with Malcolm Kus went over my portfolio and after advising on a few minute changes I felt I was ready to submit for an assessment.

My assessment took place on June 5th this year. I couldn't attend as I was on holiday and the wait for the result seemed quite long. However, to get that important e-mail saying it was successful was more than worth it.

Would I advise anyone to go for it? Absolutely. It can be a bumpy ride at times but the advice from camera club members plus that so important advisory day did make all the difference. Most of all enjoy it.

Did I hear someone mention that A!!!

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Vietnam Sue Hingley ARPS

For me, as a rather insecure traveller who had never been to Asia before, just being in Hanoi in was amazing. To then travel on the Reunification Railway from there to Saigon, and go onwards to the Mekong Delta, was one of the most special experiences of my life.

I have chosen six of my favourite images to convey something of the everyday lives of Vietnamese people, three from Hanoi, two from Hue and a final image from the Mekong Delta. So many people fall in love with Hanoi.

Full of life and activity, hundreds of scooters chaotically criss-crossing the streets, and exotic sometimes dilapidated old buildings, not far from the more familiar architecture of past imperial Western colonial powers. Much of everyday life is lived on the streets, particularly in the cafés where so many people seem to have their breakfasts, all sitting on the tiny stools we would only see in primary schools.

I took the image of a mother giving her little girl her tea as I passed them on a cyclo, Hanoi’s version of a tuk-tuk or rickshaw. On a cyclo the passenger sits in front of the driver, an exciting perspective on the chaotic traffic ahead, and a lovely one for taking pictures. I took the picture of the young boy sitting in front of his father a bit later, and afterwards realised his sister was on the bike too. I love how serious the boy looks, and the calm, caring expression if feel I see on his father’s face. Ages later after printing the image I noticed the strange malformation of the boy’s wrist, and whilst there is no way of being sure, this may represent the continuing genetic consequences of the use of Agent Orange in the American War. There is no overt mention of the war, Vietnam seeks only good relations with the Western world and the USA, but the horror and suffering does continue, and the misguided basis of America’s position becomes more apparent the more you learn.

Hue is a beautiful city, and its market was brilliant. With just half an hour to look round I was frantically trying to get as many good pictures as I could. I have chosen this one to show a very typical market stall, and the sense of plenty that is evident all over Vietnam. It is a warm, fertile and green country where everything grows, and the rivers and seas still provide the fish the country needs.

The portrait of the woman was taken at her market stall outside the Pagoda of the Celestial Lady next to the Perfume River in Hue. Women are particularly prominent in Vietnam, reflecting a longstanding cultural background of equality with men, and the very central place of the family in Vietnamese society.

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Finally I saw this young girl with her grandma in a café we stopped at on the Mekong Delta. I have such a sense of the girls love and I think pride of her grandma in this image. The heat feels very evident too in the background and as with most cafés on the Delta, canopies cover rows of hammocks for people to rest in the heat of the day.

I left Vietnam with a sense of contact and connection with a country I had heard about so significantly in my teens and early twenties, discovering that however much you might see images of another culture, it is so different from anything you might imagine in advance when you are actually there. This is what I have come to love about travel to distant places, that each time I come away ‘knowing’ that country in a different way that will stay with me forever. I hope that my images help to convey something of that ‘knowing’ to others.

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My Mistresses Alec Jones Vice President, South Shields Photographic Society

My name is Alec Jones and I am Vice President of South Shields Photographic Society and a founder member of the new South Shields Digital Group.

I became interested in Photography approx 10 years ago, when I took it up as an interest during my recovery from illness. After a few months of struggling with on line photography manipulation / processing packages, I joined the society and met like minded individuals and was further able to develop my skills. Through the Society I have made many close friends both locally and through the extended network of other local societies. I am an active contributor to our competitions, with a reasonable record of success.

Some 7 cameras, innumerable lenses, and more lighting equipment imaginable, further down the Road, I decided the time was right to turn my passion into a profession and started working as a full time Photographer some 3 years ago. As a business I undertake a broad spectrum of assignments, including Weddings, Christenings, Portraiture, Landscape, Wildlife, Night Skies, Web building, Photography restoration work and Business commissions.

Lindisfarne

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Souter NLC

Whilst ensuring that I look after the Commercial side of the Business, my true passion lies in photographing “my mistresses”: Aurora; Noctilucent Clouds; Shooting stars and the Milky Way. These take dedication and being willing to travel many miles at very odd hours. I am sure that many of you will be fully aware of “Camera Time”, popping out for an hour or so and returning home soaking wet, freezing cold some 6.5 hours later. I tend to get so absorbed in getting the shot, I am normally not allowed out without a responsible adult in attendance. This is because of stopping halfway across the Causeway at Lindisfarne with the tide rushing in and only just making it back to dry land as the water was lapping the sills on the car. The soaking wet, comes in as I normally don’t notice the tide until the water level comes above my knees.

I also enjoy the challenge of wildlife and nature photography, especially owls and squirrels, although patience is required as many hours are spent sitting still and in silence waiting for your capture to appear.

Working with Photoshop over the last 8 years I’ve become something of an “expert”, but keep finding new and more advanced tricks, honing my skills with the Digital Teaching Group. I have also recently taken a photography teaching position one day a week, which is exhausting but exhilarating, especially watching people new to photography advance.

I can honestly say that Photography has changed my life, and whilst probably working more hours than I used to, I do so with passion and enjoy every minute of it. One thing that is essential is the right clothing, and generally lots of it, and very tolerant and supportive family.

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Groyne NLC

Dunstanburgh

Causeway

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John & Susan - Husband & Wife Team John Devlin ARPS So one day halfway through a wedding shoot, Susan (my wife) says, ‘I could do this’ –Hello new camera, laptop, tripod and a very steep learning curve. Before long my individual print sales dwindled whilst my wife’s increased! That was nothing to do with the camera, as Susan’s cost a fraction of mine, but it was down to her artistic license. Mega pixels, memory cards, fillin flash or even aperture priority meant nothing. What Susan produced came from the So what’s all this got to do with a husband and images she visualised before taking the shot.

Images I was missing. These days we are in less wife going out together and taking photographs? The answer’s simple – it’s a level- competition and we have our own styles in playing field and I think that goes for all things photography. Our days out produce images of differing character and contrasts – even though photographic – well almost. A camera is a we go to the same place. I get more enjoyment camera, right? OK, put it another way, a £30,000 Phase one or a £5 disposable – who’ll out of shooting landscapes but I do enjoy take the better picture? Which one is the better documentary and the occasional abstract.

Susan is the opposite preferring abstract and camera for composition, light, positioning within the frame, time of day etc. The answer of documentary to landscape. So with that, we rarely stay together on our trips to any given course is none. Paying more for your camera location. Basically I’lI do my thing and Susan will give you better workmanship, robustness does hers. Although for safety and security and engineering excellence but won’t make reasons we are always within earshot. There are you a better photographer. occasions when we will stay close, big cities for example such as walking the streets of Glasgow, Edinburgh or Newcastle but we rarely see the same photograph. Locations are chosen through mutual agreement (generally) trying to satisfy our photographic interests on a wider scale. And even when going on holiday – which is almost always to the remotest parts of Scotland, days out to any local village or town brings its own opportunities.

Being the man of the house doesn’t make you the boss – at least that’s what my wife says! In fact quite the contrary! Think about it gents, who decides what to have for tea? Who picks the wallpaper, paint and décor? And to make matters worse, who picks your clothing? OK – you choose the car, but your wife picks the colour! And finally you ask to go to the pub with the lads – but only if your wife lets you!

Queen Street Station

Going out together does of course yield many advantages both in our marriage (37 year and counting) and of course our photography. And although I mentioned earlier that we are no longer in competition as to who will produce the better image from the day, we do learn from each other in what we see and how we can best execute it.

© Sue Devlin LRPS

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With that in mind and as mentioned earlier, we both know that it’s not the camera but the photographer behind it! Although with digital these days instant image feedback on the rear of the camera, if used wisely, is a great learning tool. Take the images of Flamborough and Bamburgh for example. After Susan photographed a series of detail/abstract images, I was able to show her through Live-View what I was composing, camera settings, filtration etc – the usual thing and likewise with her images. Of course it doesn’t stop there. Back home on our computers we progress through our work from editing, selecting and processing. We both use the same software but different operating systems but that doesn’t matter to the final image.

One final point I would like to add regarding husband and wife teams, is a small group of friends (Mike & Irene Berry and Brian & Kath Jobson) where the six of us regularly meet with three printed images each. The pictures are viewed in turn where comments and great debate ensue. We learn so much from each other from our ‘no punches pulled’ sessions and given the opportunity, I would encourage others to do the same.

Right, must dash. Tea’s ready. I wonder what we’re having tonight…?

Queen Street Station

© John Devlin ARPS

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Bamburgh © John Devlin ARPS

Flamborough © Sue Devlin LRPS

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Flamborough © John Devlin ARPS

Bamburgh © Sue Devlin LRPS

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Distinctions Interview with

Graeme Clarke ARPS Why and when did you first get into photography?

I have always been interested in natural history, science and technical aspects of photography since a very young age. I bought my first camera second hand in Newcastle– a Kodak Duoflex (really nothing more than a box camera with a large viewfinder) with Christmas money when I was 10. I can remember it cost £3/10s with a flashgun attachment and case! B&W film had to go to the chemist for processing. Later that year I joined the Photographic Society when I went to secondary school. In the school’s darkroom, seeing my first enlargement appear in the developing dish was magic. I entered it in the school competition and came first. That was in 1956 - I was hooked and landed! For a long time I took only colour slides and rekindled my interest in processing 40 years later in a darkroom at home, followed by digital processing after that.

Splitgill (Schizophyllum commune)

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Bleeding Fairy Helmet (Mycena haematopus)

Why did you consider going for a RPS distinction?

I used to josh at the Gallery Photogroup that I was forever looking to find a particular area of interest. I’ve always liked natural history photography and since the 1960s had contraptions for getting up close culminating in using a 1:1 macro lens and digital camera in the early 2000s. I also enjoy landscape and travel photography. Talking with friends, I became intrigued by the challenge of the wide-ranging criteria of the LRPS to demonstrate different aspects of camera-craft and presenting prints. I enjoyed both working to meet them and the success of gaining the distinction!

How did you approach doing your ARPS? Over several years I built up collections of images of fungi, orchids, glaciated landscapes and of the legacy of local lead mining. I am especially fascinated by different types and unusual fungi, particularly their shapes and colours. As a member of the RPS I kept looking at information about the Society’s distinctions and came to see the ARPS as clearly the next step after the LRPS. The interest I have in photographing fungi led me directly to the Natural History category.

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Is there anything you would have done differently? If so please elaborate.

Images in my first submission included a wide variety of differently shaped unusual specimens. It was unsuccessful for two particular reasons – they all were similar in size with few showing wider habitat; and some had technical faults such as highlights with insufficient detail. With hindsight, I didn’t apply all the criteria for the distinction with sufficient and equal rigour.

Did you write your statement of intent before or after taking the images for the portfolio?

I wrote the first draft setting out my interest and intent then selected images to suit from those I had. Subsequently, in the light of advice from the chairman, I amended the statement and went out to take more photographs to create a second portfolio that matched my intentions.

Chicken of the Woods (Laetiporus sulphureus)

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Pig's Ear Fungus (Gomphus clavatus)

What, if any, advice did you take before submitting the portfolio. Did you attend any Advisory Days? Did you change anything as a result?

Before my first submission I attended an advisory day with a portfolio of similar images. I’m sad to say that at that time the advice did not include pointers towards the benefits of having some images that showed a wider habitat. I also spoke with acquaintances that had gained distinctions who helped with the structure of the panel. However, advice in the panel chairman’s letter on the unsuccessful submission and subsequent discussions with him cast more light on the importance of submitting a variety of images from wider angle to macro shots of detail. I also listened to the comments made on other submissions at the assessment day where failures to succeed also included technical errors such as a lack of critical sharpness, blown highlights, space in the frame and printing faults. As a result I widened the portfolio I subsequently presented but three images were referred! One wideangle shot seemed to be over sharpened, one did not fit well into the panel because it was the only one with sky in the frame, and the third, though showing habitat. had a confusing background. Acting on advice I submitted three replacement images and the application was successful. The important lesson is to clearly act upon the advice given by the panel.

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What advice would you give to anyone starting to consider working towards the distinction.

You must meet all the criteria for the distinction. Read all the guidance carefully and don’t fall into the trap that some aspects mentioned are of lesser importance than others!.

Decide upon the category to pursue. Attend an advisory day for the category you are entering. If possible talk to people who have been successful in that category. Consider using the on-line advice process.

No need to write a statement of intent now but you do need to have the principles in mind.

Prepare a long list of your images. Go through them dispassionately and take out any that have technical or compositional faults.

If printing, choose the paper and mount-board to show prints to best advantage. Cheaper, glossy papers rarely work! Do not make prints too large because imperfections show up in large prints – 12” (30cm) or so on the long side is fine. Choose mount-board that does not detract – white or off-white is ideal and shows prints off to their best. The size of the board is important too – an A4 or thereabouts print looks right in a 500mm x 400mm (20” x 16”) mount.

Prepare your statement of intent carefully. There is no need to use the full word allowance: sometimes fewer is better!

Lay the prints out to make a balanced panel. You may really like a particular image that holds special memories, was an accomplishment to take, was successful in a competition or stands alone very well - but if it does not fit into the panel you have to be hard-hearted and keep it out. Does the panel fit the statement of intent?. If submitting PDIs, think carefully about the sequence so that it flows thematically or tells a story that can be signalled in the statement of intent.

Seek expert advice and take it, no matter how blunt it may be or seemingly affronts you personally!

Don’t be disheartened if at first you don’t succeed – act on the advice given and try again!

Did you attend the assessment day and if so your views of the day?

Yes – see the comments under question 6. I noted down the comments made on applicants’ successful and unsuccessful submissions. This was an invaluable opportunity that I would have missed had I not attended. Together with the written critique from the chairman the notes I’d made helped inform my subsequent submission. It is absolutely vital that a subsequent submission shows advice given has been acted upon!

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Branching Oyster Mushroom (Pleurotus cornucopiae)

What does the future hold for your photography?

I would like to pursue Fellowship. My interest remains in natural history. More and more I’m examining fine detail in macro photography and extreme macro using lenses that magnify to more than 1:1 reproduction. But these are technical aspects of photography that have to serve a purpose!

However, there are many technical difficulties I’m up against to avoid compromising principles of natural history photography, especially not to harm living things or damage their environment. I’m finding lighting specimens in the field and controlling focus to show the detail I want quite a challenge!

Will I continue to work with fungi? Certainly there are many unusual and fascinating species. The life histories of mosses and liverworts are equally interesting – primitive they may be but they’re very successful. Applying macro photography technique opens horizons in the natural world but making outstanding images is elusive and it may become a blind alley! A totally different aspect of natural science that also holds deep interest is at the other end of the scale – the geology and topography of the north of England was hugely affected by ice that retreated only 10 000 years ago so is there scope to examine the impact of glaciation on the local landscape?

The foundations to explore concepts such as these are there - but where will the journey take me...?

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Common Puffball (Lycoperdon perlatum)

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From the RPS Collection at the Victoria & Albert Museum

This image, 'Sea of Steps', of the Chapter House steps at Wells Cathedral is by Frederick Henry Evans (1853-1943). He was born in 1853, the same year as the RPS was established.

Very little is known about his early life.

He was equally accomplished in portraiture and landscape but architecture was first and foremost his subject. He used Platinotype almost exclusively and exercised complete mastery over the process, which in his hands, was tge perfect medium for the delicate, luminous effects in which he delighted.

Retiring early in 1898 from a successful book-selling and publishing business in London he devoted himself to photography. He visited many cathedrals in England and France and photographed a number of French châteaux for Country Life magazine.

In 1910 he made a fine series of studies of Westminster Abbey while it was closed in preparation for the Coronation of King George V. He contributed many articles to the photographic press, in particular to Amateur Photographer magazine. He was a member of the Linked Ring Brotherhood and, on admission in 1900, took the pseudonym, 'Idler' but after taking responsibility for the Ring's exhibitions he added 'Hangman' to his title.

Evans’ preferred method of photography was the platinotype process. This technique is a monochrome printing process which provides the greatest tonal range which is not attainable with any other printing method. This method best suited Evans’ work as the technique allowed for the extensive and subtle tonal range that he sought, and permitted him to capture the details of a structure with the utmost precision. However, with the onset of World War One the precious metal became too expensive, and by 1915 Evans’ technique became unsustainable. Unwilling to compromise and switch to an alternative method of print-making, Evans chose to retire from photography altogether.

He was elected an Honorary Fellow of the RPS in 1928.

His obituary, in the August 1943 edition of the Photographic Journal, describes him as "one of the most gifted men who ever used photography as the medium of his artistic expression".

Bob Gates ARPS 29

Malaga (iPhone 6)

© Bob Gates ARPS