Askywithout clouds…
April2025
WearememberoftheContemporarySpecialInterest GroupoftheRPSwhoresideinEastAnglia.Itisa largegeographicareacoveringfromtheM25upto theWashandthewesternedgeofCambridgeshire,
Theparticipantsaresmallinnumberandspreadall overtheregion.WemeetmonthlyviaZoomandtryto producebodiesofworktwiceperyearthatweused toexhibitvirtually.
Theproblemwithvirtualexhibitionsisthequalityof imagerendition.Thiszineisanattempttodojustice totheworkproduced
Contactthegroupat contemporaryea@rps.org
‘Without’
Thisthemeistakenfromaquoteattributedto Thoreau,aCanadiantranscendentalist“Asky withoutcloudsisameadowwithout flowers,aseawithoutsails”
Theintentofthisgroupistointerpretoursetthemes withoutnecessarilytakingtheliteralinterpretation.
“Askywithoutcloudsisa meadowwithoutflowers, aseawithoutsails”
DavidHenryThoreauJune23rd 1852
Coverphotographscredit
Frontcover: JonathanWilliams
Backcover: PaulAshleyARPS
Thisassignmentprovedtobesomewhatchallenging withnotallmembersmakingthatleapinto interpretingthestatement..
Thoreau’smusingsarefromjust13yearsafterthe dawnofphotographyasweknowitandonehasto wonderhowlifewaslikeinthosetimesifonehad sufficienttimetonotedownthoughtseveryday withouthavingtofuelthemastersoftheIndustrial Revolution.
ThethoughtsthatThoreaupennedhaveadirectlink tomakingphotographicimages.Hisobviouspowers ofobservationformacriticalaspecttomaking contemporaryphotographybynotingandpositing thethingsthatcaughthiseyeanbrain.
Inearlierpartsofthejournalhenotesthemarestail skies.Seafarershaveforeonsnotedtheeffectofsky presentationonimpendingweatherandsea conditions.Hisattentiontodetailisworthyofmeritin makingbodiesofworkthataremadeinopenspaces.
Theresponsestothisextractareasdiverseasusual forthegroup.
MarkFarringtonhassoughtoutdetailinthedistressedpatinationofaperturesinRabatandMdina.
PaulAshleyhasmanagedtoeliminateshoppersinCambridgemarketandalsocaptureadual-sidedflag depictinglonestarandstripesthatmorphsintoaUnionflag.Isthisametaphorforourtimes?
JonathanWilliamsischallengingnotionsofdifferentviewpointstakentophotography.
KeithLockehasdelvedintoviewsbelowandabovetheclouds.
TomOwenshassoughttoreferenceincompletenessinmostofhisimageswhilsttakingaliteralstanceinthe lackofcloudsorsailsintwoofthem.
Thisquoteseemstobeoneperson’sviewoftheaestheticsoflandscape.However, fromaphotographicpointofview,photographycanbelooselydividedintoart photographyanddocumentaryphotography,whichcanhavedifferentassessment criteriatoarriveatanaestheticjudgement.Thisselectionofphotographshasbeen chosentoexaminetheideasbehindartanddocumentaryphotography.Itisthenupto theviewertodecidewhethertheymeettheaestheticcriteriaspecifiedbythequote
Theextract,oppositeistakenfromThoreau’sjournal,dated 23rd June1852
PaulAshleyARPS
MarkFarringtonARPS
Gloriousdecrepitude:Ir-Rabat, Malta
MuchofthetwintownsofRabatand MdinainMaltahasbeenrefurbished, andtheremainderoftheirancient, flakingcharmisunderthreatas buildingsyieldtothedeveloper’s plasteringtrowelandpaintbrush.
Image1showsoneofthebetterresults, buttoo-perfectlyalignedjoineryand evenplasticwindowframesare appearingelsewhere.
OneareaofRabat,rightunderthe fortresswallsofMdina,isholdingout withstubborndetermination,andmy other7imagescapturedetailsofits flaking,attractivelyfadedpaint,splitting woodandcrumblingplaster.
Surelythesebeautifulimperfectionsare wherethetown’s1000-yearhistorycan stillbemoststronglyfelt?
TomOwensARPS
FormoreinformationabouttheContemporaryGroupof theRoyalPhotographicSocietypleasevisit https://rps.org/groups/contemporary/