WCC Photonews: Digital Edition 3
Photonews Autumn/Winter 2015-16
Worcestershire Camera Club 1
WCC Photonews: Digital Edition 3
WCC Photonews: Digital Edition 3
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Contents Outgoing Chairman’s View - Paul Mann ARPS CPAGB
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Editor’s Corner - Stewart Bourne ARPS
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Retro Rides Again - Bob Oakley CPAGB
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Hunting the Snark - Stewart Bourne ARPS)
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Contemporary Photography, a personal view Clive Haynes FRPS
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Lost and Found - John Burrows DPAGB, Club Archivist
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The Personalities Behind Club Awards Clive Haynes FRPS, Chairman
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Which Tribe Are You? By Geoff Harris
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WCC Photonews: Digital Edition 3 The Retiring Chairman's View Paul Mann ARPS CPAGB
It has been an interesting experience for me as Chairman. I reluctantly
agreed to fill the post, more from fear of the unknown than any other emotion, & I am pleased to say that I have enjoyed my time. In conclusion I feel that despite a slight drop in membership this season the Club remains vibrant, friendly & interesting. I also feel that the Club is entering a period of gradual change in deciding what sort of Photo club to be. This decision must come from the members. Do we continue doing things the same way because that is how it has always been, or, do we reinvent ourselves, perhaps not too drastically , & adopt a less competitive stance in favour of a more assessment & experimentally based regime .The greater use of digital media is inevitable, as in every day life, no matter how painful & confusing it might be to some members. Help is always available, all you have to do is ask. I look forward to this season & the 125th anniversary of the Club together with the celebrations & events to mark the occasion. I must give a big thank you to you, the members, for making the Club what it is & for your continued support & interest! I have now taken on the role of Exhibitions Organiser after Douglas Gregor decided not to continue. His will be a hard act to follow as Douglas put so much effort into promoting the Club, even producing an excellent webbased system for members to organise their work. I was surprised to hear that some members thought that only pictures that had done well in competitions would be acceptable for the Club exhibitions. This is not the case; indeed exhibitions are an opportunity to show work that might not excel in a competition, for various reasons, but is of sufficient merit & interest to be shown to the public. It is a showcase for Club members’ photographic work. Exhibitions have little to do with competitions. This season do look through your photographs again & decide which you would like to exhibit, photos that you have not shown before perhaps.
Paul Mann ARPS CPAGB 4
WCC Photonews: Digital Edition 3 Editor’s Corner Stewart Bourne
Well, I now have just about enough copy to publish an edition of Photonews and many thanks to those who have contributed. This being the club’s 125th anniversary I am hoping that the next edition will be a bumper bundle, so please give it some thought. I think that we have some very interesting contributions in this edition beginning with Bob Oakley and his take on the current fashion for the retro-style processing of images. Next we have some thoughts, or some would say, ramblings from myself; no edition would be complete without it. Clive Haynes has provided us with a personal perspective on the role and context of contemporary photography followed by John Burrows’ intriguing account of a lost and found portrait. Not everybody in the club is aware of John’s sterling and immensely professional work as club archivist, amongst many other roles that he has performed over the years. A club as old as ours has a rich and significant history, which itself reflects the history of photography and members changing perceptions and interests over time. When, at the annual club show, the various awards are handed out, have you ever wondered about their origins and history? I know that I have. Well, read Clive’s second contribution and all will be revealed… Finally we have a bit of fun in the form of some tongue-in-cheek photographic anthropology taken from an article that I found on the Internet. Be honest, which tribe do you belong to? You may notice that the ‘view from the chair’ section has been penned by our outgoing president Paul Mann who did a sterling job during his tenure but did not have the opportunity to have his final say. This was due to Photonews having to be postponed as a result of lack of copy. We have the season ahead of us, a wonderful programme with something for everybody (well done Maddy!) so let’s get on and enjoy it, whichever tribe we belong to.
Stewart Bourne 5
WCC Photonews: Digital Edition 3 Retro Rides Again by Bob Oakley CPAGB
Film once ruled the world of photography. Just when the science of film production had reached its peak with film emulsions and chemicals to produce the finest possible print, a new kid on the block comes along – DIGITAL. Many predicted it wouldn’t catch on and the quality was definitely iffy at first but after a hesitant start the sales of digital cameras soared and people deserted film in droves. Even the mighty Kodak got into financial difficulties. Digital is less trouble. No darkroom is required. Quality is now top notch and above all it’s instant, although I was once accused by an ardent film man of cheating when I looked on the back of the camera to see the result. In this age when some people think nothing of firing off 500 shots in a single afternoon have we lost something? To my mind the answer is yes and I don’t mean our marbles! Individual shots now cost nothing to take so many have lost the skill (if they ever had it) of getting the image right in camera. We don’t take the care that used to be the case with film. We have also lost the thrill of watching a print emerge from the developing tray. It’s something I miss but I have to admit that it’s a lot easier to produce digital images. Just when film has become a very endangered species we are starting to realise what has been lost and some who never used film are now interested in re-creating old film processes. This takes two forms. For some it means the re-awakening of interest in film cameras including such cameras as Lomo and Holga. The other direction involves is attempting to imitate old processes using digital cameras and software. Very inexpensive Holga and Pinhole lenses are now available for many DSLRs and system cameras. There are members in the Club who have them. The results are not pin-sharp and there are other “defects” but that’s all part of the charm. There is no shortage of software that can try to re-create old techniques. Topaz Black & White Effects has a vast range of customisable presets to produce toning effects that were once possible only with expensive and sometimes dangerous chemicals. Fancy a Cyanotype or VanDyke Brown – look no further. 6
WCC Photonews: Digital Edition 3 If what we seek is a result that gives an image that looks as if it came from a bygone age then Analog Efex Pro (part of the Nik by Google Suite) is the one for us. This module allows you to introduce Vignettes, Dirt & Scratches, Light Leaks, Bokeh, Lens Distortion & Blurs as well as textures that recreate those produced by a wet plate process.. DXO Film Pack 5 has presets created from original film to give digital images the look that was possible from a wide range of named old films. Kodak, Agfa, Ilford, Fuji , Rollei and some you may never have heard of. All the presets are fully customisable and the range covers B&W, Colour Slide & Negative film. The grain and strength can be carefully controlled and adjusted. The choices don’t end there. If you fancy a Lith Effect, Gum Bi-chromate look, a digital “slide sandwich” or a Polaroid Transfer there are Actions that can meet your needs and are free if you search the web. The majority will only work in the full version of Photoshop because they use Curves and sometimes other features not in Elements. Gavin Hoey, writing in a back issue of Digital Photo, gave a tutorial on how to reproduce the look of an old Bromoil Print whilst Nettie Edwards gave a talk at our Club last season on taking pictures with an i-phone and using the Instagram app. This was for me one of the most interesting talks of the season and I don’t even have a mobile phone of any sort. What may be surprising is that people would want to produce work that has “defects” inherent in old cameras and 19th-century film processes. It’s a bit like paying £1,500 for a top quality lens and then deciding to produce blurred pictures. It’s the fascination of something different from the perfect, some might say too perfect world of 21st Century digital. Old-school purists will no doubt throw up their hands in horror. It all depends on your point of view. Do you want to produce the perfect clinical record shot or show a bit more imagination? Retro can help to give images atmosphere and convey your feelings about your subject. Both views are perfectly legitimate choices that once again bring us to the question of whether photography is a science or an art form. I’ve always been in the second camp. My father hated anything that smacked of art so he regarded photography as science whereas I thought of it as art but didn’t dare tell him ! For me Retro is so fascinating. The work of such turn of the 20th Century masters as Stieglitz and Steichen is just magical. Long may the Retro revival last.
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WCC Photonews: Digital Edition 3
This image was produced using the Rawimage action “Holgaroid”
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WCC Photonews: Digital Edition 3 Hunting the Snark by Stewart Bourne ARPS
“Just the place for a Snark! I have said it twice: That alone should encourage the crew. Just the place for a Snark! I have said it thrice: What I tell you three times is true."
When attending club meetings and groups over the last few months I have developed an increasing awareness that I am an imposter. As a result of this I have arrived at the sobering decision that I am not a photographer. Over the last five years or so I have learnt to use a camera and understand most of the craft, science and technology associated with the production of a photograph. I have learnt the basic rules of composition and 'ring-fenced' some of the aesthetic sensitivities required to make an image generally acceptable to other photographers. This was what I set out to achieve when I took up 'photography' as a post-retirement hobby, and I was carried along with the whole process of leaning, and steadily increasing levels of skill and competence. Confession time! Sometimes when we have a guest speaker, especially one showing a particular type or ‘school’ of print, all that I can concentrate on is the slowly reducing pile of images like some ominous bar chart representing the time to tea break and playtime; I used to spend a lot of time staring out of the window at school. The remaining bit of photographer, buried ever deeper within me, recognises that these speaker images are usually technically flawless. They often represent the sublime; a glorious sunset, a breathtaking mountain vista, a dramatic seascape, the list could go on and on. So why don't I, with a few notable exceptions, really appreciate some of them any more? The same goes for other genres and subject matter and I often feel deeply ashamed of my reaction. Is it a belief that I could do better?, Most certainly not, because I couldn't I fully recognise that most of these people, and in fact the majority of club members, have forgotten more than I have time left to learn. Is it then a loss of interest in the taking of photographs? Again, I don't think so, because using a camera to produce images is a fundamentally important part of my life and continuing personal development.
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WCC Photonews: Digital Edition 3 So why do I feel this insistent decline in my interest in photography? And how, or should, I seek to remedy it? This is not just some photographic equivalent of ‘writer's block' but rather knowing what you want to say, but the keyboard keeps changing where the letters are placed, so you press an 'a' and a 'z' appears on the page and next time a 'd'. Therefore the images that I produce never quite say what I intended and I know that no amount of improved composition, metering, exposure or post-processing will cure this. I also know that becoming a better photographer will not cure it either. It goes deeper than that. I can already hear the cries of 'For God's sake man, it's a hobby, just go out and take a few pictures that please you, and maybe other people'. I have tried that, and it doesn't relieve the itch, or the worm in my mind that whispers 'There's something out there, some quality, some state, some ripple in reality, and it's your job to hunt and capture it'. The rational part of me knows that this can never be done, because it will always be just beyond my extended reach, which is the first reason that I no longer consider myself a photographer. Photography is essentially a rational pursuit, the application of science, craft and technology to bring about desired results, be they artistic, conceptual, journalistic or whatever. Since I have not got a clue what my desired results are, or even what they may look like when I see them, I believe that excludes me somewhat. For many photographers, but certainly not all, the photography comes first and is the main reason for creating images, regardless of the subject matter they choose. This is the second reason for my not considering myself a 'real' photographer. I don't mean this to sound trite. I believe that one of the marks of a true photographer is a realisation that it is a distinct medium which should ideally explore those things that best suit it, which are, by definition, visual. Something I feel that I no longer do, because I am not even sure that what I am looking for is visual; I just live in hope that it may be. My actual photography is now playing second fiddle to the hunt and carried out more in hope than expectation, somewhat of a doomed quest. Should I be concerned about this state of things? I think not, I am not hurting anyone, and, as obsessions go, it's a relatively innocuous one. Our club is, thankfully, a broad church. For people who wish to celebrate and share their images there are a variety of opportunities through special interest groups, competitions, exhibitions and other forums, depending on their personal interests, ambitions and definitions of success. It is a tribute to the club community that the terminally bemused like myself can feel both welcome and at home. Long may this be true because I know of other clubs which seek to define and enforce the notion of what a 'legitimate' photograph should be, and where people like myself would not be welcome. There is, as in life, a need for tolerance and understanding within photographic clubs and 10
WCC Photonews: Digital Edition 3 societies. Everyone should be free to 'do their thing' as long as they don't try to make it compulsory, or claim that it is the only true thing, and the yardstick by which everything else should be judged. So all in all, I have decided that I am an image-obsessed, confused and frustrated non-photographer who has somehow finished up using a camera to make images that will always fall short of what was intended. If you have taken the trouble to read this, I thank you for your forbearance and tolerance of my ramblings. I have no intention of stopping taking photographs, I may even inflict them on you at a time, after all you are usually a captive audience. I just thought, that in the interests of honesty, you deserved a peek into the somewhat bemused mind of your new Vice-Chair. In terms of Ruth's Yorkshire philosophy ''Think on�, you may wish to change your minds and find someone more suitable. 'In the midst of the word he was trying to say, In the midst of his laughter and glee, He had softly and suddenly vanished away For the Snark was a Boojum, you see'.
The Hunting of the Snark by Lewis Carroll is a nonsense poem alluding to a quest for the unattainable.
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WCC Photonews: Digital Edition 3 Contemporary Photography, a Personal View by Clive Haynes FRPS
It’s now some 18 months since Tessa Mills and I inaugurated the Contemporary Photography Group (CPG) as a Specialist Interest Group (SIG) within the Club. The thinking behind its inception was two-fold: to act as an antidote to the frequently formulaic and predictable nature of typical club competition photography and to provide a platform and outlet for a whole gamut of photography and self-expression for Club members at any level. From a purely personal point of view I sought to expand my photographic horizons and to share a wider and deeper understanding about our art and expression. Tessa and I have been most encouraged by the support and enthusiasm for the CPG. Each meeting is a veritable Box of Delights with members contributing pictures that represent a wide range of personal expression. There’s a strong sense of liberation as people realise that conformity to so-called ‘rules’ and conventions about what might be a ‘winning image’ doesn’t apply. Images are presented for honest responses from a peer group. Frequently, fascinating insights are revealed into the motivation and story behind the pictures. The format is open, that is to say there’s no regulation about shape, size or style of presentation: so long as you can get it in through the door, that’s OK. Projected images can be anything from street photography to art-based explorations, and AVs. It can of course also be work in progress for discussion. What is of core interest to the group is what the work ‘is about’ rather than ‘what it’s of’. However as we’re a photographic club there will, quite naturally, be concern about good photographic skills and practice. A better-crafted image will convey the message more effectively than one with distractions from questionable technical skills. That isn’t to say that deliberate low-tech looking and apparently wayward-appearing imagery isn’t acceptable or to be avoided as it can be an effective, deliberate ploy. Think of it this way. To become a good pianist one must understand the basic structure of musical form and constantly practice scales and arpeggios. One can play a piece of jazz by simply following the notes, but as confidence is gained a personal style can evolve. There’s a whole world of difference between reading the music for, say, a piece of ragtime by Scott Joplin and understanding the seemingly wayward atonality of Theloni12
WCC Photonews: Digital Edition 3 ous Monk. However Monk couldn’t have developed his expressionist personal style without being conscious of the conventions of musical form. Whether one likes Monk or prefers ragtime (or neither) isn’t the point. The point is that one must have an established root in craft conventions to be able to grow and become more expressive. Despite personal tastes and preferences, allowing time to experience something new will nourish and enrich our being. Getting back to the plot. Tessa and I have seen CPG members increase both in the confidence and the stature of their work. We’re also gratified by the group’s involvement in understanding and interpreting the work presented. Some pictures are very open inviting a wealth of responses, whilst others are brought to life by the opening statement by the author. Always, however ‘intent’ is of significant importance. Our meetings are always spiced with good humour, fun and the desire not to take ourselves too seriously. We’re doing this for enjoyment after all! My journey through Contemporary Photography has been one of exploration and revelation. As I hoped, the new challenge has expanded my horizons and I’ve been able to pursue themes which otherwise wouldn’t have found an outlet. I’ve had the opportunity to view scores of images from beyond WCC CPG and I’ve found many to be fascinating and sometimes deeply affecting. I certainly admit to occasions when to my mind a ‘new-wave photographer’ has, with great pretentiousness and extensive reasoning to support the piece, smuggled something in under the radar with some pretty mundane and poorly crafted work, and that despite my willingness to understand what I see, the sensation of the ‘Emperor’s New Clothes’ comes to mind. I’m quite willing to accept that it’s my insensitivity on these occasions of incomprehension and that ‘I’m just not getting it’. I certainly don’t expect to enjoy everything any more than I would fall into raptures with every piece played by Thelonious Monk. It’s not what these artists are doing that’s important but the fact they are doing it. It’s important that we take time to absorb an image whether it’s a print or a PDI. The instant ‘Like’ syndrome of the Internet (Facebook, Google+, Flickr and the like) has its place for some work (in fact they’re useful opportunity to practise our photographic scales and arpeggios) but meaningful pictures are meant to be digested, revisited, interpreted and reinterpreted. Pictures presented in groups, a series or in a book possess both energy and synergy – an added value – and they’re strengthened by association. I realise that many photographers, particularly at club level, have become used to the instant in / out, “is it any good?” five-second response time to an image as a sort of Pavlovian conditioned response. However we have only ourselves to blame for this self-imposed and ever-tightening spiral of formulaic imagery and predictable reaction. A more considered response is the equivalent to fully appreciat13
WCC Photonews: Digital Edition 3 ing and taking time to digest a gourmet meal with a fine bottle of wine enjoyed in good company, as opposed to bolting fast-food washed down with a CocaCola at a solitary table in MacDonald’s. Yes, both experiences provide food and sustenance but which is the more satisfying, enjoyable and memorable? Certainly there are times when a ‘quick fix’ hits the spot but when we want to communicate rather than to merely participate then more chewing and improved digestion is the preferred route. I very well understand that many people say they don’t have the time to look at a picture so that they can absorb and reflect upon its intention or meaning. Fair enough. However the exercise is very worthwhile doing. I suggest that you try it, just for a few images at first. The more you practise the better you’ll get. This is another form of photo or ‘visual scales and arpeggios practice’ – it’s interactive - and more fun than piano keys too! I recommend you to try it. Look at a picture and consider what it means to you. Think about the elements within the frame, the colours chosen or the mood of monochrome, the signifiers and indicators within the composition. Imagine this is a painting where every brushstroke is considered for good purpose. Coming to an image with an open mind is suggested but it’s going to be impossible for most of us. Any picture will inevitably create associations and responses based upon our life’s experiences, the book we read last week or what we saw on TV news five minutes ago. But then this is art and how it should be. We are reactive creatures, human beings full of foibles and predilections and not automata. My continuing journey through art, photography and contemporary photography will I hope continue to astonish and surprise me, to take me to new lands, alien worlds, to be wayward, unsafe and unpredictable. I’m not going to enjoy every particle but I certainly want the chance to see and to better understand what people’s pictures are all about. – and remember, it’s the about that’s so very important. I illustrate this duality to be found in any picture by one of mine herewith. 14
WCC Photonews: Digital Edition 3 ‘Cast-Away & Fagged Out’ was taken during a visit to St. Paul’s Hostel for the Homeless. Here’s a desolate pile of cigarette butts and for me the image provides a visual metaphor for the plight of many homeless people. The image works at two levels: At first glance, there’s merely factual, what it’s ‘of’: The scattering of butts at the corner of a building, smoked and cast aside. However, the core of the picture is what it’s ‘about’. Each butt is the husk a memory from moments spent outside the building, possibly in the cold and rain, thinking about past events an uncertain future, chatting with fellow residents and sharing experiences. This desultory concatenation of butts in their variety, sizes, distribution and angles, serves to remind us of the myriad circumstances, particular and individual, that have brought people to seek refuge at the hostel. They can feel like butts, they’ve been casually tossed aside and rejected by society. The culmination of circumstances here they accumulate, used and exhausted in temporary association. Rather like the residents at the Hostel, we see only the superficiality of remnants whilst any knowledge of the one-time original can only be surmised.
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WCC Photonews: Digital Edition 3 Lost and Found by John Burrows DPAGB
Club
Archivist
Members may recall that I brought along to the Club a few months ago a large portrait of one of our most prominent past members Arthur J. Woodley Hon. FRPS (1886 - 1967). This painting in its rather ornate frame had hung in one of our previous meeting rooms at the Bishop's Palace in Deansway for some years. In 1991 when the Cathedral required the building for other purposes the Club was asked to find alternative accommodation. We moved to St Swithin's Church Hall and the painting was taken down but never re-hung. As time went by the location of the painting came into question and one of the Committee members at the time, Bob Tunstall, was asked to make enquiries as to its whereabouts. The search proved fruitless and over the years it was assumed that the portrait of "AJ" would never be seen again. However, one day about two years ago we had word from Martin Addison that he had the painting in the loft of his house where presumably it had been for over 20 years. What should he do with it? As the Club's Archivist I became involved in trying to decide Arthur's fate. I spoke to several long-standing members, both past and present, seeking suggestions and information on the Woodley family but in the end the Committee came to the conclusion that there was only one thing for it and that was for the painting to be scrapped. After all Arthur had died nearly fifty years ago, the Woodleys had no family, the artist was unknown, and twenty-plus years in Martin's roof had not provided ideal storage conditions. Arthur, or rather his picture frame, had suffered a little! In truth I found it hard to take this painting to the local tip and for some time it sat in a corner of my 'office'. Last year I visited the City Museum and Art Gallery to see what material they held relating to our Club. The answer was very little, the bulk of our archives being stored at The Hive. My reason for visiting was our 125-years’ celebrations. I met one of the Museum staff who had been employed there for many years and amongst other things he recalled the days when the Club held its Annual Exhibitions in the Gallery. We had one or two chats about 'old times' and I mentioned that I had a painting of Arthur Woodley. Was the Museum by any chance interested in having it? He was familiar with the name and asked me if I would email a photograph of the 16
WCC Photonews: Digital Edition 3 portrait to him. I did and he replied to say that he thought this could be the work of a local artist Waldron West who, I recently discovered, had painted portraits of local Mayors and distinguished Worcester people. I took the painting to him and he wrote to say that the Curatorial Team had met, that the portrait was indeed the work of West, and that the Museum would like to have the painting. So AJ has finally gone to a good home and I am glad that I held on to him that bit longer.
Opening of 1950 Exhibition by Alderman T S Bennett
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WCC Photonews: Digital Edition 3 The Personalities Behind Club Awards by Clive Haynes FRPS and Chair It occurred to me recently that few members have any idea about many of the people who have contributed awards for photographic excellence to the Club. I also had the sobering realisation that I have known each of these people very well, with the exception of one. It’s also appropriate as we enter our 125th Anniversary Year that we recall these members, past and present. Two awards aren’t associated with individuals. However for completeness of listing they’re included here. Monthly Competitions Edwards Trophy - Monthly Competitions Advanced Section Ted Edwards joined the Club about the same time as my brother Malcolm and me, in the early 1960’s. Ted and Jean Edwards were stalwart members, both serving on the committee, with Ted as Chairman and Jean as Secretary, a post which Jean occupied for several years. Now an elderly widow, Jean remains a Life Member of the Club. In the years when our Club organised the very successful Worcestershire International Exhibition of Colour Photography, Ted was for a time Chairman of the event. Ted was a fluent Spanish speaker and he and Jean enjoyed many holidays in Spain. A lyrical and sensitive photographer, he will always be remembered for his beautiful studies of children in rural Spain. Ted was also a keen local historian and collected many old scenes of the city to add to our heritage.
Wood Trophy - Projected Images – Intermediate Section Richard Wood DPAGB continues to be a keen and active member of WCC. He served on the committee for many years and has twice been Chairman. Richard’s beautifully crafted pictures frequently appear at our exhibitions. The Wood Trophy was originally awarded to the Best Enprint (small-size print) in an annual ‘Enprint Competition’. With the coming of the Digital Age the trophy was reassigned. 18
WCC Photonews: Digital Edition 3 Duggan Plaque - Colour Prints – Advanced Section Anne and Bob Duggan were keen and very active members during the 1980’s and 1990’s. They each had their distinctive styles. Bob taught photography at Hereford College of Art until his sudden death and Anne, ever keen to experiment, enjoyed the new challenges of digital photography. They were both early members of the Infinity Plus Fine Art Photography Group. Following Bob’s death and also being passionate about Egyptology, Anne moved to Egypt and is now known as ‘Safi’. We hear from her from time to time.
Westwood Trophy - Colour Prints Intermediate Section Sid and Molly Westwood joined the Club in the early 1960s. As Christine Avenue residents, in Rushwick, they were close neighbours of Ted and Jean Edwards (and just around the corner from where Malcolm and I lived). Sid was a technically accomplished pictorial photographer. I recall his words to me soon after I joined WCC. He said "don't be brainwashed by the Club!" Advice I’ve certainly followed! As hard working committee members Both Sid and Molly were always at the core of the Club’s activities. After Sid’s death Molly received Life Membership. She died a few months ago.
Lewis Jug - Winner - Monochrome Prints Past Chairman, John Lewis was a school teacher and keen monochrome photographer. He favoured medium format cameras and his subjects frequently featured lovely studies of children in the classroom and at play. One wonders how this style of photography could possibly survive in the present restrictive climate of child protection polices and worries about the dissemination of images. 19
WCC Photonews: Digital Edition 3 Annual Nature Competition The Bick Trophy - Best Projected Image Joining WCC during the early 1980s Arthur Bick was a local businessman and entrepreneur whose ventures included Bickerline Steamers and an antique shop. He was an intensely active photographer and Club Chairman before moving with his wife Betty to run their gite enterprise in France. Sadly, shortly after returning to the Worcestershire, he died from cancer.
Gervis Trophy - Best Print in Annual Nature Competition Contributed by our very own wide-ranging world traveller, prolific photographer and past Chairman, Tony Gervis FRPS. Tony’s work includes many fine studies from around the world and particularly the USA. His huge prints of Antelope Canyon (Arizona), seen by many at our Crowngate display, are magnificent.
Worker of the Year Trophy Not ascribed to an individual
Annual Club Show – Best in Show Awards Malcomson Cup - Best Colour Print Ian Malcomson ARPS was one of the finest pictorial photographers the Club produced. Ian was a most gentle soul and absolute gentlemen. His quiet demeanour and stoical presence graced many a committee meeting and were the founding principles of his time as Chairman. His beautiful landscapes of an idyllic rural Worcestershire countryside will be remembered by all who knew him.
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Horniblow Cup - Best Monochrome Print The Horniblows, father and son, owned a chemist’s shop in Sidbury. I recall them both but my impressions are now sketchy. Both were black-and-white specialists.
Morrall Plaque - Best Projected Image Joining WCC in the early 1950s, John Morrall ARPS had a great photographic spirit and his contribution to Club life was immense. Another lyrical and eloquent photographer, his work inspired many to emulate his pictorial approach. John worked tirelessly on the committee and was also Club Chairman, Chairman of the Worcestershire International Exhibition and President of the MCPF. In the years before his death John became an accomplished painter.
A J Woodley Cup - Best Print of the County of Worcestershire With his membership dating from 1920 Arthur Woodley FRPS was one of the stalwarts of WCC and I feel very privileged to have known him. Very much the elder statesman and highly revered, his visits to the Club became less frequent as age took its toll. I well recall visiting his home in Vernon Park Road, St. John's during the 1960s when he described taking photographs of the Victoria Falls, lugging a plate camera through dense jungle and tropical heat. Arthur was a darkroom wizard and his large romantic landscape prints were frequently the product of two or three large glass plate negatives expertly managed, with his hands 'painting with light', beneath the enlarger. Arthur’s elegiac and lustrous prints of Worcester and the county graced many an exhibition and publication.
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Nickson Cup - Best Projected Image of the County of Worcestershire Joining WCC in the 1950s Tom Nickson ARPS and his wife Hetty LRPS were both long-standing and staunch members of WCC. Tom owned a barber’s shop at the Bullring in St. John's and Hetty had the wool shop business next door. Both Malcolm and I had our hair cut at Tom's shop with many chats about photography during our tonsorial sessions. Tom was Chairman on more than one occasion and his photography was the quintessence of pictorialism. Tom and Hetty were both early exponents of Audio Visual. Indeed Tom was a dab hand at electrical gadgetry and made many pieces of AV equipment in those days of DIY. I recall many a tobacco tin being converted into a case to house one device or another. Tom and Hetty's AV, 'Married to Colour', ran for many years, being constantly updated with new slides. Harold Stanley Cup - Best Nature Print This is one member I never knew; he was way before my time at the Club. Despite research, I’ve been unable to find any record of the man and his activities.
Lycett Trophy - Best Creative Print Gordon Lycett FRPS also joined the Club in the 1960s and with his wife Lorna they were a formidable photographic partnership. Gordon occupied several committee posts, including that of Photonews Editor. Indeed he was Editor before handing over the role to Malcolm and me. I remember him staggering up the drive to our home at Rushwick with the heavy Gestetner duplicator machine. All inky it was! Gordon was also twice Chairman and Lorna fulfilled the post of Secretary for several years. Gordon’s approach to photography has always been creative and adventurous. A great visual experimenter he’s prepared to push at boundaries and this free attitude has encouraged many to be as bold. As a club judge his approach was admirably clinical and meticulous. A close neighbour of both Martin and Bob, Gordon continues to be active in photography and although he dips in and out of being a member, we continue to see his images appearing on Google+
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Andrew N. Gagg Award - Best Audio Visual Sequence Andrew Gagg FRPS of course needs no introduction. Andrew is passionate about the art and practice of AV. He’s won numerous awards in this medium and he’s always ready to offer advice to anyone seeking to discover more about the marriage of pictures, words, sound effects and music. Andrew also has a well-deserved high reputation for his fine photographs of alpine plants in their natural habitat.
Portman Building Society Trophy – Best Nature Projected Image No individual to describe. Our thanks to the Portman Building Society.
Worcestershire Camera Club Annual award for Best Projected Creative Image Not ascribed to an individual.
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WCC Photonews: Digital Edition 3 WHICH TRIBE ARE YOU? By Geoff Harris, recent editor of Digital Photography Magazine and re-printed from the Wex Photography website.
Indigenous people are perennially popular subjects for photographers, as the success of Jimmy Nelson’s book Before They Pass Away demonstrates. The irony, of course, is that photographers themselves also congregate in a rainbow nation of colourful tribes. Here’s a quick and very silly anthropological guide to help you spot the main tribes, and identify which ones you belong to…
The Landscape Tribe Natural habitat: Beauty spots up and down the UK, particularly the Peak District, the Scottish highlands, Northumberland, and a sacred site down on the south coast called ‘Durdle Dor’. Tribal markings: Easily spotted by their waterproof gear, expensive boots, heavy-duty tripods and clanking bags of lens filters. Constantly sore backs and necks give this tribe a distinctively stiff gait.
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WCC Photonews: Digital Edition 3 Strange customs and taboos: Landscape photographers have a fetish for boulders, which they get in the foreground of their images at almost every opportunity. Possibly an offering to their gods? The Travel Tribe Natural habitat: All over the world, but commonly found in South East Asia (particularly Thailand, Vietnam and Burma) and picturesque European cities frequented by budget airlines. Tribal markings: Sunhats or bandanas, photographer’s vests/gilets with bulging pockets, water bottles and army surplus gear. Many want to look like a tribal elder called ‘Steve McCurry’. Strange customs and taboos: Compulsively drawn to temples and smelly markets. This tribe also finds Buddhist monks, sadhus and cigar-chomping Cuban pensioners impossible to ignore. The Wildlife Tribe Natural habitat: Similar to landscape photographers, but also congregate around bird reserves, moorland and the coast. Tribal markings: As well as expensive outdoor gear, this tribe also has a yen for big telephoto lenses, wax hats, outlandish camouflage jackets, and even Ghillie suits – making them look like a cross between a sniper and something from a folk festival. Strange customs and taboos: Often seen cursing at the sky as they haven’t got the shutter speed fast enough, or lying prone in undergrowth. Never, ever suggest they simply Photoshop the bird in. The Street Tribe Natural habitats: The ‘hood, whether it be urban centres big or small. Tribal markings: This tribe does its best to avoid being spotted, so its members favour anonymous looking coats and jackets that can also conceal cameras, baseball caps and running shoes (should they get chased by a security guard).
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WCC Photonews: Digital Edition 3 Strange customs and taboos: Often paranoid and twitchy, this tribe is surprisingly well-versed in legal matters. Adept at whipping out cameras very fast and often heard cursing other pedestrians who’ve ‘spoiled their nice background.’ The Wedding Tribe Natural habitat: Traditionally found around churches, temples, registry offices and wedding venues up and down the country, but can pop up in all manner of places now licensed to marry (even skydiving events, if they’re unlucky). Tribal markings: Depends on whether they’re seasoned veterans or ‘weekend warriors’, but cheap suits and shoes chosen for comfort rather than style are tell-tale signs. Also watch out for bulky bags that annoy the other guests, crumpled shot lists and forced smiles. Strange customs and taboos: Suddenly start sounding like drill sergeants when they need to organise group shots, and often display hostility to another type of photographer called an ‘Uncle Bob’. The Sports Tribe
Natural habitat: Sports venues – from mega stadiums to local pitches. Tribal markings: Easily spotted by their unfeasibly long lenses and monopods. Also favour bulging photographer’s vests or tabards. Despite hanging around sport venues all day, tribe members rarely look like they do much sport themselves. Strange customs and taboos: Where they are allowed to stand is a sure sign of their seniority and status within the tribe. Often found yelling at their phones as a significant other has called seconds before an unforgettable moment. Motorsports specialists are often hard of hearing.
The Baby and Pet Tribe Natural habitat: Studios and domestic premises all over the UK. Tribal markings: Favour colourful, casual garb that makes them look like children’s TV presenters. Often carry around a wide range of props to keep young kids and pets happy, including plenty of confectionery and ‘poop’ bags.
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WCC Photonews: Digital Edition 3 Strange customs and taboos: Can find it hard to communicate with other adults after spending all day with their bored, easily distracted subjects. Highly skilled at ‘oohs’, ‘ahhs’, and whistles. The Plant and Flower Tribe Natural habitat: Gardens, whether public or domestic, botanical gardens and nature reserves. Tribal markings: Sunhats, waterproof trousers and knee pads. Also favour tripods and a peculiar fetish object called a ‘Wimberly Plamp’, designed to keep plants still in the breeze. Horticultural society memberships aren’t a necessity but they’ll have them anyway, especially considering how often they’re lovingly given as gifts from unimaginative friends and family. Strange customs and taboos: Often found crouching in the undergrowth, peering at foliage through macro lenses. Highly skilled at shooing away slugs and curious dogs. The Glamour/Boudoir tribe Natural habitat: Studios and boudoirs. Tribal markings: Favour funky, relaxed, slightly hippyish garb, in homage to tribal patriarchs David Bailey and Austin Powers. Male members of this tribe often have a slightly sheepish and guilty look, the result of long years of justifying this pursuit to suspicious partners. These photographers prefer their work be referred to as art rather than photography. Strange customs and taboos: Can be heard uttering curiously dated phrases like ‘Oh yes, that’s perfect, simply beautiful!’ And they often have a especially curated music playlists to help get clients ‘in the mood’.
*none of that is true
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WCC Photonews: Digital Edition 3
www.worcestershirecameraclub.co.uk
Work for your Club and be a hero, there are always positions to fill
Bishop Allenby Hall St. Stephen’s Church Droitwich Road Worcester WR3 7HS
Editor: Tel : E-mail
Stewart Bourne 01905 776533 stewart_bourne@tiscali.co.uk
We meet at the above address on Tuesdays at 7.45 pm. All visitors and new members will receive a very warm welcome. Why not have a look at our programme and contact details on our web site and select an evening to visit us? For further information please contact:Secretary: Jenny Rees Mann (tel 01386 793995 ) or secretary@worcscc.uk Chair: Clive Haynes FRPS (tel 01905 356405 ) or clive@crhfoto.co.uk
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