CROWNING GLORY
RPS MEMBERS CAPTURE THE QUEEN
JUNE 2016 / VOLUME 156 / NUMBER 6
QUEEN ELIZABETH
90 TH
BIRTHDAY SPECIAL
HASSELBLAD H6D
MASTERCLASS
SO, JUST WHAT DO YOU GET FOR YOUR £18,000?
LEARN THE ART OF WET COLLODION PHOTOGRAPHY
© Sandra Åberg
Free Beauty Dish. Buy the B1 or B2. Get the OCF Beauty Dish for free. The new OCF Beauty Dish will bring out the beauty of your subject like no other Light Shaping Tool. Buy a B1 or B2 Off-Camera Flash kit at your nearest dealer before June 7, and get the OCF Beauty Dish White 2’ and an OCF Speedring for free. Find dealer: profoto.com/offcameraflash
OPENING SHOT
| JUNE 2016 | 401
JUNE’S CROWN JEWELS
T COMING UP
IN FUTURE ISSUES Clive Arrowsmith shares his best shots and Geoff Harris LRPS speaks to some of the Society’s finest garden photographers
his month’s cover photo is inspired. Taken by Alan Shawcross FRPS in 1995 as part of a commission for the Royal Mint, it says everything we need to know about the ubiquity of Her Majesty’s image. The boldness of the gesture – to make of her a mere silhouette – reveals to what extent her profile transcends representation and moves into something akin to the symbolic. Could there be a more appropriate gesture to celebrate her role as the country’s figurehead – and the Society’s patron? To read more about Shawcross’s images of the Queen, along with photos by members and Honorary Fellows, such as Harry Benson, Nick Danziger and Polly Borland, turn to our special feature that celebrates Queen Elizabeth II’s 90th birthday. As well as being the Queen’s official birthday, this month many of the country’s photography students complete their degrees. It’s an exciting but daunting time for many, especially those who have to exhibit their work in a final show. Starting on page 442, we take a look at some of the student photographers who caught our eye, with representatives from Ravensbourne, Brighton, Kingston, Nottingham and Glasgow. Perhaps now more than ever, arts degrees
have to stick up for themselves as a cultural asset. To tie in with the Association for Photography in Higher Education conference later this month, one of its organisers, John Hillman, argues why we should look beyond the financial and the practical when justifying the importance of photography degrees. For many graduating students, one of the Society’s bursaries could offer the perfect opportunity to take their work to the next level. Over on page 452, we hear some inspiring tales from 2015’s bursary recipients, including Kieran Dodds who visited small groups of orthodox Christians in Ethiopia who are conserving forests for future generations. Dodds shows that the importance of preserving our environment – as with the importance of arts degrees – goes far beyond mere financial and utilitarian concerns.
ANDREW CATTANACH Acting editor
PATRON AND SPONSORS
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402 | JUNE 2016
IN THIS ISSUE The Royal Photographic Society Fenton House, 122 Wells Road Bath BA2 3AH, UK www.rps.org reception@rps.org +44 (0)1225 325733 Incorporated by Royal Charter Patron Her Majesty the Queen Preasident Walter Benzie HonFRPS Vice-President Robert Albright FRPS Treasurer Geoff Blackwell ARPS Director-General Dr Michael Pritchard FRPS Published on behalf of The Royal Photographic Society by Think Red Tree Business Suites 33 Dalmarnock Road, Glasgow G40 4LA thinkpublishing.co.uk
430 Queen Elizabeth II as captured by Society members (image by David Cairns ARPS)
EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES Acting editor Andrew Cattanach andrew@thinkpublishing.co.uk 0141 375 0481 Contributing editors Gavin Stoker, Geoff Harris LRPS, Fiona McKinlay, Kathleen Morgan, Jonathan McIntosh Design Matthew Ball, John Pender, Raymond Francis, Victoria Axelson Sub-editor Sam Bartlett Advertising sales Helen Rosemeir helen.rosemier@thinkpublishing.co.uk 020 3771 7230
FEATURES
Group account director John Innes Š 2016 The Royal Photographic Society. All rights reserved. Every reasonable endeavour has been made to find and contact the copyright owners of the works included in this newspaper. However, if you believe a copyright work has been included without your permission, please contact the publishers. Views of contributors and advertisers do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Royal Photographic Society or those of the publishers. All material correct at time of going to press.
442 | FAMOUS FIVE We profile a quintet of photography graduates focused on making their mark 450 | HIGHER PURPOSE As 'we're all now photographers', is there any point of studying the subject to degree level?
Circulation 11,237 (Jan-Dec 2015) ABC ISSN: 1468-8670
Cover Queen Elizabeth II by Alan Shawcross FRPS
468 An in-depth look at the joys of medium format, with William Barrington-Binns
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452 | CREATIVE SPARK Three recipients of Society bursaries share the fruits of their respective projects
WILLIAM BARRINGTON&BINNS; DAVID CAIRNS ARPS; KIERAN DODDS
430 | BY ROYAL APPOINTMENT Celebrate our patron's 90th birthday with this exclusive selection of images of Queen Elizabeth II, as captured over the years by Society members
Account director Helen Cassidy helen.cassidy@thinkpublishing.co.uk
452
Have bursary, will travel. How Society funding can open up new worlds of discovery
THE CRAFT
463 | MUST TRY ' LATEST KIT Hands on with the £18k Hasselblad H6D, plus member test and a selection of new gear 467 | MASTERCLASS/IN DEPTH From the high-spec highs of medium-format photography to the old-school wonder of wet collodion
EVERY MONTH
404 | BIG PICTURE Banks saves dog by Chris Morphet 407 | IN FOCUS ' BOOKS Society news, views and more, plus competitions, exhibitions, and four new publications 418 | DISTINCTIONS Exemptions special 460 | SHOWCASE Landscapes by John Chamberlin FRPS on display at Fenton House
KĀRLIS BERGS
473 | MEMBER GUIDE Society events both near and far
442 An image by Kārlis Bergs, one of five featured recent photography graduates
480 | TIMES PAST Princess Elizabeth by Marcus Adams FRPS VOL 156 / JUNE 2016 / THE RPS JOURNAL / 403
404 | BIG PICTURE |
Banks saves dog By Chris Morphet, 1965 THE SHOOT
While I was studying photography at Leicester College of Art, there was a tutor, Jeff Johnson, who took lots of images for the national papers. He knew I was a keen footballer, so he would take me to games. WHAT HAPPENED
On this particular day, I decided to shoot from the halfway line. The dog began at the Manchester United end and then it tore down the field towards Leicester City goalie Gordon Banks, who tried to ‘save’ it. AFTERLIFE
When Jeff Johnson saw the image, he knew it was a great shot and whacked it off to loads of Fleet Street papers and it got printed in quite a few. It didn’t quite win press photograph of the year but it was popular at the time. I presented Gordon Banks with a print of the image a few years ago and he was really grateful – he’s a really sweet man and was a phenomenal goalkeeper. LEICESTER’S WIN
I think it’s terrific that Leicester City won the English Premiership. It’s a complete upset of the established order. It’s a fantastic thing for the game – really healthy. Chris Morphet is a camera operator who has worked on documentaries for more than 30 years. He has been a BAFTA factual photography judge on three occasions and is a Tottenham Hotspur fan 404 / THE RPS JOURNAL / JUNE 2016 / VOL 156
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407
IN THE PINK DIGITAL DILIGENCE HANGING PLAN Members taste awards success 408 President commends volunteers 410 Our pick of the best exhibitions 412
INFOCUS NEWS, VIEWS, EXHIBITIONS AND MEMBER INSIGHT
Princess Alexandra, Princess Victoria and Mr Savile, in Tableaux Vivants Devonport c1892-1893; and Two’s Company, Three’s None by Marcus Stone
POSE VALUE
Unseen album reveals a playful Queen Victoria’s enthusiasm for the photographic image Previously private photos of the royal family re-enacting famous paintings have gone on display at Tate Britain. The album, part of an exhibition exploring the dialogue between British painters and photographers,
BOOK NOW!
includes an image by an unknown photographer showing Princess Alexandra and Princess Victoria imitating a scene from a work by Marcus Stone. The pictures reveal young Victoria’s enthusiasm for photography, which would later be demonstrated in her support for the Society, becoming its patron in 1894. Painting with Light is at Tate Britain until 25 September CINEMATIC HOLLYWOOD BEAUTY LIGHTING MADE SIMPLE
Join this one-day workshop in Surrey on 27 August (£95 Society members). For more information see page 476 VOL 156 / JUNE 2016 / THE RPS JOURNAL / 407
408 | IN FOCUS |
MAJOR LANDSCAPE CONTEST OPEN FOR ENTRIES Landscape photography devotees have until 10 July to enter the prestigious Landscape Photographer of the Year competition Founded by veteran landscape photographer Charlie Waite FRPS in 2006, the contest now has a £20,000 prize purse, and you can enter up to 25 images across four categories: classic view, living the view, your view, and urban view. Enjoy the winning images from the 2015 contest at Edinburgh’s Waverley train station until 8 June, or at Reading station from 10-20 June. take-a-view.co.uk
Unstill Life by Polina Plotnikova ARPS
IN THE PINK Society members win categories in the 2016 Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year awards First up is Polina Plotnikova ARPS, who won the ‘apple a day’ category with her image Unstill Life. ‘I liked the challenge of creating an image that would showcase Pink Lady apples in a quirky way,’ she said. Meanwhile, Robert Holmes ARPS’s work (right) won the Errazuriz wine photographer of the year (places) category. Entry for the 2017 competition is now open at pinkladyfood photographeroftheyear.com
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Maysara Winery by Robert Holmes ARPS
| IN FOCUS | 409 FROM WALTER BENZIE HonFRPS
WITH ALL BEST WISHES, MA’AM Society delighted to mark patron’s 90th
T
Bat’s Head, Dorset, by Andy Farrer, overall winner, Landscape Photographer of the Year 2015
APPRECIATION
DR DEREK DORSETT FRPS Derek helped instigate the North Wales Region, which was quite a struggle at the time as there were so few members in the area. But it was formed, with Derek as the first regional organiser, and was very successful in providing superb lectures and workshops. Derek will be remembered for his wonderful, colourful carnival pictures, his natural history images and his knowledge and enthusiasm for photography. See the Society website for the full text
his month the Society is joining in the celebrations of the 90th birthday of our patron, Her Majesty the Queen, with a souvenir issue of our Journal. Historically, we have had the honour of an unbroken succession of royal patrons since the early days of the Society. Until the invention of the camera, portraiture had been the medium of choice for persons of means. With the advent of photography came a much more immediate and accurate visual representation, and Queen Victoria and Prince Albert realised that it would be advantageous to publish pictures of themselves together with their children. Such photographs were issued for sale to the public from 1860. Although Prince Albert was a serious ‘art-photography’ collector himself, Queen Victoria was more passionate about portraits, particularly cartes de visite – the visual visiting card of the day. Despite their enthusiasm, there is no evidence that Queen Victoria or Prince Albert themselves took any photographs, preferring to be in front of the lens. However their librarian, Dr Ernst Becker, did study photography, and was responsible for building up the collection. He also taught the royal children about photography. As a result the royal collection at Windsor has examples of photographs taken by both the Prince of Wales (King Edward VII) and his
brother, Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh. It is also known that both Queen Alexandra and Queen Mary were keen photographers. Queen Alexandra was clearly very accomplished and entered her photographs into exhibitions, as well as publishing them in her Christmas gift book. Queen Mary’s work is now more difficult to identify as her photographs were pasted directly into albums. King George VI also took many photographs of his family and children. The Queen Mother’s photographic collection is quite extensive and is also held at Windsor. Many years ago I seem to recall Her Majesty was seen with a Leica M3, and a Kodak movie camera – although not at the same time. Some of her home movies have been released over the years, but none of her stills. May I take this opportunity, on behalf of the Society and its members, to thank Her Majesty for being our patron and to wish her a very happy 90th birthday. Walter Benzie HonFRPS President of the Royal Photographic Society
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410 | IN FOCUS |
RECOGNISING VOLUNTEERS Well done to members who have given their service to the Society
From left: Patricia Ruddle ARPS, Peter Harvey ARPS, John Bickerdike ARPS, Ken Boulton and Dale Wain LRPS
BRADFORD STALWARTS’ MAJOR COMMENDATION volunteers completed their final session and received a president’s commendation certificate in recognition of their time and efforts from council member Robert Gates ARPS. ‘I enjoyed the process very much and felt privileged to actually work with the photographs,’ explains volunteer Patricia Ruddle ARPS. ‘It’s been thrilling to get to know the gems in the collection first
‘It’s been thrilling to get to know the gems in the collection first hand’
hand. I’m very grateful to have had the opportunity to contribute something to the Society in exchange for all the benefits I have obtained as a member.’ For more about volunteering, see bit.ly/rpsvolunteers
TWELVE YEARS’ AND OVER SERVICE Bob Gates ARPS Barry Senior HonFRPS Fiona Senior FRPS Keith Evans FRPS Gwilym Owen ARPS Keith Brown FRPS Ted French ARPS Trish French ARPS Ian Bailey LRPS Paul Foley FRPS Richard Walton FRPS Rosemary Wilman HonFRPS Roy Robertson HonFRPS Patricia Ruddle ARPS
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23/03/2016 13:09 15:27 19/05/2016
ROBERT GATES ARPS
EIGHT ! TWELVE YEARS’ SERVICE Anne Crabbe FRPS Steve Boyle ARPS Jack Bates FRPS Richard Revels FRPS
Sterling efforts to digitise the RPS Collection recognised Since 2014, a team of hardworking Society volunteers have been digitising the Society’s Collection, housed at the National Media Museum in Bradford. As many readers will know, this collection is recognised as one of the world’s most important photography archives, and plans are under way to relocate it to the V&A in London. At the end of April, the
FOUR ! EIGHT YEARS’ SERVICE Geoffrey Einon ARPS Ruth Wyss ARPS Roger Towell ARPS Paul Styles LRPS Max Pickering LRPS John Margetts ARPS Elizabeth Restall ARPS Sheila Wilder George McCarthy FRPS Geoff Blackwell ARPS George Ledger
365 JENNIFER PHILLIPS By Lydia Meredith This photograph is part of a larger series that explores the lives and produce of 12 farmers from the Hudson Valley in New York State. Taken on a medium-format Hasselblad camera, I was able to
APRIL’S ONLINE COMPETITION WINNERS
BLUE THEME
GET INVOLVED
Submit photographs for the next competition at rps-365.org
spend time with each farmer, understanding and appreciating their passion and dedication to producing chemical-free food using sustainable farming methods. This body of work has been developed into edition one of Breathe magazine. lydiameredith.co.uk FLOODED AT THE DEEP END LEFT By Susan Brown FRPS Shoalstone Pool at Brixham in Devon is a favourite haunt of mine. Every time I go to this art deco icon I discover fantastic new viewpoints. This was taken looking down from the beach huts. I decided not to include the horizon as I felt it would spoil the graphic details of the image. I like to photograph after sunset when the light turns to a lovely blue and the highlights have gone. I used a Canon 5D MkIII with a 24-70L lens set at 70mm with ISO 50, f/16 for 75.
ONE ABOVE By Ronaldo Aguiar Silva This was among the first images for Suspensions, a project when I was going through a tough period. One persistent thought was that all the things around me were suspended in time and could fall apart at any minute. I decided to freeze those moments as cyanotype prints. I’ve tried to balance reality and abstraction, and used digital and analogue cameras. This was taken with a Canon 5D MkII, turned into a digital negative, then cyanotype printed on Hahnemühle cotton paper.
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412 | IN FOCUS |
WHAT NOT TO MISS EPHEMERA BY SPENCER MURPHY Francesca Maffeo Gallery, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex 18 JUNE # 13 AUGUST
Featured in the Guardian Weekend, Telegraph magazine and Time, Murphy’s work has also been selected for numerous awards, including the Sony World Photography Award in 2014 and the Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize in 2013. francescamaffeogallery.com
1926: BRITAIN THROUGH THE LENS Getty Images Gallery, London UNTIL 2 JULY
A fascinating collection of Hulton Archive images from the year which marked the birth of the current queen, and
featured the general strike, a demonstration of TV by John Logie Baird and Agatha Christie’s disappearance. Getty’s researchers referred to the original day books, where each negative was recorded in longhand, and the extensive files organised by
subject. The images were hand printed in the gallery’s darkroom from the original glass-plate negatives. Harold Evans described the Hulton Archive as ‘an Aladdin’s cave of treasures ... the finest in the world’. bit.ly/getty1926
BERT HARDY: PERSONAL COLLECTION The Photographers’ Gallery UNTIL 3 JULY
Vintage prints from the private collection of this hugely influential British documentary photographer, and honorary Society Fellow, famed for his work at Picture Post magazine in the 1940s and 1950s. bit.ly/tpghardy
ELLIOTT LANDY: THE BAND Proud Camden Gallery, London 9 JUNE # 24 JULY
As featured in a recent Journal book review, this is a collection of iconic images made as seminal roots rockers The Band recorded their first two albums. As well as being a close friend of The Band, Landy was official photographer at Woodstock. proudonline.co.uk/exhibitions
DEPARTURES & NEW PHOTOGRAPHERS GUILD Street Level Photo Works, Glasgow UNTIL 9 JULY
The guild is a mentoring initiative led by Claire Stewart and Elaine Livingstone in association with this major Scottish gallery. The nine exhibiting artists present their response to the broad theme of ‘migration’, a highly controversial subject in the UK. bit.ly/departuresglasgow
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EQUINE ! ABSTRACT The Art Gallery, Denbies, Surrey 6#12 JUNE
Equine and abstract photography specialist Carys Jones presents some of her powerful horse images, which range from the dynamic to the reflective. A percentage of the proceeds will go to Cranleigh Riding for the Disabled’s ‘Riding High’ fundraising campaign. carysjonesphotography.co.uk
Performing for the Camera Tate Modern, London Until 12 June Paul Strand V & A Museum, London Until 3 July Wildlife Photographer of the Year The Rheged Centre, Penrith Until 3 July Unseen: London, Paris, New York, 1930-60s Ben Uri Gallery, London Until 29 August Painting with Light Tate Britain, London Until 25 September
BABY ELIZABETH, GETTY IMAGES; TRAIN CARRIAGES, 2006, FROM THE SERIES THE ABYSS GAZES INTO YOU, SPENCER MURPHY; BERT HARDY; CARYS JONES; WILLIAM KAY; ELLIOTT LANDY
JUNE ONWARDS
ALSO SHOWING
414 | IN FOCUS |
SOUTH WEST
REGIONAL SPOTLIGHT
We speak to regional organiser and webmaster Mick Medley LRPS IN A NUTSHELL The region covers the counties of Devon and Cornwall, a top to bottom distance of around 130 miles. It currently has 507 members, including
Internet firm ‘promotes piracy’ Leading picture agency Getty Images has filed a competition law complaint against Google with the European Commission. Getty’s complaint focuses on Google’s image search tool which, it claims, promotes ‘right click’ piracy by making high-resolution imagery easily available. ‘There’s no requirement for the user to go to the source site to find out how they might legally license or seek permission to use the image in question,’ said a spokesperson. The company also claims Google is promoting its own image search tools at the expense of third-party suppliers. Getty’s general counsel, Yoko Miyashita, has written an open letter about the issue, viewable at wherewestand. gettyimages.com/advocacy/. Getty refused to disclose to the Journal details of the financial impact right clicking has on the company, but said that Google has ‘materially contributed to the devaluation of imagery generally’. While the row rumbles on, ensure you watermark your images or publish low-res versions online to minimise unauthorised copying.
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Drama at Getter Tor by Mac Bouchere FRPS
Porthleven by Mick Medley LRPS
DISTINCTIONS SUCCESSES Well done to members on their recent achievements 04/16 LRPS Gavin Bowyer, Hampshire Maggie Bullock, Cheshire Jimmy Cheng, London Ms Helen Chester, Nottinghamshire David John Dimond, Gloucestershire Tony Hale, Middlesex Desmond Lingard, London John Livy, Hampshire Clive Marshall, West Midlands Paul Mitchell, Surrey
Glyn Paton, Wiltshire Antony Roe, Buckinghamshire Gary Wheal, Berkshire Patricia Wood, Northumberland Maurice Young, Norfolk Frederic Adams-Montantin, London Lilliana Alani, Warwickshire Jean Elizabeth Bartlett, Dorset
Dr John Dakin, Nottinghamshire Morton Gillespie, Highland Nigel Horan, Kent Alastair Lofthouse, Hampshire Janet Marshall, Berkshire Jeffrey Nolan, Hampshire Miss Angela Osborne, Kent Stephen Pritchard, Hampshire Sarah Robbins, Bristol Sam Segar, Hertfordshire
DONALDSON COLLECTION\GETTY; MICK MEDLEY LRPS; MAC BOUCHERE FRPS; ROD FRY ARPS
GETTY TAKES ON GOOGLE IN IMAGE RIGHT!CLICK ROW
| IN FOCUS | 415 20 Fellows, 5 Honorary Fellows, 117 Associates and 183 Licentiateship holders. Additionally, we have an active West Cornwall Group. WHAT ROLES DO THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS PLAY? We are fortunate to have several committee members who have served for 15 years or more, as well as two newly-elected members. Each member
has direct responsibility for managing the running of the region and the many events we arrange. Linda Wevill FRPS runs the regional VA group, Rod Fry ARPS is deputy chair of the Contemporary Group, coordinator of the South West Contemporary Group and is part of the RPS International Photobook organising team. Margaret Hocking ARPS runs the three print portfolios circulating within the region. Beer by Rod Fry ARPS
NEWS IN BRIEF
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE AREA? We try to run at least one regional event per month, including two Distinctions Advisory Days a year, lectures from notable speakers, field trips during the summer months, and a post-New Year ‘blow the cobwebs away’ event. We also run a biennial regional members exhibition, alternating with a biennial weekend away just outside the region.
SWISS CHAPTER’S MAJOR NEW SHOW The Society’s Swiss Chapter is organising an exhibition on the theme of sustainability, to be held at the Dow Europe buildings in Horgen near Zurich
WHY IS THE REGION GREAT FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS? With both counties surrounded by coastline, together with Dartmoor, Bodmin Moor and the large selection of National Trust and English Heritage properties, we have a rich variety of photographic opportunities.
The exhibition runs until 1 July and features 30 images in the restaurant and social area, with an expected 400 people per day passing through. The exhibition came about after an invitation from Dow Europe and was arranged by Max Robinson ARPS. For more on the chapter, see bit.ly/rpsswiss
CHALLENGES AND JOYS OF ORGANISING THE REGION? We are very proud to have grown our membership in the region from 300 in 1995 up to its current level. Our biggest challenge is the distance members have to travel to regional activities, but we do base most of our indoor events at Bovey Tracey, which is a good central venue.
Anthony Robert Sharp, Sussex Ms Helena Spinks, Gloucestershire Brian Trout, South Yorkshire Susan Trout, South Yorkshire Mike Warrender, Shropshire
MAX ROBINSON ARPS
04/16 LRPS EXEMPTION Paul Jones, Staffordshire Karen Morris, Lancashire Neil Sumner, Cheshire 04/16 ARPS EXEMPTION Carole McLatchie, Buckinghamshire
04/16 ARPS CONCEPTUAL & CONTEMPORARY Mike Mills, Norway 05/16 ARPS EXEMPTIONS Karen Block, West Midlands Mo Coade, Cleveland Kevin Dowling, Northumberland Despina Kyriacou, London Peter Mansell, Kent Robert McColl, Worcestershire Richard Tooley, Cambridgeshire Justin Webb, Kent Nicholas White, Devon
DEPICT! DEADLINE
Members have until 4 July to enter DepicT!, the super-short film competition organised by Bristol-based Watershed. The Society sponsors the Cinematography Award, which has a £1,000 prize. See depict.org/competition
INTERNATIONAL AV FESTIVAL
You can now book yourself a place at the Society’s 22nd International Audio Visual Festival, which takes place in Cheltenham on 24 and 25 September. For members looking to enter work, the organisers need to receive your submission via the bookings website, or by post, between 1–27 August. For more information go to rpsinternational.org.uk
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1926
Britain Through a Lens
14th May - 2nd July
1926 has been researched from Getty Images’ world-famous Hulton Archive and hand printed in our own darkroom from the original glass plate negatives using time-honoured methods.
46 Eastcastle Street London W1W8DX O x fo r d C i r c u s Free admission +44 (0)20 7291 5380 g e t t y i m a g e s g a l l e r y. c o m
BOOK REVIEWS
| IN FOCUS | 417
YOKAINOSHIMA: ISLAND OF MONSTERS Charles Freger Thames and Hudson (£24.95) This is a fascinating anthropological photo essay on the colourful protagonists in Japan’s ancient but enduring festivals and folk rituals. The meticulous research and beautifully executed photographs are truly impressive. Yet it’s also a meditation on Japan’s complex relationship with its past and the gods and monsters we all create in our own minds.
Main Street, Savannah, Georgia, 1955
JANE NORTON
FRANKLY SUPERB
© ROBERT FRANK
Jewel of a book captures the greatness of a documentary master
ROBERT FRANK IN AMERICA PETER GALASSI Steidl (£29) Robert Frank is one of the masters of documentary imagery whose seminal work The Americans continues to hold in thrall many leading contemporary photographers, such as Alec Soth. This major new book (and exhibition) brings together the images that Frank made between 1947, when he arrived in the USA from Switzerland aged 22, and the early 1960s, when he turned to film making. As with Vladimir Nabokov or Alastair Cook, Frank was an outsider who developed an instinctive understanding of, and sympathy for, America and its people. This book includes Frank’s purple period of 1955 and 1956, when a Guggenheim fellowship enabled him to travel across the country, but also encompasses a lot of other work which wasn’t included in The Americans. Robert Frank in America is not just a collection of miscellany and ephemera, however. Alongside wonderful images, there is the extensive introduction by Peter Galassi, a photography scholar and critic who edited the masterful Henri Cartier-Bresson: The Modern Century.
OUT OF TIBET Albertina D’Urso Dewi Lewis Publishing (£35) Following the Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1959 and the subsequent political and religious persecution, many Tibetans fled their native country. This beautifully produced volume documents the Tibetan diaspora. Rather than lots of temples and lamas in exotic hats, D’Urso focuses on the aspirations and daily grind of a proud people trying to preserve their culture.
Galassi does a sterling job of putting the images in context and explaining the significance of Frank’s work from the 1950s, particularly his instinctive humanism and use of 35mm cameras. While Frank may seem to be one of the progenitors of street photography, he was a master technician who knew his camera and medium inside out. As for the images, you quickly see the massive influence that Frank (who is still alive) has exerted on generations of documentary and travel photographers and photojournalists. He is particularly skilled at capturing the racial contradictions and underlying tensions of the USA during the postwar period, its economic inequalities and the diverse beauty of urban landscapes. Robert Frank in America is a jewel of a book, and the perfect companion to The Americans. Let’s hope Galassi produces some similarly high-quality volumes about other great photographers. This book is a delight to browse: its design and navigation are second to none, and the wealth of background information never overpowers the presentation of Frank’s wonderful images.
FOR LOVE Alice Yoo and Eugene Kim Chronicle Books (£12.99) Subtitled 25 Heartwarming Celebrations of Humanity, this appears a rather cheesy portrait collection at first glance, but it’s actually got lots of inspiring ideas for serious photographers. The 25 featured image takers focus on subjects as diverse as centenarians, new fathers, childhood photos recreated and cancer survivors, and although there are no ‘big’ names, the work is of a high standard.
GEOFF HARRIS LRPS
GERRY BARNETT
GEOFF HARRIS LRPS
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EXEMPTIONS SPECIAL WHAT ARE DISTINCTIONS?
Distinctions are standards of achievement recognised throughout the world
LRPS Applicants need to show good photographic competence in five key areas
Degrees of excellence
A look at some of the Society’s recent Exemption successes
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ARPS Evidence of a creative ability and personal style, plus complete control of the technical aspects of photography
FRPS Our highest Distinction is given for excellence and a distinguished ability in photography
FEATURE SPONSORED BY
EXEMPTIONS Offered to those with a recognised photographic qualification equivalent to LRPS or ARPS
KATYA FAR LEFT, TOP
A Victorian theme with a steampunk twist. Concept and creation by Gold Magtoto. Model: Katya Anokhina FLOWERS AND BUTTERFLIES MAIN IMAGE
Body paint by artist Jason Tanjuakio; the model is Anya Aragon; hair and make-up by Jinx Aggabao, and styling by Eduardo Sunga Villaruel DOTS INCREDIBLE FAR LEFT, BOTTOM
Concept/make-up/ styling by Hilde Marie Johansen and modelled by Emmarielle Candeza Hagedorn THE KISS LEFT
With real-life couple Bianca Persechino and Billy Glass. Styling and wardrobe by Lina Teixeira, and make-up/ hair by Hendrickje Ewen
Erich Caparas
ARPS
APPROACH
One of my online followers said it best: it’s a combination of fashion and surrealism with exotic themes. AREA OF INTEREST
My main interest is thematic portraiture. It showcases the talents of everyone involved – including model, stylist, make-up artists, and designers – not only the photographer. There
is nothing like the exhilaration you get from the synergy of talents working towards the same outcome.
images and challenging myself to take my photography to a higher level – one day at a time.
INSPIRATION
People who affiliate themselves with the Society are very serious about their craft. It takes a certain commitment and expertise to be part of the Society and that is exactly what I’m looking for. It’s a peer group I’d like to share my knowledge with.
I somehow ended up with my dad’s Olympus in 1977. He must have given it to me. I took snapshots in the beginning and slowly progressed to landscape, nature and commercial photography. I just enjoy creating
WHY A DISTINCTION?
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SPECIAL 420 | DISTINCTIONS | EXEMPTIONS
GOLDEN GIRL RIGHT
A rough collie taken at a vet’s socialisation class MAISIE BELOW
One of my own dogs, a spaniel x lurcher BLUE EYES BOTTOM
A husky, taken at a local dog training club
David Swidenbank APPROACH
I spend time understanding them. I use this process when working with dogs – getting to know the owner before picking up the camera is vital.
Although specialising in dog photography, my style is very mixed. I like photographing people as they go about their daily tasks, which is all the more enjoyable when
AREA OF INTEREST
INSPIRATION
Don McCullin, Bert Hardy and Tom Hopkinson – at Newport Art College in the late 70s, when I trained in documentary photography under David Hurn of Magnum.
They include local and family history, on which I have photographed and written for many national magazines. My fifth book on local
The documentary photographers and photojournalists of the 1960s and 70s, some of whom I met – including Honorary Fellows
I am interested in the history of photography and feel the Society has the strongest links with this subject.
ARPS
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history was published in 2013 and I am working on a photography-based book about the people in my home town, Faces of Porthcawl.
WHY A DISTINCTION?
FEATURE SPONSORED BY
Carole McLatchie
AREA OF INTEREST
ARPS
APPROACH
I strive to get the image right in camera as I want to make the minimum adjustments in post-production. I feel if a photograph is changed a lot in post-production then it is not a photograph but a digitally enhanced image.
I decided to do my final project at college on motorcycle racing and managed to get a media pass for British Superbikes at Brands Hatch. I hired a 400mm lens for the occasion. After a lot of mickey taking by other photographers at the circuit – along with their help and assistance – I finally began to get the hang of it.
I got a distinction in my final project and a Jessops Industry Award, which encouraged me to keep going. INSPIRATION
My father was a keen photographer and gave me his old Voigtländer camera when I was about eight years old. He taught me how to use it without the help of a light meter. WHY A DISTINCTION?
The Society is a well-
respected organisation in the industry and has a wealth of experienced photographers as members who are generous with their time and willing to share their knowledge and support with others. A Society Distinction is recognition of what I have achieved so far and encourages me to continue to learn and get to the next level.
WORLD SUPERBIKES CRASH AT DONNINGTON PARK ABOVE
The spectacular fireball lasted only a few moments. One rider broke his lower leg but managed to get up to talk to his fellow riders. Everyone else was ok. The series of images were published widely in the national press the following day BRITISH SUPERBIKES LEFT
A classic shot of the Mountain, Cadwell Park – Michael Rutter and ‘Shakey’ Byrne with the crowd in the background adding atmosphere to the image VOL 156 / JUNE 2016 / THE RPS JOURNAL / 421
SPECIAL 422 | DISTINCTIONS | EXEMPTIONS
Stephen Judson APPROACH
Primarily a documentary photographer, my main aim is to weave together a narrative through imagery, with the main character always at the centre of the visual storyline. AREA OF INTEREST
TERRACE INTERRUPTED TOP
DUKESFIELD TYRE SERVICES ABOVE
HEMMED IN RIGHT
Life under the Silver Jubilee Bridge in Runcorn, Cheshire. All images are from the series Under The Bridge 422 / THE RPS JOURNAL / JUNE 2016 / VOL 156
With my work the decisive aim is to engage the viewers’ attention and raise awareness of difficulties people may endure – to give them a voice through imagery. INSPIRATION
For my ninth birthday I was given a Brownie 127. It got me hooked. From an early age I was able to grasp the science of photography using a basic f/11 lens and 1/50sec shutter
ARPS
speed. Coupled with this, every morning while delivering newspapers, I was amazed at the images on the front pages. Daily, I would see the photos that became iconic years later. I came to understand the power of documentary photography very early on. WHY A DISTINCTION?
When I graduated with a first-class honours degree, I decided the next step would be to apply for my Associate Distinction through exemption. I believe a Distinction takes me to the next level of credibility, as they are accepted and recognised worldwide.
FEATURE SPONSORED BY
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BLUE FLOWER This was taken in the local park (Bramhall Park, Stockport) during an experimental session, primarily exploring the panorama function on my Sony A560. Walking around, I found these blue flowers. The light was getting low, and I had no tripod, so rather than upping the ISO I experimented with fill-in flash intensity which resulted in this photograph
LRPS
APPROACH
If I had to choose one word to describe my approach then it would be ‘observational’. I like to think that I see things that most people miss. I believe this comes from my background as a scientist, observing details, thinking how they can be applied to different situations, how must they be improved, what would happen if …
really hated it, but it was one of the tasks we had to do. However, by the end of that year, one of my projects was based on street photography, which I now really enjoy. My other main interests are cityscapes and macro. I prefer these to others such as portraiture as I feel more in control of the situation and look for something that everyone passes by but never sees.
AREA OF INTEREST
INSPIRATION
During an A-Level photography course I learned to try different genres. The first time I tried street photography I
My interest in photography began in childhood. Several close relatives were keen amateur photographers. I have maintained my interest
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over the years but when I accompanied my daughter to night school to study for A-Level photography, the course fired a new interest and enthusiasm in the subject. WHY A DISTINCTION? I am fortunate to have the opportunity to take stock of my future career. Do I continue on with my nine-tofive job or spend more time and effort on my photography? Joining the Society was the first step in one possible direction. A Licentiate will hopefully open some new doors to a career change.
CREDIT SITS IN BOX 4MM DEEP
Neil Sumner
FEATURE SPONSORED BY
Mervyn Mitchell APPROACH
My style is creative, but the aesthetics of the image change depending on the idea I want to communicate. However, my methodology is the same: the idea comes first, then the photograph, then the conceptual development stage, where I decide upon the best way to communicate the idea. AREA OF INTEREST
One is research into the effect of globalisation on non-Eurocentric populations. The other is commercially orientated and is linked to my interest in art. I create fine art images from photographs. INSPIRATION
I started taking photographs after my first child was born
ARPS
nearly 29 years ago. I began to take photography seriously eight years ago and enrolled in a BTEC course in basic photography. The tutor told me that the digital file could be seen as the equivalent of the film negative, and digital manipulation techniques as the modern concept of the darkroom. This way of thinking about photography inspired me creatively and has influenced my working methods ever since. WHY A DISTINCTION?
I applied for a Distinction because the Society has a good selection of creative groups to join, which matches my style of photography. I look forward to taking part in group activities in the future. HEPCAT MUSICIANS ABOVE
Influenced by pop art, this series of work reflects my interpretation of 1930s American hepcat jazz musicians BLACK SKIN, WHITE MASK PROJECT LEFT
The initial image in a linear series of work that represents the effect on cultural identity as an emigrant goes through the assimilation process in their adopted country
HOW TO ACHIEVE AN EXEMPTION If you have been awarded a photographic qualification, visit the Society website to see the full list of recognised qualifications. If you qualify, the next step is to make an application. You can download the application form at rps.org/ distinctions/exemptions VOL 156 / JUNE 2016 / THE RPS JOURNAL / 425
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FEATURE SPONSORED BY
Karen Morris
LRPS
APPROACH
I try to take a photograph that needs little post-production work, apart from adjusting levels and cropping. I use Photoshop for some of my other work but when photographing people I prefer to try to capture the essence in one click. I am always looking out for an expression or gesture that will come across in the end picture. AREA OF INTEREST
My main interest is people. They make such fascinating subjects and no two are the same. I prefer street photography, and outdoor event days are ideal for
people watching. INSPIRATION
I want to capture ‘that moment’. I want to record the present for the future and try to tell a story with my images. Martin Parr HonFRPS has been my biggest influence. His unique style of photographing people is what I aspire to.
STABLE BOY FAR LEFT An impromptu moment while doing a photo shoot at a local stables. Michael was happily posing when the horse decided to see what was going on. This is exactly what I mean by ‘capturing the moment’ STEAMPUNK FAMILY ABOVE
WHY A DISTINCTION?
At the annual Steampunk event in Haworth, West Yorkshire. The parents were happy to pose, but I don’t believe the boy was quite so enthusiastic …
Because I found the A Level course I took so challenging, I felt that a Distinction was a kind of reward for my hard work. I am also looking to gain inspiration from other great photographers out there and improve my skills.
DAISY LEFT I wanted to capture a little girl’s dream of being a ballet dancer. It was processed as mono/high key to simplify/soften the effect, which I think works well with babies and young children VOL 156 / JUNE 2016 / THE RPS JOURNAL / 427
428 | DISTINCTIONS | www.cameraclean.co.uk Telephone 01793 855663
LETTERS
One of Roger Lee’s images, taken in Lisbon
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Learn from my mistake Would-be Distinctions applicants urged to take the plunge
Dear Royal Photographic Society, This is simply to say a big thank you to all involved in the Just Ltd. The Old Shop, Hook, Swindon SN4 8EA t Tel 01793 855663 LRPS advisory day at Detling www.cameraclean.co.uk t sales@cameraclean.co.uk E&OE yesterday (1 May 2016). Both the advisers were superb: perceptive, critical, Just ltd_RPS_Sept_15.indd 1 13/08/2015 14:41 constructive, thoroughly engaged and sensitive. What is more, they showed just how A unique capture system profoundly serious is the that triggers your camera preparation for a Licentiate using motion, sound or light and yet, at the same time, The TriggerSmart is designed to easily capture they made the day fun, relaxed images using Sound, Light Intensity Increase, and enjoyable. Infra Red Beam Breaking and Movement. Although I have already A great variety of stills and video cameras can be used, digital as well as film based. It can also applied for a Licentiate trigger flash units and other devices. assessment, I was too wimpish to stand up and be counted in front of others at Detling. I realise that this decreases the chances of success in Bath very considerably but I felt that I would rather endure IR Beam Breaking Mode anonymous disappointment in Bath than what might be the far more direct and clearly identified disappointment of an advisory day. However, I was wrong. The rigorous but empathetic ways Sound Mode in which both advisers offered The TriggerSmart Kit: the their advice and suggestions control unit MCT-1, IR/LIS receiver, IR transmitter and were models of their kind sound sensor, two mini tripods, What is more, their work one 2° baffle, two sensor was so very well supported connection cables and one camera connection cable.
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Roger Lee: praise for Detling advisory day
by the local organisers of the event. As someone who was, rather pathetically, too nervous to participate with images at Detling, I hope that my big mistake might act as some sort of encouragement to others – those who might feel as I did when considering attendance at an advisory day – to leave their fears/egos at home and participate fully in what is such a valuable, supportive and constructive process. Thank you,
ROGER LEE Professor Emeritus Queen Mary, University of London
WRITE TO: The RPS Journal, Think, Suite 2.3, Red Tree Business Suites, 33 Dalmarnock Road, Glasgow G40 4LA or email rpsjournal@thinkpublishing.co.uk
SPECIAL FEATURE
QUEEN ELIZABETH
90 TH
BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION
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CREDIT © ALANSITS SHAWCROSS IN BOX 4MM FRPS DEEP
Historian, author and presenter Kate Williams introduces this special feature looking at Queen Elizabeth II’s reign in photographs, including images by Society members and Honorary Fellows
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CREDIT SITS IN BOX 4MM DEEP
THE QUEEN’S 90th BIRTHDAY
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Q
ueen Elizabeth II is Britain’s most photographed monarch, and the most photographed woman in history. Even before her uncle, Edward VIII, abdicated – and her father became king – she was in the spotlight, but it was through her service in World War II that she became a photographic icon. Press photos of the 19-year-old princess training as a mechanic for the Women’s Auxiliary Territorial Service at the base in Aldershot were published across the allied world. With the end of the war came the iconic image of the princess – dressed in her uniform – on a balcony of Buckingham Palace, waving to the crowds as they celebrated on VE Day.
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Photography and the monarchy have been intertwined since the reign of Queen Victoria, who was keenly aware of the importance of the royal image. She and Prince Albert were fascinated by photography – although it is uncertain if they ever personally took daguerreotypes. Queen Victoria and the prince agreed to be patrons of The Royal Photographic Society not long after it was formed in 1853, and that patronage is now preserved by Elizabeth II. During Elizabeth’s reign came the introduction of colour – and the expansion of the media, as well as the use of film. She has been photographed by some of the greatest artists of her age. Harry Benson HonFRPS first caught her on camera when she was opening a coal mine in 1957
© NICK DANZIGER HonFRPS
‘THROUGH HER SERVICE IN WORLD WAR II SHE BECAME AN ICON‘
THE QUEEN’S 90th BIRTHDAY
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Nick Danziger HonFRPS
2007 It was a great surprise when I received a call from the Palace, on the penultimate audience Tony Blair would have with Her Majesty the Queen. I was granted permission to photograph the occasion. I was instantly nervous and not dressed for the occasion and had to find a friend to lend me some clothes – not the first time this has happened. I waited in a hallway and could hear the Queen talking in an adjacent room where she was watching television. As I was led to the hallway a couple of corgis were told to stop barking at me. I was told that, on meeting the Queen, I was to bow once and greet Her Majesty as ‘Ma’am’. On entering the room, the Queen greeted me with great warmth and curiosity, although I missed her first question because I was bowing like a yo-yo due to nervousness. LEFT
The Queen and Tony Blair by Nick Danziger HonFRPS PREVIOUS PAGE, AND RIGHT
The Queen, photographed by Alan Shawcross FRPS
© ALAN SHAWCROSS FRPS
Alan Shawcross FRPS 1995 – and nearly 50 years later took a portrait of her for the National Portrait Gallery in Scotland in 2014. Others who have depicted her majesty include Honorary Fellows Polly Borland, Nick Danziger and John Swannell, who all feature in the coming pages, in celebration of Queen Elizabeth’s 90th birthday. While the world has changed – everyone has a camera in their pocket and it is much harder to control the royal image – it remains the role of professionals to capture the images of the monarch that will define her appearance for the public, now and in the future.
KATE WILLIAMS Author of Young Elizabeth
I photographed the Queen twice, commissioned by the Royal Mint. I’d worked in Buckingham Palace before because I’d done quite a few pictures for the Duke of Edinburgh. Photographing the Queen was a daunting experience. Allocated only 20 minutes, I wanted to make the most of it, to make something I hadn’t seen before, which is why the silhouette profile (see front cover) came about. Normally, if you’re a
portrait photographer, as I was, it is your job to put people at ease, but she manages to do it the other way around. I’d made a series of backgrounds that worked like big flip charts so we could change them quickly. I happened to mention that all this manoeuvring was a little bit like something Tommy Cooper might have done and she laughed and I pressed the button and got a shot of her smiling.
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THE QUEEN’S 90th BIRTHDAY
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© HARRY BENSON HonFRPS; © HENRY DALLAL
Harry Benson HonFRPS
2014 After a retrospective show at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery I was asked if I would mind photographing the Queen for the gallery. It was a terrific honour and privilege because I’m British and I’ve followed the Queen all around the world. I didn’t want a fancy picture with a lot of light. I wanted just a nice image – nothing high-tech, with strobes and lighting messing everything up. I got about 50 minutes to an hour with the Queen, basically walking around a nice room. I wanted the one with curtains and I chose the dress. They showed me three dresses and I picked one with Scottish heather. They said that’s the one Her Majesty liked. When the photographing was over, we shook hands
and I thanked her for her time and said I wish it could have been longer. She left the room and no more than a few minutes later I heard barking at the door. The Queen brought in all her dogs to meet me and it was very sweet. She introduced me to them all and I photographed her with them but the images weren’t for use – just for her. It was very nice.
Henry Dallal
2002 I found the Queen to be very relaxed, very cooperative. She is very comfortable with horses so it was a natural setting for everyone involved. One is a colt, the other two event horses. These images were shot on transparency so I had to take a lightbox and have her select the ones she liked. VOL 156 / JUNE 2016 / THE RPS JOURNAL / 435
THE QUEEN’S 90th BIRTHDAY
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© POLLY BORLAND HonFRPS; © BOB BARCLAY ARPS
Polly Borland HonFRPS
2001 I was one of eight or so people given the chance to photograph the Queen in her golden jubilee year – but we only had five minutes to take the photo. A lot of pressure. I went on a reconnaissance and picked a room I liked. A week before the shoot they told me the room wasn’t available, and I was offered the most uninteresting that I’d seen. In a bit of a panic, I took in my nice backdrops and with three assistants set up two shots. I’d been told to talk her through what I was going to do, but because I was very nervous I went into overdrive and talked too much. Soon, two minutes were up and I’d not shot one roll of film. So I went into a mad panic. I shot one roll with the first set-up and another with the second set-up. For the first set-up I used a very powerful ring flash to bring out the gold backdrop. When she walked out she said: ‘I think you’ve blinded me.’ I never got another opportunity to photograph her unfortunately because I think they’re rather unusual portraits compared to other shots of the Queen. No-one had ever really got that close to her photographically.
Bob Barclay ARPS 1972 Being the youngest photographer on the Daily Telegraph they tended to give me lots of evening assignments, and on this particular evening I was covering a fashion show in Knightsbridge. Suddenly my bleeper went off. The editor wanted a nice picture of the Queen attending a film premiere in Leicester Square and I had 10 minutes to get there. I hailed a cab and we raced through the London traffic. I arrived just as she was just about to enter the cinema, so there was nothing else for it. I raced along the side of the Queen’s cars and shouted, ‘Sorry ma’am, I’m
a little late. I’m from the Daily Telegraph.’ She stopped for half a second and gave me a lovely smile and I took my one shot before she disappeared. Suddenly I was pushed to the ground by a burly royal protection bodyguard and he hissed in my ear how close I was to having my head blown off. He was right of course, and over the years I’ve come to respect and admire the job they do – usually unseen by the general public. I came back to the office with my one picture and the editor loved the shot so much he put it on the front cover – and with a byline.
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Photographica including The Mike Simkin Magic Lantern Collection 7 July
A Noakes Triunial Magic Lantern and slides from the Isaac Knott Mont Blanc set, circa 1860 This remarkable collection grew from Mike Simkin’s fascination with the pre-cinema moving image, with many fine rarities in every area: optical toys, magic lanterns, illuminants, books, catalogues and ephemera rounded off by the huge slide collection. Predominantly mahogany-mounted and hand-painted, it encompasses Isaac Knott Royal Polytechnic sets, Henry Langdon Childe chromatropes, dissolve sets, story sets and a multitude of mechanical slides, with many by Carpenter & Westley in all categories. We are always taking in consignments for all our sales and are very happy to visit as we travel around the country picking up collections of cameras and photographs. For further information on our auctions, to consign or to get a valuation, please contact Hugo Marsh or Jonathan Brown + 44 (0)1635 580595 or hugo@specialauctionservices.com 81 Greenham Business Park, Newbury RG19 6HW
THE QUEEN’S 90th BIRTHDAY
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© ROB MUNDY; © JOHN SWANNELL HONFRPS; © LEN DANCE FRPS
Rob Munday
2004 The Jersey Heritage trust commissioned a 3D portrait of the Queen to celebrate Jersey’s 800-year allegiance to the British throne. Required to shoot the portrait at Buckingham Palace, I chose to create a stereographic image, as the equipment needed was relatively portable. Over three hours, 38 portrait sequences were recorded, comprising 8,200 images. The final portrait, a large-format lenticular, was created using just one of the sequences. In 2011 I was commissioned to create a 3D hologram portrait miniature for Jersey’s diamond jubilee commemorative stamp using the images shot in 2004. This was the first stamp in the world to contain a 3D hologram portrait of a head of state. In 2012 the portrait appeared on the first £100 banknote and on the cover of TIME magazine, and in 2013 I created the world’s first 24-carat gold hologram portrait miniature. The portrait has been seen by millions of people around the world. It has helped raise the profile of 3D portraiture as an artistic medium and I feel proud to have played the leading role in its creation.
2012 Photographing the Queen is always wonderful. This is, I think, the fourth time I photographed Her Majesty, and the palace asked if I would do a picture of her and Prince Philip because they needed an up-to-date image. You have to discuss your idea with the palace, and do a little sketch. Then she approves it. I believe she liked the picture very much. It was slightly different from the same old staged portraits. Just because you’ve photographed her a few times doesn’t mean she’ll recognise you instantly. After all, she’s the most photographed person in the world. She’s adorable too, she’s really professional and when you consider that she does this all the time, you’d think she’d be bored out of her brain, but she’s not. She’s actually incredibly patient and gives you all the time you need to take a picture.
Len Dance FRPS 1961
I wasn’t nervous photographing the Queen. I’d been brought up from 15 with a London news agency, so had got used to the personalities, all that… I come from a part of east end London which at that time was a very hard area notorious for the Kray twins and that sort of thing. I did think when I was in Buckingham Palace, ‘Oh, if only they could see me now.’ VOL 156 / JUNE 2016 / THE RPS JOURNAL / 439
THE QUEEN’S BIRTHDAY 440 | SPECIAL ISSUE | 90th
MEMBER PHOTOS OF HER HIGHNESS
Eric Hosking HonFRPS
Stanley Matchett FRPS
Dr Charles Lee ARPS
Graham Wiltshire FRPS
| SIGN UP | STUDIO PORTRAITURE |
David Cairns ARPS
Enhance your skills with a studio portraiture workshop on 23 and 24 July in Lacock, Wiltshire. The weekend costs £165 (£140 for Society members). See page 476 for more information
CALL FOR ENTRIES
INTERNATIONAL PHOTOBOOK EXHIBITION 2016 Inviting submissions from professional, student and amateur photographers and artists TO ENTER SEE rps.org/photobook CLOSING DATE: 31 July 2016
Self-published, photobook dummies, handmade or artist’s books. One book per entrant. Book produced since 1 January 2014.
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ENTRY FEE £25, £10 for 25 years or under. Books returned where return postage supplied.
WINNING PRIZE £1,000. Selected shortlisted entries exhibited in London, Plymouth and Bradford.
STUDENTS 442 | INSIGHT | PHOTOGRAPHY
CLASS OF 2016
Five photography students aiming for great things share what moves them, writes Rachel Segal Hamilton
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FROM ONCE A DREAM DID WEAVE A SHADE One of the ways of forgetting who you are is by being a sports spectator... Losing yourself in the crowd, you breathe together with everybody – you are not you.
PHOTOGRAPHY STUDENTS
KĀRLIS BERGS 25 Photography gives you complete freedom to portray the world how you see it. If you’re working on a personal project, you decide everything. You’re the director, the cinematographer
| INSIGHT | 443
University of Brighton (BA) and the producer. My approach is rooted in the documentary tradition, but I’ll mix documentary with staged images if it better shows the feeling or the story that I’m after.
Once I’ve graduated, I want to publish Once a Dream Did Weave a Shade, a series I’ve been working on for the past two years. It’s about those happy moments when you’re freed from your everyday
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STUDENTS 444 | INSIGHT | PHOTOGRAPHY worries and briefly forget who you are. I was inspired by a time when, late one evening, walking home, I glanced through a window lit up by a TV and saw an elderly woman sitting on her couch. Her fists were clenched in anticipation, then suddenly she jumped up and screamed with joy and I realised she was watching a football match. Right now I’m working on a third version of the book dummy. I’m looking for a publisher but if I’m not successful finding one, I might self-publish. I’d like to learn more about photobooks, from printing to marketing, as I’d maybe like to get a job at a publishing house. karlisbergs.com
Appleford Gravel Pits RIGHT
The A3 through Esher Common BELOW
SEAN WYATT 28
Kingston University (MA) Walking is important to my photography. I like to spend time in the countryside. I feel most inspired when exploring the landscape and thinking about my relationship with my surroundings. The process becomes almost like a performance and the photographs are a record. My pictures generally tend to be of landscapes, with 444 / THE RPS JOURNAL / JUNE 2016 / VOL 156
PHOTOGRAPHY STUDENTS
Images from Brigden’s final-year portfolio ABOVE
elements of myself or of the man-made, as I’m interested in the friction that exists between man and nature. Photography allows you to take your time and reflect on moments and thoughts, big or small. I recently had a baby boy so making him proud is my priority. I’d love to one day have a retrospective – to enjoy the company and wine, but mostly to view all my work together and enjoy spotting any narratives throughout that I hadn’t anticipated. seanwyatt.co.uk
AARON BRIGDEN 23
Ravensbourne (BA)
I’ve been into sport all my life and it’s been great to link that to photography, which is a newer passion. I work very commercially, always have done, even in my personal work. My photographs are usually clean and sharp, with everything controlled. I look to make images that are easy on the eye and I
| INSIGHT | 445
want people to wonder how I’ve captured them – I enjoy seeing people’s reactions. I love the way photography gives you opportunities to work with many people who have different styles to yours, which all come together to produce something special. It’s really satisfying to see the product after working hard to plan shoots and edit photos. The advertising world is definitely where I see myself in the future. My dream commission would be a sports production with a huge budget, and a big team, shooting new clothing or equipment for a brand such as Nike, Adidas or Puma, and featuring international sports stars. Being part of something on that scale would make my creativeness flow. I’d feel I’d made something of myself. acbphotography.zenfolio.com
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STUDENTS 446 | INSIGHT | PHOTOGRAPHY
SARAH RIISAGER 25
Glasgow School of Art (BA)
CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE
Splash, Bulgaria (2015); Girls, Denmark (2014); Falling in love with the dark side of the universe, Scotland (2015); Foam, Turkey (2015)
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The more scared you are of an idea, the more sure you can be that you have to do it. Fear is why I love photography – it challenges me to tell stories I wouldn’t be able to in other ways. Most of my projects come from personal thoughts, feelings or experiences. My style is intuitive. I do a lot of work while travelling, exploring new places and meeting new people. There’s a certain magic about experiencing something for the first time. I’ve been working on a personal project, Between Before, for about three years now and it’s still in progress. The project is my attempt to catch the split between childhood and youth – it’s about love, failure and not giving up. I’ve been photographing children and teenagers, trying to tell their story, as well as to project my own self-image as a teenager. I’m moving back to Copenhagen after graduation and the plan is to stay there for at least a year to work on my projects. Then I’d love to do a master’s in fine art somewhere else abroad. I really want to make this thing [photography] work for me in the future. Having the chance to make exhibitions, books and projects for the rest of my life would be the best feeling in the world. sarahriisager.com
4
PHOTOGRAPHY STUDENTS
| INSIGHT | 447
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STUDENTS 448 | INSIGHT | PHOTOGRAPHY CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT
Governor’s Dip; Between Ballaugh and Sulby; Plastic Chairs at Laurel Bank; Entrance to Glen Helen
5
JAMES MARVIN 23 For the past year I’ve been working on a project about the Tourist Trophy (TT), a motorcycle road race held every summer on the Isle of Man. The course is made up of almost 38 miles of public roads, with the average speed of a racing bike more than 130 miles per hour. Most photographs from the TT are heavily focused on the bikes and the event, but my work looks at the course out of season, away from the 448 / THE RPS JOURNAL / JUNE 2016 / VOL 156
Nottingham Trent University (BA)
atmosphere of race week. What I find interesting is the relationship between the road and the landscape, how the two have shaped each other. There’s a degree of irony in exploring one of the fastest road racing courses in the world with big, heavy large and medium-format cameras. On a corner that a rider will pass in less than a second, I’ve spent a couple of hours trying to find the right place for my tripod.
I thoroughly enjoy making photobooks, so to set up a small press after graduating would be amazing. I like what a book does to photographs. There’s a delicate line between a book becoming a portfolio of nicely printed pictures and becoming so concerned with being a book that the pictures don’t really matter any more. I like finding that balance between the two. jamesmarvinphoto.com
450 | OPINION |
So, why study for a photography degree?
AUTHOR PROFILE JOHN HILLMAN An educator, artist and writer, Hillman is one of the organisers of the Association for Photography in Higher Education summer conference
I
t could be convincingly argued that the technical skills required to make photographs are becoming easier to learn and master. For many, the sophisticated automatic systems built into today’s cameras largely dispense with the need to use their manual controls. Producing a technically competent image has never been easier. With extensive access to free online resources and tutorials, covering almost every facet of image making – such as lighting, composition and post-production – it is difficult to imagine why there would be any demand for a formal academic qualification in photography. It may therefore
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be timely to ask what is wanted and expected from studying for a degree. Without doubt, a degree in photography needs to offer a significant alternative to what is already openly available. It might be useful to begin by briefly examining what role higher education plays and what it is supposed to provide. Originally, higher education was the space for activities that were not necessarily market driven. Its intention and focus were the development of human understanding. However, in recent years there has been a change in higher education’s overall purpose. This change focuses on how graduates will ultimately make a
contribution toward general economic prosperity in their future careers. As a consequence, some higher education establishments are principally institutions providing training for future employment, rather than places where discovery, intellectual enquiry and the pursuit of knowledge for its own sake are undertaken. Alongside this change in purpose, with the introduction of tuition fees (outside Scotland), there has been another shift of emphasis, in which a transaction – of buyer to seller – is now at the heart of the higher education model, rather than the student. Unfortunately, as the language of the ‘market’ and of ‘usefulness’ permeate
© SOPHIA WESTON MODEL: MEGAN ! ELITE STYLIST: ANDREEA RĂDOI
Ahead of the Association for Photography in Higher Education conference, co-organiser John Hillman explains why an art degree is not simply ‘vocational’
| OPINION | 451
STUDENT VIEW SOPHIA WESTON ‘Studying on an industry-focused course at Ravensbourne, we were encouraged to collaborate with those around us. Our tutors created a motivational environment with regular tutorials, workshops and feedback sessions.’
HAIR AND MAKEUP: HOLLY SCIMIA ASSISTANTS: DAVID POLLARD AND SASKIA WYETH!SMITH
This shoot is part of Sophia Weston’s final project entitled The Exhibitionist
discussions around university, it will undoubtedly characterise the kind of education that evolves. This may result in altering the essential characteristics of universities, as they have been formerly understood. Higher education should not be about equipping students to become ‘experts,’ neither should it be a factory for creating ‘specialists’, or to find answers to a fixed set of specific problems, such as ‘how to take good photographs’. Instead, its focus should be on precisely examining how problems are expressed. It should be the site of free reflection and thinking. It is therefore difficult to imagine how a photography course based around providing
vocational and technical skills could be relevant at degree level. Unfortunately, there are many courses structured in this way. It seems that what primarily drives this particular model are false promises of usefulness and employment prospects. What is needed is for creative enquiry and understanding to be the core of a photography degree. Making any form of image is a way of thinking, and how we think can be mapped out through photography’s own evolution. There can be no question about photography as a significant contemporary practice; it mediates our experiences of the world. It is also, inevitably, a site of ideological struggle. Today, everyone is a
photographer and since photography really is everywhere then we have all, in some way, contributed to the changed value of the photograph. Therefore a study of photography should, perhaps, not take as its focus how to make more photographs. Instead, it should investigate the new problems of distribution, reproduction and multiplication, and address the very different ways images are used and produced. If this study pays attention to technique, then it should question the types of photographs our technologies force us to take. These topics constitute photography as a subject today.
‘HIGHER EDUCATION SHOULD BE THE SITE OF FREE REFLECTION AND THINKING’ The Association for Photography in Higher Education summer conference,
entitled Meshworks, is at Plymouth University from 29 June to 1 July. Go to aphe.ac.uk
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OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS
Last year’s bursary winners tell us about the projects they completed with the financial support of the Society and its partners
| FUNDING | 453
KIERAN DODDS
ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS BURSARY ! OVER 30 Offered by the Society and The Photographic Angle
New life is celebrated with baptism. The church forests are central to all aspects of life within the local communities.
I’m interested in the way beliefs shape landscape, and wanted to explore the last remaining forests that surround churches in the north of Ethiopia – a country where, in the last 100 years, 95 per cent of the forests have been chopped down. These churches are run by those who practise the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo religion, a traditional Christian denomination. They view these forests as a kind of miniature garden of Eden, the clothes of the church. It’s a communal resource and they try to keep it as pristine as possible. However, in recent years, there’s been an upsurge in grazing cattle and an increase in population, slowly creeping into the centre of these forests. So the people who look after them are trying to take action to prevent this from happening. In other places I have visited in Africa, conservation is a kind of ‘fortress’ where locals are thrown out and westerners visit in cars and look at animals, causing a division between conservation and the community. With this project, I wanted to reconcile traditional beliefs with modern conservation ethics. There’s a huge grass-roots desire to look after and preserve these
454 | FUNDING | forests in Ethiopia, which are hugely beneficial to the country, but they need financial support. I hope that exhibiting the work in the capital, Addis Ababa, will help raise awareness among those working in development. I spent a month in Ethiopia, including three weeks in the field in Bahir Dar where most of these forests are. With the photos, I wanted to show the passing of time, and reveal how these people are stewards of the Earth, caring for these trees which will outlive them and benefit future
generations. I thus started using slow exposures to show time passing, but also the spiritual sense of the place. It was a place of daily life, but it also transcended the profane. The bursary let me go somewhere I’d always wanted to and document a positive conservation story. So much of what we hear in relation to biodiversity is how things are failing, how we’re losing stuff. I feel this story shows that people can look after the environment, and not just in fortress-like national parks.
‘I WANTED TO RECONCILE TRADITION WITH MODERN CONSERVATION ETHICS’
ABOVE
Eucalyptus is transported by mule along a major trunk road to Gondar. The trees have little environmental benefit but are vital as biofuel and in construction ABOVE RIGHT
Richly symbolic icons surround the Holy of Holies at the centre of the church and forest, where an Ark of the covenant is held RIGHT
Paintings in a church on Lake Tana date back over 400 years and depict the history of Ethiopia, intertwined with floral patterns OPPOSITE
A young trainee priest prepares to participate in the divine liturgy at Robit church near Bahir Dar
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EKATRINA ANCHEVSKAYA AND ALEKSANDAR NIKOLOV
ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS BURSARY ! UNDER 30 Offered by the Society and The Photographic Angle Our project looks at the ecological problems of the Black Sea caused by climate change and human activities. Not many people know about eastern Europe, and in particular the Black Sea. The sea is the main marine body of eastern Europe, which connects it with western Asia. It is bounded by Russia, Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey and Georgia. We travelled to all six countries and talked to ecologists that live there to find out how people try to solve problems regarding climate change. We also wanted to explore the diverse ecologies in these areas. Global warming is causing a lot of fish and 456 / THE RPS JOURNAL / JUNE 2016 / VOL 156
plants to die. It’s one of the biggest problems that the area’s ecology faces. When you talk about the ecology of the sea, it’s not just the water that’s a concern, but the coast as well. We therefore have a variety of different kinds of images, including portraits, landscape and industrial photography. We want the result to be a photobook with lots of information to support the images. It’s difficult to just take photos of ecological problems – you need a lot of explanation as well. But we will keep it visually creative and beautiful at the same time. The bursary helped us finance the project. We would otherwise never have had the chance to travel to these countries.
TOP
ABOVE
Tuapse, Russia. Portrait of a local environmental activist.
Novorossiysk. The railway station, which is located right in the centre of the city and transports industrial materials and fuel. Frequently, the transportation results in leaks of industrial waste into the rivers which flow into the Black Sea
MIDDLE
Novorossiysk, Russia. Private constructions on the coast result in its destruction, and landslides.
| FUNDING | 457
JOHN GALLO
JOAN WAKELIN BURSARY Offered by the Society and The Guardian My project is about a beautiful set of islands in the Ria Formosa in the Algarve region of Portugal. People who live there are going to soon be deprived of their homes. Residents were first given permission to build
their homes on the island many years ago, either by the navy or the Polis Litoral Ria Formosa, which manages the islands. Most of the families have been living there for two or three generations. Now,
authorities say it’s damaging to the environment for people to live there, and so want to demolish their houses. Meanwhile, there is evidence indicating that the Polis plan to build resorts there, hence why
they are interested in removing the houses. But time will tell … I started the project in June last year and since then I have visited the islands three times. My aim has been to understand how these
SEA SAUSAGE
started or who built the hut, but men meet here on a regular basis to have lunch together
LEFT
One of the best baits a fisherman can get; €10 a piece, they are abundant around here THE FARM ABOVE
No-one really knows when the tradition
FUSETA BEACH, MAINLAND BELOW
The old lifeboat house, abandoned a few years ago
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458 | FUNDING | people live, why they are there and hear their side of the story. Often, you hear in the news that the residents build houses that are not legal. I wanted to see if that was true … It’s not. They didn’t build their houses illegally, as is sometimes claimed. They don’t have documents to prove it, but the Portuguese authorities permitted the buildings at the time. The bursary allowed me to travel to the islands and not worry about having enough money. I was able to set up the project in the way that I wanted and spend a lot of time in the field.
‘THE BURSARY ALLOWED ME TO TRAVEL TO THE ISLANDS AND NOT WORRY ABOUT HAVING ENOUGH MONEY’
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CHAPEL, HANGARES ABOVE
Fishermen believe their faith will prevent the sea from taking their lives.
FISHERMAN REPAIRING BOAT AT HANGARES BELOW
These bursaries are offered by the Society every year. Next year’s closing date will be in May. Check the Society website and Facebook for updates
SOME LEAD OTHERS FOLLOW SUN-SNIPER is the original Sniper Style strap and continues to develop new innovations which others try to follow. SunSniper offer a full range of fast, smooth and ultra-comfortable camera straps for all kinds of photographers. The camera hangs securely at the waist yet can be hoisted quickly, safely and smoothly into position so you’re always ready to shoot without having a swinging camera bouncing off your chest. The friction eliminating bearing results in better spinning and less swinging. In addition the SUN-SNIPER strap features a Steel Wire core which comes with a ₏1k insured guarantee to protect against the strap being cut and your camera stolen. Now you can shoot with total peace of mind. SUNSNIPER - USED BY THOUSANDS OF PHOTOGRAPHERS AROUND THE WORLD HHHHH Brantley Carmichael - USA I received this item for Christmas. I have been struggling to find the right strap. I do a lot of traveling with my children and the strap around the neck is not conducive to this. It makes it hard to pick them up or carry them.
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CHAMBERLIN FRPS 460 | SHOWCASE | JOHN
LANDS OF HOPE AND GLORY
John Chamberlin wants his images to reconnect people with their world
What inspired this work? As a city dweller I love the opportunity to visit large open spaces where I can escape the hustle and bustle of modern life. I capture the overlooked allure of the scenery. Even in popular locations, such as Yellowstone National Park, there are distinct perspectives that people have never noticed. This body of work explores the contrasts between natural and altered landscapes and how each retains its own individuality. What do your images reveal about the world? I think the main problem for so many people today is appreciating what’s in front of them. They’re either staring at their mobile phones or are too immersed in their headphones to fully appreciate the amazing sites surrounding them.
| VISIT |
What do you want visitors to get from the exhibition? To appreciate these images purely for the attractiveness of the locations. I also hope they encourage visitors to travel to these places and explore them on their own. It’s difficult to distil the feeling of a landscape in a photograph but it’s something I have strived to achieve. Through this exhibition, I want people to appreciate that it’s not just vast landscapes that are appealing; small areas also hold a remarkable beauty of their own. I also want my photographs to be accessible to a wider public. So many landscape images supposedly make profound points but they never move me. I want viewers to establish a closer connection with these images. Of the locations explored, which was your favourite? America is exceptionally diverse, a fact I think many people fail to fully comprehend. It’s easily as varied as Europe. Oregon has a spectacular coastline and the Palouse in Washington State is visually arresting. Its Europeanesque environs make it feel similar to parts of Tuscany. I’ve visited Yellowstone National Park probably a dozen times since the 1990s, so I could easily produce an exhibition on it. I particularly enjoy going in the off seasons when there are not as many people, as I can explore places where people don’t always go.
Contrasting Landscapes is on show at Fenton House this month. Go to rps.org/exhibitions-and-competitions
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CREDIT SITS IN BOX 4MM DEEP
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his month, John Chamberlin FRPS’s exhibition Contrasting Landscapes is on show at Society HQ. Chamberlin gained his Associate Distinction in 1984, achieving his Fellowship a year later. In 2008, he was awarded the Society’s Fenton Medal, was a member of the Travel Distinctions panel and chair of the Visual Art panel until December 2009. Chamberlin works in colour and monochrome, and his images have been exhibited worldwide.
CREDIT SITS IN BOX 4MM DEEP
JOHN CHAMBERLIN FRPS
| SHOWCASE | 461
‘I LOVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ESCAPE THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE OF MODERN LIFE’ VOL 156 / JUNE 2016 / THE RPS JOURNAL / 461
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JUNE 2016 THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY, TECHNIQUES AND SKILLS
Hasselblad H6D
Gavin Stoker gets to grips with this pixel-heavy – and inevitably pricy – medium-format kit
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ith the ongoing intention of producing the most accurate colours possible, Hasselblad unveils its new medium-format digital camera, hand-made in Sweden. Updating its H4 and H5 models, there are 50-megapixel and 100MP versions of the H6D – courtesy of new Sony sensors. The intention is to transform medium-format cameras from being purely studio based. And, as you need to make really big prints to see any noise at all, the
camera can be used for a wide(r) variety of disciplines. The heart of the H6D has been redesigned to cope with huge file sizes – and the addition of 4K video in the 100MP (‘100c’) version. The 50MP/’50c’ iteration offers full HD capture. Aside from a new rear display, points of interest include dual storage options: a CFast card slot provides much-needed reading/ writing speed, while the SD card slot means pictures can be saved to two cards at the same time, or jpeg files to one and raw files to
Price: From £17,900 for the 50MP model (trade-in price) Sensor: 100 or 50-megapixel full-frame CMOS Lens: Optional HD lens range available LCD screen: 3 inch, 920K dots Weight: 2,130g (100c), 2,115g (50c) for body and HC80 lens, battery and card More: hasselblad.com Summary: Studio-based commercial pros have long sworn by the Hasselblad medium format, but this is arguably the most accessible and futureproof model yet
the other. Shutter speeds of up to 1/2,000sec with full flash sync are achievable. For video, Hasselblad has added a number of ports, including USB 3.0 and a Type C connector. There’s no microphone built in, but an external mic can be attached for professional sound capture. The H6D further features a crisp, sharp-looking display, which is also a touchscreen that can be customised to add icons pertaining to your desired functions. VOL 156 / JUNE 2016 / THE RPS JOURNAL / 463
464 | THE CRAFT | LATEST KIT
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Tamrac Hoodoo camera Zeiss Batis 18mm f/2.8 backpacks From £89.99 lens £1,188 Backpack-cum-shoulder bag for taking on the great outdoors tamrac.co.uk
Premium wide-angle lens for Sony’s full-frame a7 series CSCs sony.co.uk
Camera bags that don’t immediately resemble such, but still protect your kit, are always going to be popular and Tamrac has a couple of options in its new Hoodoo duo. The ‘18’ bag is aimed at mirrorless or smaller DSLR camera owners, while the larger ‘20’ model is something of a three-in-one-deal, converting from a roomy backpack into a standalone shoulder bag, or day pack. The camera module can be removed and used with the included strap. This option retails for around £130. Interior dividers are fully customisable, with easy access also provided via the front of the larger pack. The top section has space for personal items, as well as room for a 15-inch laptop.
Zeiss has been making interchangeable lenses for Sony Alpha series products since the mid 2000s, the latest being a freshly minted lens for its E-mount-incorporating, full-frame a7 family of compact system cameras. This attractive Batis series lens (Zeiss also offers Touit and Loxia line-ups) – the widest yet – features a built-in OLED display revealing focus distance and depth of field. The result is impressive image quality across the full frame. Alongside offering autofocus and supporting all the E-mount operating modes, the Batis features a rubberised focus ring for precise manual adjustment. It’s also dust and weathersealed for use in a wide variety of conditions.
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GEAR SPY
Panasonic Lumix DMCGX80 From £509 body only
Premium system camera that marries stills and video capability panasonic.com/uk/ l ALPHA DUO Two new full-frame lenses for Sony’s Alpha line-up have been announced in the FE 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G OSS telephoto zoom and 50mm f/1.8 prime; the former being the brand’s longestreach E-mount lens to date, while the latter has been designed to deliver beautiful bokeh. l LYTRO REFOCUSED Talking of which, Lytro – known for its innovative ‘light field’ models which allowed photographers to refocus their shots in-camera post-capture – is to pull out of the consumer market. Having reassessed its business, it will shift to concentrate on virtual reality and Hollywood.
A new premium system camera, the seriouslooking 16-megapixel GX80 is about video just as much as stills. It incorporates 4K video capture at 25fps and five-axis image stabilisation, with a new shutter unit design minimising vibration and a new imageprocessing engine for greater colour accuracy. Users can extract an 8MP still from a 4K high-resolution video clip, while the ‘post-focus’ function allows photographers to alter what they want sharp in the frame after the fact. Additionally, there are 22 on-board digital filter effects. We also get a live viewfinder with 2,764K-dot resolution, 100 per cent field of view and an eye sensor built in, to avoid the need for additional button presses. 3
| THE CRAFT | 465 MEMBER TEST 4
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DxO ONE IPhone-compatible ultra-compact camera
I Canon EOS 1300D DSLR Nissin i60A flashgun From £289.99 body only £287.94 EOS DSLRs get NFC and wi-fi as standard, even at entry level canon.co.uk
‘Smallest, lightest’ portable flash available, in most camera fits nissindigital.com
This EOS combines an 18-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor, wireless picture delivery (near-field communication) and compatibility with around 80 EF lenses and accessories. For video, and with a wide variety of optics available, full HD capability comes as standard, while the 1300D’s light sensitivity stretches to ISO 12,800 equivalent. With 3:2 ratio images as a default, elsewhere capabilities are more limited, mirroring its price tag. Thus we get a ‘mere’ 3fps burst speed at full 18MP resolution, and nine-point AF. The rear screen is of the fixed 3-inch variety. There are two 18-55mm standard zoom lens kits available with the 1300D body on launch, letting buyers add an image-stabilised lens.
This portable (at 300g) third-party flashgun arrives in a Sony fit this month, then in Fujifilm, Micro Four Thirds (Olympus/Panasonic), Canon and Nikon fits thereafter. ‘The smallest and lightest high-powered portable flash available’, it offers a guide number of 60 at IS0 100, a 200m zoom head position, and comes with a built-in diffuser and softbox accessory. It is compatible with Nissin’s 2.4GHz wireless Air System – itself expanded with the new Receiver Air R range, which provides coverage of up to 30m. Its 2.4GHz radio transmission is less susceptible to issues caused by not having a clear line of sight between transmitter and receiver. Sony, Canon and Nikon fits are available at £59.94.
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was keen to try the DxO ONE as I felt it would suit my photography (I use a mirrorless camera for lightness and a wide-angle zoom lens). I plugged the kit in to my iPhone and played around before reading the manual – the DxO ONE is loaded with functions. I decided to test it outdoors. Unfortunately, the camera doesn’t come with a protective bag so I borrowed a pancake lens cover to keep it safe. My expedition required me to attach camera to iPhone at the point of capturing an image. I had to plug in the DxO, unlock phone, open the app, then take the picture. The DxO ONE didn’t fire up on the quick camera icon (it took
three times longer than using the iPhone on its own – 12 seconds versus 37). I also had problems with the app freezing and hanging my iPhone 5 such that I had to turn off and start again. The iPhone and DxO ONE combination is quite fragile, cumbersome to carry when assembled, and needed dismantling before putting it back in my pocket. Using the camera without the iPhone was easier. With its 32mm equivalent lens, it didn’t need pointing accurately. Overall I was a little disappointed with the DxO ONE. Troublesome software, slow capture times and its bulky design when assembled really let it down.
‘Using the camera without the iPhone was easier’ AUTHOR PROFILE REX WAYGOOD Having joined the Society ‘to discover more about the organisation’, Waygood is active in the DIG forum and enjoys the sharing of photographic knowledge
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Student, Stan Dickinson
Open College of the Arts 0800 731 2116 oca.ac.uk
| THE CRAFT | 467 MASTER CLASS
Get started with wet collodion imagery Michael Schaaf shares the foundations of a classic process
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ollodion photography, which has its origins in the early 1850s, has seen a renaissance over the last few years. Most people who are in the trade now make ambrotypes or tintypes (collodion positives), which are beautiful one-of-akind pieces of art. Given the choice, though, I prefer to make negatives, as they offer a bigger dynamic range. Combined with 19th-century printing techniques and papers, such as salted paper and albumen, this offers the most striking results. The tonal range of a well-made salt print is barely surpassed by any other photographic paper. The process is more or less the same as for ambrotypes,
but the negative needs a longer exposure, a different development and possibly a chemical intensification in case the original density did not suffice. The longer exposure makes this less suitable for any subject prone to movement. If you want to start with wet collodion photography, these are some of the points to consider.
MICHAEL SCHAAF; BILL BROOKS
AUTHOR PROFILE MICHAEL SCHAAF Michael Schaaf is a professional photographer, artist and teacher of historic photographic processes. In recent years, he has focused on collodion negatives, both wet and dry, and pre-1880 printing processes collodion.org.uk
| SIGN UP | WORKSHOP |
EXPERT TIPS
Five steps to capturing collodion images DON’T BREAK THE BANK 1 Fancy those beautiful, purpose-made wetplate cameras? You don’t need one to start with collodion – almost any analogue camera can be converted to accept glass plates. That leaves more of your budget for the making of the plates, which, I have to admit, involves expensive chemicals. CONVERT YOUR KIT 2 When modifying a camera or equipment for wet-plate use, be prepared for some contamination with silver nitrate. No modification is required for 6x9cm metal box cameras. All you need are some glass plates cut to the right size. Sheet film holders and Polaroid film
packs are easy to convert too. There are several how-to videos available on the internet. LEARN THE ROPES 3 I strongly recommend taking a workshop with a qualified, experienced tutor to give you the best start. SAFETY FIRST 4 Make sure you know the properties of all the chemicals you use; some are dangerous when not handled properly. ENJOY THE PROCESS 5 It’s not enough to be in love with the final product, you have to like the whole process, because otherwise you won’t get decent results.
Learn the art of wet collodion photography at a weekend workshop in Lacock, Wiltshire, on 17 and 18 June (£170 Society members). See more on page 476 VOL 156 / JUNE 2016 / THE RPS JOURNAL / 467
MASTER CLASS
Voyage of discovery
Adopting the medium-format system has proved a revelation, says William Barrington-Binns
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n September 2015, I was shooting fine art nudes with my guru and mentor Roger Michel Fichmann. He was using a medium-format Phase One, and the images he captured were astounding. That month, I had three major shoots planned in Thailand, over eight days – the most important photography I had ever done, involving a big team.
I wanted the images to be suitable for exhibition on large canvases so, after serious research, I invested in the rather expensive Phase One XF IQ2 60MP camera system.
Destination detail I took some time to get used to shooting medium format, practising with the Schneider Kreuznach lenses I’d take to
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Thailand – a 55mm, 80mm and 75 to 150mm. The main difference was in my results, which revealed outstanding details and gave my images an almost 3D effect. This better prepared me for working with highly detailed scenes and gave me incredible freedom in what I could achieve. I’d been expecting to use my Canon 5DSR, but with the medium format I could
capture so much more detail, so when presented with some particularly intricate designs I felt confident I could do them justice. Tethering is not something I was used to, but I wanted to become proficient before the trip, due to the detail of the costumes and stylings we would be using, and as I felt it was the best way to harness the Phase One’s capabilities.
| THE CRAFT | 469 LA BELLE CAUCHEMAR BELOW Beautiful Nightmare – revisit me again and again and again …
TRIBALWILD MUD BOTTOM RIGHT
DEMON GODDES MELEKITH BELOW The innocent distress our fair Goddess evokes hides a much darker intention
‘MEDIUM FORMAT FEELS LIKE LOOKING AT THE WORLD IN A WHOLE NEW WAY, AND THE EXTRA STOPS OF DYNAMIC RANGE ARE PHENOMENAL’
DEMON GODDESS LILITH ABOVE She dwells in our dreams and distracts our realities, merging darkness and light into one
One of my biggest concerns before getting the camera system was whether my skills were good enough to justify such a brilliant piece of kit. Tethering would allow me to thoroughly check my results as I shot.
A whole new world I practised with my laptop and Mac in the UK, using
TetherTool. I chose to purchase an orange cable; its high visibility making it less of a trip hazard. When shooting tethered, I learned that it’s important to check your connections, and to make sure you don’t have any power interruptions that might halt the file transfer. Shooting medium format, I was slowing down and spending more time really looking at the shots – which increased my artistic abilities to adjust and manipulate my and others’ perspective. It is like looking at the world in a whole new way. Compared to 35mm, medium format feels like seeing things the way they really are. The extra stops of dynamic range are also phenomenal. The only limitation, for me, is the size of the medium-
format camera. I had no problems though, even with the large 75-150mm lens. This may lead some towards using a tripod but I have always preferred to shoot handheld, and as yet this remains unchanged.
Precision decision Post-processing remains a key part of my work cycle, but I have switched to using Capture One – Phase One’s software. Used to Lightroom, I wasn’t keen on Capture One at first, but one day it just clicked. It allows great precision and has incredible processing capability.
Onwards and upwards My approach and techniques will continue to develop, as
Phase One rolls out its substantial system updates. I’m looking forward to experimenting with focus stack on my next shoot. So few people are lucky enough to get to shoot medium format, but there are several ways to gain access. Medium-format set-ups can be hired at many studios around the UK. The system is not cheap but for me, it was an investment in something I love. AUTHOR PROFILE WILLIAM BARRINGTON! BINNS A creative photographer with a passion for travel, William Barrington-Binns is also a digital artist williambb.com
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WHY I LOVE IT
LEICA M3 SPECIFICATION Introduced: 1954 Lens: Summicron 50mm Dimensions: 138 x 77 x 33.5mm Weight: 580g Focus: manual
EARLY DAYS
I became interested in photography at the age of 11 and by 14 was the proud owner of a Leica 111f with 50mm collapsible Elmar lens. This was purchased with the money that I earned by taking and printing pictures that I captured at school sports events. I wore it around my neck with great pride, like a medal. MY FIRST LEICA M3
MY FAVOURITE CAMERA
Leica M3
Dr Afzal Ansary ASIS FRPS, chair of the Society’s Imaging Science Qualifications Board, shares his love of Leica kit
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professional medical and scientific photographer, Dr Afzal Ansary ASIS FRPS has a long-held passion for photography. In 2013, he was awarded the Fenton Medal and honorary life membership for his contribution to the work of the Society. While his work, at times, requires cameras modified for purpose, Dr Ansary favours Leica equipment for his hobby.
I gained a firm understanding of Leica cameras and lenses through reading and set my heart on an M3 camera with a 50mm Summicron lens. My dream came true when my father bought me a second-hand M3 with my favourite lens in 1956 as a present for performing well in my studies. WHY AN M3?
I own various Leica digital cameras but often load my M3 with black and white film for my personal projects. The M3 is great fun to use; it’s purely
mechanical, challenges you, enables you to work out the correct exposure, manually focus through the coupled rangefinder with parallax correction, and has interchangeable lens capability for 50mm, 90mm and 135mm with an M mount. My old M3 takes modern Leica lenses as well, and its strong, reliable build means you are totally in control. Leica lenses have their own unique signatures that give beautiful tonality and excellent bokeh. The M3 was a favourite among many professionals and photojournalists. DIGITAL VS ANALOGUE
I believe digital photography is like fast food, while analogue is similar to home cooking. The M3 lets me relish my analogue photography process, while the craftsmanship of Leica is admired the world over. For me, the Leica M3 is the most iconic vintage camera and I will always love using it.
image © Yiannis Roussakis
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T H E DAW N O F A N E W E R A
GENERATION X co mi n g s u mme r 2 016
BOWENS.CO.UK
MEMBER Land of ice and snow
Enjoy a guided tour of Tim Rudman’s Iceland photography exhibition
O
n Saturday 18 June the iconic Lacock Abbey, home of the Fox Talbot Museum, will be the venue for a day of photography during which Tim Rudman FRPS will give a guided tour of his Iceland, an Uneasy Calm exhibition. The exhibition is a series of photographs taken in Iceland over the last eight years. Rudman is known internationally as a pioneering landscape photographer and has been exhibited in more than 50 countries around the world to date. A member of the Society’s fellowship board, he has gained widespread acclaim for his distinctive black and
white printing, and has published four books on printing and toning techniques. Attendees will be granted private access to the exhibition and gallery at the Fox Talbot Museum, following which they will have the chance to photograph the abbey – known as the ‘birthplace of British photography’ – while it is closed to the public. Permission has also been granted to take tripods onsite, providing the perfect opportunity for large-format users to get some great shots in the beautiful abbey grounds.
| GUIDE | 473
GUIDE
YOUR RPS EVENTS ! COURSES PROGRAMME
JUN!JUL!AUG
GO TO
RPS.ORG/EVENTS FOR THE LATEST UPDATES
Clockwise from top: Resting place, Kirkjufell and Iceland trees by Tim Rudman FRPS
For more information turn to page 474 or go to rps.org/events VOL 156 / JUNE 2016 / THE RPS JOURNAL / 473
474 | GUIDE |
REGIONS
SW London Tuesday 14 June / 19:00–21:00
`` Free `` Regular meeting of the group `` The Prince of Wales, Upper
Meet photographers and view work in your area
MIKES.SHARPLES(VIRGIN.NET
Richmond Road, Putney SW15 2SP `` London Web, londonweb@rps.org
Special event and AGM
Outdoor workshop
CENTRAL MIKE SHARPLES ARPS, 07884 657535
Sunday 19 June / 10:00–16:30
Wednesday 15 June / 19:00–21:15
`` £5 non-Society members `` We have invited two very
`` £25/£20 Society members `` Workshop led by award-
special guest speakers to join us – Christine Widdall and Terry Donnelly FRPS `` Smethwick Photographic Society, Churchbridge, Oldbury, Birmingham B69 2AS `` Mike Sharples ARPS, as above
Rollright Visual Art Group summer meeting Saturday 20 August / 10:00–16:30
`` See website for details `` The Village Hall, Main Street, Long Compton CV36 5JS
`` Andreas Klatt ARPS, rpsva@klatt.co.uk
winning wildlife photographer Robert Canis `` TBC `` Breathing London, greenlondon@rps.org
The Bookworm Club Thursday 16 June / 18:30–21:00
`` The Photographers’ Gallery Join the London Group for a morning stroll around Woodberry Wetlands Image: Shutterstock
Creative Group members’ day Sunday 26 June / 10:15–16:45
Road, Foxton, Cambs CB22 6RN
`` David Jordan, 01603 866475,
daveandjoanjordan@yahoo.co.uk
Sunday 28 August / 10:00–16:00
`` £12/£10 group members `` The day is a mix of
EAST MIDLANDS
prerecorded photo shoots, live photo editing in Photoshop, Elements and Lightroom, plus some live photography with a little help from members `` Smethwick Photographic Society, The Old Schoolhouse, Churchbridge, Oldbury B69 2AS `` Ian Bailey, 07980 376301, digmidlands@rps.org
STEWART WALL ARPS, 07955 124000 STEWARTWALL(ICLOUD.COM
EM RPS photobook project: street photography at the Ashbourne Streetfest Sat 18 June–Sun 19 June / 11:00–17:00
`` The Market Square,
Ashbourne DE6 1ES `` Stewart Wall ARPS, as above
Andre du Plessis FRPS talks about his Fellowship social documentary panel
EAST ANGLIA IAN WILSON ARPS, 07767 473594 IAN(GREENMEN.ORG.UK
Distinctions advisory day
Sunday 26 June / 10:00–16:00
`` £10/£5 concessions/ students
Sunday 12 June / 10:30–16:30
`` £20/£15/£10 observers `` LRPS and ARPS (Creative,
`` Whatton Jubilee Hall,
Church Street, Whatton, Notts NG13 9EL `` Stewart Wall ARPS, as above
Pictorial and Travel). Fully booked for advice, but plenty of space for observers `` Foxton Village Hall, Hardman Road, Foxton CB22 6RN `` Ann Miles FRPS, ann@pin-sharp.co.uk
EIRE MICHAEL O’SULLIVAN INFO(MOSULLIVANPHOTO.COM LONDON
Nature Group & East Anglia Region joint field meeting to Lackford Lakes
DEL BARRETT ARPS LONDONEVENTS(RPS.ORG
Saturday 18 June / 9:00–17:00
landscapes, insects, flowers and birds in Suffolk `` Lackford Lakes Centre, Bury St Edmunds IP28 6HX
383586, ann@pin-sharp.co.uk
`` £6 `` Foxton Village Hall, Hardman
Gavin Hoey – Photoshop training and live demonstration
`` Opportunities to photograph
`` Ann Miles FRPS, 07710
GO TO
RPS.ORG/EVENTS FOR THE LATEST UPDATES
474 / THE RPS JOURNAL / JUNE 2016 / VOL 156
London, Naturally walk: discover Woodberry Wetlands Sunday 5 June / 10:00–12:30
`` London, Naturally is offering an informal Sunday morning stroll to introduce
photographers to the wonders of the Woodberry Wetlands site `` Manor House Underground Station, Green Lanes, London N4 1BZ `` London, Naturally, london_naturally@rps.org
First Tuesday Tuesday 7 June / 18:45–21:00
`` £5 payable at door (all comers) `` This is a joint event with City of London & Cripplegate PS to hear guest speaker Luke Dodds `` St Josephy’s Church Hall, Lamb’s Passage, London EC1Y 8EL `` London Cave, londoncave@rps.org
ARPS advisory day – travel, conceptual and contemporary Wednesday 8 June / 10:30–16:30
`` Participants £25/£20
Society members `` Observers £15/£10 Society members `` Have your work reviewed by Will Cheung FRPS for Travel, and Anne Cassidy FRPS for Conceptual and Contemporary `` The Nikon Centre, 63-64 Margaret Street, London W1W 8SW `` London Distinctions, londondist@rps.org
Adobe Lightroom organisation and library module workshop Saturday 11 June / 9:45–16:15
`` £55/£45 Society members `` Workshop aimed at
photographers who want to get the best out of the organisation and library part of the Lightroom workflow `` Ideas Store Whitechapel, London EC11BU `` London Events, londonevents@rps.org
Bookshop, 16-18 Ramillies Street, London W1F 7LW `` London Events, londonevents@rps.org
V&A Paul Strand talk Friday 17 June / 18:00–19:00
`` See website for costs `` Please book place by 10 June `` Victoria and Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, South Kensington, London SW7 2RL `` London Events, londonevents@rps.org
London Region street walk Saturday 18 June / 9:45–13:00 Saturday 16 July / 9:45–13:00
`` Numbers are limited so
please reserve your place
`` TBC, London SE10 8RS `` London Cave, londoncave@rps.org
London, Naturally – walk Sunday 26 June / 10:00–13:00 Sunday 31 July / 10:00–13:00
`` Regular monthly Sunday
morning walk arranged by the London, Naturally micro-group `` London, TBC `` London, Naturally, london_naturally@rps.org
Breathing London project Until Thursday 30 June / 9:00–18:00
`` £15/£10 Society members `` Sign up to take part in
Breathing London – a project to photograph the diversity of London’s open spaces `` Over all the London boroughs `` Judy & Jen, greenlondon@rps.org
First Tuesday Tuesday 5 July / 19:00–21:00
`` £5/£3 Society members `` Details to be confirmed `` Greenwich Gallery, Peyton Place, London SE10 8RS
`` London Cave,
londoncave@rps.org
| GUIDE | 475 LRPS advisory day Wednesday 13 July / 10:30–16:30
`` £25/£20/£15 spectators `` With Cathy Roberts FRPS
and Rosemary Wilman HonFRPS `` Nikon Centre of Excellence, 63-64 Margaret Street, London W1W 8SW `` London Distinctions, londondist@rps.org
Handmade photobook workshop
`` £5 `` Bridge of Allan Parish Church, Keir Street, Bridge of Allan FK9 4NW `` Doug Berndt ARPS, digscotland@rps.org
Scottish members’ print exhibition 2016/17 Until Saturday 25 June / 10:30–16:00
`` Penicuik Community Arts
Association, Penicuik EH26 9DL `` Doug Berndt, dugber@blueyonder.co.uk
Saturday 23 July / 9:30–16:30
`` £55/£45 Society members `` Spend the day with Malcolm
Raggett, photographer and photobook artist. Bring along a selection of your images and Raggett will teach us to make these the pages of a beautiful, A4-sized hardback book with a smaller photograph inlaid on the cover `` The Idea Store, 321 Whitechapel Road, London E1 1BU `` London Events, londonevents@rps.org
Photo forum Larkhall Saturday 23 July / 10:30–16:00
`` Blackwood and Kirkmuirhill
Community Wing, Carlisle Road, Blackwood ML11 9SB `` James Frost FRPS, as above
Photo forum north-east Sunday 14 August / 10:30–16:00
`` Aberdeen Arts Centre,
33 King Street, Aberdeen AB24 5AA `` James Frost FRPS, as above SOUTH EAST DAVID POWELL, 01273 251485
NORTH WALES MARTIN BROWN LRPS MAIL(MARTINBROWN.CO.UK
SOUTHEAST(RPS.ORG
Visit to Tudeley and Capel Thursday 7 July / 10:30–14:00
NORTH WEST DR AFZAL ANSARY ASIS FRPS, 07970 403672 AFZALANSARY(AOL.COM
Annual portrait day Sunday 12 June / 11:00–13:30
`` £15/£12.50 Society members
`` This will be the most exciting
portraiture day we have ever staged. There will be three studio set-ups available `` Welkin Mill, Welkin Road, Bredbury SK62BH `` Alan Angel, 0161 980 0106 aandjangel@btinternet.com NORTHERN GERRY ADCOCK ARPS, 01661 830882
`` Two ancient churches on the Pilgrims’ Way. More details to be confirmed `` All Saint’s Church, Tudeley, Tonbridge TN11 0NZ `` Chelin Miller, heritageweb@rps.org
South East Region Fellowship advisory day Sunday 5 June / 10:30–16:00
`` £25 Society members `` The advisor will be Roger
Reynolds HonFRPS, past president, chairman of the Distinctions advisory board and a member of the fellowship board
`` Location to be confirmed,
SOUTHERN
Tunbridge Wells TN1 2EP `` Terry McGhie ARPS, 01323 492584, southeast@rps.org
PAUL GILMOUR LRPS, 07899 042372 SOUTHERN(RPS.ORG
On my doorstep Sunday 3 July / 9:00–16:30
SOUTH WALES
`` £35 group members `` See travel guide listing for
MIKE LEWIS, 07855 309667, 01446 710770 MIKEGLEWIS101(BTINTERNET.COM
details
Gower Peninsula weekend
`` Chichester Cathedral, The
Royal Chantry, Cathedral Cloisters, Chichester, West Sussex PO19 1PX `` Tony R S Ashford, 020 8767 1911, tonyashford@live.co.uk
Saturday 4 June – Sunday 5 June
`` Event full, contact for waiting list. £5 non-members
`` SA3 1PR `` Peter Douglas-Jones,
peter@douglas-jones.biz
THAMES VALLEY MARK BUCKLEY,SHARP ARPS, 020 8907 5874
SOUTH WEST
MARK.BUCKLEY,SHARP(TISCALI.CO.UK
MICK MEDLEY, 01626 824865/07980 073808
Thames Valley Distinctions advisory day
MICHAEL.MEDLEY(BTINTERNET.COM
South West Contemporary Group meeting
Sunday 26 June / 10:00–16:00
`` Fully booked, contact for waiting list
`` Millennium Hall, Main Road,
Sunday 19 June / 10:30–15:30
`` A day to enjoy and take part in
Lacey Green HP27 0QN
`` Mark Buckley-Sharp,
portfolio and project reviews of members’ work `` Carnon Downs Village Hall, Carnon Downs, Truro TR3 6GH `` Rod Fry, 01803 844721, rod@rodfry.eclipse.co.uk
as above
WESTERN KEVIN SCHWAERZLER, 07710 172203 WESTERN(RPS.ORG
`` Field trip in Cornwall
Western Region field trip
Saturday 16 July / 10:30–16:00
Sunday 10 July / 9:00–17:00
`` Godolphin House, Godolphin,
`` £35 `` Brooklands Motor Museum `` Brooklands Museum,
Truro TR13 9RE
`` Margaret Hocking ARPS,
01872 561219, bosrowynek@ btinternet.com
Weybridge, Surrey KT13 0SL
`` Kevin Schwaerzler, as above
West Cornwall Group meeting
Western Region LRPS and ARPS advisory day
Tuesday 19 July / 19:30–21:30
Sunday 17 July / 10:30–16:30
`` The bi-monthly meeting of
`` £20/£15/£10 spectators `` Fenton House, 122 Wells
the West Cornwall Group
`` The Village Hall,
Church Hill, Chacewater, Truro TR4 8PZ `` Vivien Howse ARPS, 01326 221939, vivien939@ btinternet.com
Malcolm Raggett will lead a handmade photobook workshop in London Image: Shutterstock
Road, Bath BA2 3AH
`` Michelle Whitmore, michelle@ michellewhitmore.co.uk
Western Region monthly meeting Sunday 5 June / 10:00–12:30
NORTHERN IRELAND
`` £5 `` Prints for discussion `` 122 Wells Road, Bath
SCOTLAND
`` Kevin Schwaerzler, as above
GERRY(GERRYADCOCK.CO.UK
BA2 3AH
JAMES FROST FRPS 01578 730466/07881 856294 JAMES.FROST11(BTINTERNET.COM
Ilton group field trip
Visit to the Johnson Collection
`` £12 `` Ilton field trip to Mapperton
Sunday 21 August / 11:00–17:00
Friday 10 June / 9:00–17:00
`` £10/£5 Society members `` Group visit to the
House and gardens
`` Mapperton, Beaminster, Dorset DT8 3NR
Johnson Collection `` Wick Heritage Centre, Bank Row, Wick, Caithness KW1 5EY `` Dr Donald Stewart, 01592 840277, donaldstewart42@aol.com
`` Mick Humphreys,
DIG Scotland Centre – June meeting
Distinctions advisory day, Wakefield
Sunday 19 June / 13:30–16:15
Saturday 18 June / 10:30–16:30
mick@somersite.co.uk YORKSHIRE MARY CROWTHER ARPS, 07921 237962 PHOTOBOX50(GMAIL.COM
VOL 156 / JUNE 2016 / THE RPS JOURNAL / 475
476 | GUIDE |
WORKSHOPS
Practical wildlife photography
Saturday 4 June / 10:30–16:30
`` £105/£80 Society members
`` A chance to photograph the wildlife at the Westcountry Wildlife Photography Centre with tutor Nigel Hicks `` Devon
Introduction to Lightroom Saturday 11 June / 10:00–16:30
`` £95/£71 Society members `` This course provides an introduction to Lightroom’s organisational, editing and printing tools and is suitable for a beginner `` Bath HQ
Two-day wedding workshop Sat 11 – Sun 12 June/ 10:00–17:00
`` £165/£140 Society members
`` This introductory workshop is for all those wanting to learn more about how to take great wedding photographs and the basics of starting a business `` Lacock, Wiltshire
Printing with Lightroom Sunday 12 June / 10:00–16:00
`` £95/£71 Society members `` This course provides an introduction to Lightroom’s organisational, editing and printing tools and is suitable for a beginner `` Bath HQ
Wet collodion – two days Fri 17 June – Sat 18 June / 9:30-17:00
`` £195/£170 Society members
`` £20/£15/£10 spectators `` Advice for the Licentiate, plus Associate Distinctions in Travel
`` New Brookhouse Club,
Hear from the experts and hone your skills
`` Learn how to make your
own wet collodion negatives; coating the plates, sensitising, exposing the plate, developing, fixing and eventually intensifying the negative for a greater density `` Lacock, Wiltshire
Product photography
221 Barnsley Road, Wakefield WF1 5NU `` Robert Helliwell, 01904 500231, bobhelliwell@clara.co.uk
How to photograph children and babies Sunday 26 June / 10:00–17:00
`` £95/£71 Society members `` This is a stand-alone
SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS
course, which will give you the skills that will enhance your images and professionalism to boost your business `` Lacock, Wiltshire
Fri 17 June – Sat 18 June / 10:00-17:00
`` £155/£130 Society members `` Colerne, near Bath
From shutter to print: colour management training
Explore more aspects of photography and digital imaging
Wednesday 29 June / 10:00–15:00
One-day introduction to your digital camera (DSLR) Saturday 18 June / 10:00–17:00
`` £85/£63 Society
members `` A beginners’ photography course `` Bath HQ
Ambrotypes Sunday 19 June / 9:30–17:00
`` £120/£95 Society members
`` Learn how to make your
own ambrotype, direct positives on glass, which you can take home. No experience is needed for you to enjoy this course `` Lacock, Wiltshire
Art nude photography Saturday 25 June / 10:00–17:00
`` £120/£95 Society members
`` The course is suitable
for all photographers wishing to learn about lighting a nude and producing high-quality photographs. The lighting techniques are also suitable for pregnancy and maternity photography `` Lacock, Wiltshire
`` £45/£33 Society members
`` Perfect for digital
ANALOGUE
photographers who want to get accurate colour results and a more successful colour workflow, or those just converting to digital expecting to see what is on their screen come out of their printer `` Bath HQ
RICHARD BRADFORD ARPS ANALOGUE(RPS.ORG
Lacock Abbey with Tim Rudman FRPS Saturday 18 June / 12:00–17:30
`` Photography day at Lacock
Abbey with a guided tour by Tim Rudman FRPS of his Iceland exhibition `` Lacock, Wiltshire, SN15 2LG `` Stephen Godfrey, 01249 730459, steve@ stephengodfrey-photography. co.uk
The natural and man-made landscape Saturday 2 July / 9:00–18:00
`` £155/£130 Society members
`` Another great location for
this opportunity to work alongside three excellent tutors who are there to help you get the most from the beautiful landscapes in and around the village of Monyash `` Monyash, Derbyshire
ARCHAEOLOGY AND HERITAGE RODNEY BERNARD THRING LRPS, 01276 20725 RODNEY.THRING(NTLWORLD.COM
Visit to Tudeley and Capel Thursday 7 July / 10:30–14:00
`` Two ancient churches on the Pilgrims’ Way. More details to be confirmed `` All Saint’s Church, Tudeley, Tonbridge TN11 0NZ `` Chelin Miller, heritageweb@rps.org
Introduction to Photoshop Saturday 2 July / 10:00–17:00
`` £95/£71 Society members `` Bath HQ Studio portraiture
AUDIO VISUAL
Sat 23 July - Sun 24 July / 10:00–17:00
HOWARD BAGSHAW ARPS, 01889 881503
`` £165/£140 Society
HOWARD.BAGSHAW(NTLWORLD.COM
members `` Lacock, Wiltshire
CONTEMPORARY PETER ELLIS LRPS, 07770 837977
Creative dance lighting photography – fully booked
WORDSNPICSLTD(GMAIL.COM
Bristol Photobook Festival 2016
Saturday 30 July 2016 / 10:00– 17:00
`` £115/£90 Society
Friday 10 – Sunday 12 June
`` Join Brian Steptoe at this
members `` Leigh, Surrey
Cinematic Hollywood beauty lighting made simple Saturday 27 August / 10:00–17:00
`` £120/£95 Society Wildlife photography with Nigel Hicks. Image: Shuttertock
476 / THE RPS JOURNAL / JUNE 2016 / VOL 156
members `` Surrey
year’s photobook festival
`` SouthBank Club, Dean Lane, Bristol BS3 1DB
`` photobook.bristol@gmail.com
GO TO
RPS.ORG/EVENTS FOR THE LATEST UPDATES
V&A Paul Strand talk Friday 17 June / 18:00–19:00
`` See website for costs `` Please book place by 10 June `` Victoria and Albert Museum,
| GUIDE | 477 Cromwell Road, South Kensington, London SW7 2RL `` London Events, londonevents@rps.org
South West Contemporary Group meeting Sunday 19 June / 10:30–15:30
`` A day to enjoy and take part in portfolio and project reviews of members’ work `` Carnon Downs Village Hall, Carnon Downs, Truro TR3 6GH `` Rod Fry, 01803 844721, rod@rodfry.eclipse.co.uk
prerecorded photo shoots, live photo editing in Photoshop, Elements and Lightroom, plus some live photography with a little help from members `` Smethwick Photographic Society, The Old Schoolhouse, Churchbridge, Oldbury B69 2AS `` Ian Bailey, 07980 376301, digmidlands@rps.org
Nature Reserve
IMAGING SCIENCE
Wednesday 8 June / 9:30–16:00
DR TONY KAYE ASIS FRPS, 020 8420 6557
`` Photograph meadow flowers,
TONYKAYE(HOTMAIL.CO.UK
insects and birds
`` Knapp and Papermill Nature
LANDSCAPE
Reserve, Bridges Stone, Alfrick WR6 5HR `` Duncan Locke, 01905 821509 or 07989 494232, Duncan.locke@btinternet.com
TIM PARISH LRPS LANDSCAPE(RPS.ORG
Gower Peninsula weekend Saturday 4 June – Sunday 5 June
Nature Group & East Anglia Region joint field meeting to Lackford Lakes
`` Event full, contact for waiting
DOCUMENTARY MO CONNELLY LRPS, 01590 641849 DVJ(RPS.ORG HISTORICAL
list. £5 non-members `` Gower Peninsula SA3 1PR `` Peter Douglas-Jones, peter@douglas-jones.biz
Saturday 18 June / 9:00–17:00
`` Opportunities to photograph
JENNIFER FORD ARPS, 01234 881459 CREATIVE BARRY COLLIN LRPS CREATIVECHAIR(RPS.ORG
Members’ meeting Sunday 26 June / 10:30–11:00
`` £6 `` Foxton Village Hall,
Cambridgeshire CB22 6RN `` David Jordan FRPS, daveandjoanjordan@ yahoo.co.uk
JENNYFORD2000(YAHOO.CO.UK
Visit to the Johnson Collection Friday 10 June / 9:00–17:00
`` £10/£5 Society members `` Wick Heritage Centre, Bank Row, Wick KW1 5EY `` Dr Donald Stewart, 01592 840277, donaldstewart42@aol.com
landscapes, insects, flowers, and birds in Suffolk `` Lackford Lakes Centre, Bury St Edmunds IP28 6HX `` Ann Miles FRPS, 07710 383586, ann@pin-sharp.co.uk
MEDICAL DR AFZAL ANSARY ASIS FRPS, 07970 403672 AFZALANSARY(AOL.COM NATURE RICHARD REVELS FRPS, 01767 313065 RICHARD.REVELS(TALKTALK.NET
Nature Group field meeting to Knapp and Papermill
See gannets at Bempton Cliffs with the Nature Group Image: Shutterstock
Saturday 18 June – Sunday 19 June
`` Photograph diving and flying gannets from a boat, from RSPB Bempton Cliffs `` Bridlington harbour car park, Bridlington YO15 3AL `` James Foad LRPS, 01843 580295 or 07810 306365, jamesfoadlrps@inbox.com
DIGITAL IMAGING JANET HAINES DIGCHAIR(RPS.ORG
DIG Scotland Centre – June meeting Sunday 19 June / 13:30–16:15
`` £5 `` Bridge of Allan Parish Church,
Nature Group field meeting to Ainsdale dunes
Keir Street, Bridge of Allan FK9 4NW `` Doug Berndt ARPS, digscotland@rps.org
Saturday 25 June / from 10:00
`` Booking essential `` Ainsdale Discovery Centre,
The Promenade, Shore Road, Ainsdale-on-Sea, nr Southport PR8 2QB `` Trevor Davenport ARPS, 01704 870284 or 07831 643844, trevor43davenport@ gmail.com
Gavin Hoey – Photoshop training and live demonstration Sunday 28 August / 10:00–16:00
`` £12/£10 group members `` The day is a mix of
OVERSEAS CHAPTERS `` AUSTRALIA Elaine Herbert ARPS, eherbert@ alphalink.com.au `` BENELUX Richard Sylvester richard.sylvester@ skynet.be `` CANADA John Bradford, jb.rps@cogeco.ca `` CHINA BEIJING Yan Li, yanli88@yahoo.com `` CHINA CHONGQING `` CHINA WESTERN Wei Han (Richard), oolongcha@hotmail.com `` CHINA SHANGTUF Guo Jing,
Nature Group field meeting with Steve Race, director, Yorkshire Coast Nature
Royal Photographic Society members around the world
shangtuf@yahoo.com.cn `` CHINA QUANZHOU Xiaoling Wang, hgudsh@163.com `` DUBAI Mohammed Arfan Asif ARPS, dubai@rps.org
Germany
Exhibition: Colours Until Sunday 12 June
Gallery “Nuri Irak”, Hüttenplatz 64, Hagen, Germany, 58135 germany@rps.org
`` HONG KONG Shan Sang Wan FRPS, shansangwan@ yahoo.com.hk
`` INDIA Rajen Nandwana, rajennandwana@gmail.com `` INDONESIA Agatha Bunanta ARPS, agathabunanta@gmail.com `` ITALY Olivio Argenti FRPS, info@rps-italy.org `` JAPAN TOKYO Yoshio Miyake, yoshio-raps@nifty.com `` MALAYSIA Michael Chong ARPS, michaelcsc1985@gmail.com `` MALTA Ruben Buhagiar, info@rubenbuhagiar.com `` NEW ZEALAND Mark Berger,
rps@moothall.co.nz `` SINGAPORE Steven Yee Pui Chung FRPS, peacock@ sandvengroup.com
tucker42@bluewin.ch Exhibition at the Dow Gallery Horgen Until Monday 20 June
Dow Europe, Bachtobelstrasse 3, Launch of digiRAP Until Sunday 31 July Horgen, Zurich CH 8810 A newly launched exhibition Richard Tucker, hall with weekly exhibitions tucker42@bluewin.ch and talks lined up `` TAIWAN digiRAP, Singapore Funan Joanie Fan Hui Ling ARPS, DigitaLife Mall #05-01, djpassionfoto@gmail.com Singapore `` USA ATLANTIC `` SRI LANKA CHAPTER Romesh de Silva, Carl Lindgren, romesh@access.lk lindgren.carl@gmail.com `` SWISS CHAPTER `` USA PACIFIC CHAPTER Richard Tucker ARPS, Jeff Barton, rps@vadis.net VOL 156 / JUNE 2016 / THE RPS JOURNAL / 477
478 | GUIDE |
JOIN THE CONVERSATION
Visit the Society’s online forum and be part of a community of like-minded members The forum is probably one of the Society’s best-kept secrets. It provides an opportunity to discuss all matters photographic, reaching people across the UK, and potentially worldwide. It is accessed by the ‘Forum’ tab at the head of the Society’s home page. There is a general section which everyone can access, and dedicated sections for special interest groups, the Digital Imaging Group being particularly active. Forum discussions are polite, well informed and friendly.
The general section is partitioned into various subsections. Popular ones include: Discussions about images As its name implies, this provides an opportunity for participants to showcase their work, and to receive critical feedback from others. Advice and hints This section allows participants to seek guidance on techniques and equipment. Recent topics have included suggested labs for E-6 processing, online
INTERNATIONAL PRINT EXHIBITION
The flagship show continues its countrywide tour There’s still time to visit the International Print Exhibition 158 as it tours to two final venues. The exhibition is currently at dlr Lexicon in Dún Laoghaire, Dublin, until 22 June. For more, visit bit.ly/IPE158Dublin The final show will be at the University of Derby from 30 June–19 August.
Go to derby.ac.uk/RPS for details. The International Print Exhibition 159 will be selected in August and will open in October at The Old Truman Brewery on Brick Lane during Photomonth, east London’s international photography festival, and will then tour into 2017.
478 / THE RPS JOURNAL / JUNE 2016 / VOL 156
back-up, and black-andwhite inkjet prints. Distinctions discussion This section is popular, with participants discussing the Distinctions process. Common questions relate to individual images, hanging plans, presentation, and the mechanics of the Distinctions process itself. Note that all discussions on the forum regarding Distinctions are unofficial. There is no substitute for attending an advisory day or reading the guidelines. MIKE ROWE ARPS Forum moderator
| GUIDE | 479 The Approaching Storm by Mark Corpe
Nature Group field meeting to Pepperfield Farm Sunday 3 July / 10:30–16:00
`` Wildlife reserve with lake/ woodland on a working rare breeds farm `` Pepperfield Farm, Dalton-on-Tees DL2 2NS `` Terence Laheney ARPS, 07849 026561 or 01325 720575, pepperfieldfarm@ hotmail.co.uk
Nature Group residential weekend Friday 15 July – Monday 18 July
`` £195 single/£185 shared
room `` A residential weekend of photography `` Flatford Mill Field Centre, East Bergholt, Suffolk CO7 6UL `` James Foad LRPS, 01843 580295 or 07810 306365, jamesfoadlrps@inbox.com
`` Chichester Cathedral, The
Royal Chantry, Cathedral Cloisters, Chichester, West Sussex PO19 1PX `` Tony R S Ashford, 020 8767 1911, tonyashford@live.co.uk
Travel Group tour to Soria and Old Castile Tue 27 September – Mon 3 October
`` £1,875 group members `` Hotel Las Nieves, Salduero del Duero, Soria
`` Colin Howard,
colin.howard@mac.com
Wallingford wanderings Fri 7 – Sun 9 October/ 17:00–18:00
`` £25/£15/£5 spectators `` Wallingford Town Hall, Market Place, Wallingford OX10 0EG
`` Andrew Barrow,
arb@andys-scribblings.co.uk
Cambodia overland photo tours – November
Your events
To ensure inclusion of your events in The RPS Journal please post them on the RPS website six weeks prior to publication. For a list of deadlines, cancellations or last-minute amendments, please contact Emma Wilson on 0141 375 0504 or email emma.wilson@ thinkpublishing. co.uk. These listings are correct at time of going to print
Saturday 12 – Thursday 24 November
TRAVEL KEITH POINTON LRPS, 01588 640592 BAGPOINT(AOL.COM
Travel advisory day
`` £950 group members `` Highlights include Phnom
Penh, the temples of Angkor and Tonle Sap lake `` Keith Pointon, as above
Saturday 4 June / 11:00–16:00
`` A chance to hear from travel panel chair Leo Palmer FRPS about the Travel Distinction `` Bridge of Allan Church Hall, Keir Street, Bridge of Allan FK9 4NW `` James Frost FRPS, 07881 856294, james.frost11@ btinternet.com
On my doorstep Sunday 3 July / 9:00–16:30
`` £35 group members `` The first of what we hope will be a series of one-day training workshops held around the country and specifically aimed at new members of the Travel Group or those whose camera skills are still at a basic level and wish to improve.
ABOVE LEFT
LONELY PLANET By Tama Baldwin ABOVE RIGHT
STILT WALKER By Jianxun Wu FAR LEFT
RALPH AND BILLY By Owen Harvey LEFT
IS SHE LOCAL? By Carolyne Barber
The March Council meeting considered the Society’s future strategy. This will be reported back to the membership later in the year.
Cuba: a travel photographer’s paradise
GO TO
RPS.ORG/EVENTS FOR THE LATEST UPDATES
Bovey Tracey, Devon TQ13 9NG
`` Linda Wevill FRPS,
linda.wevill@btinternet.com
EXHIBITIONS
LESLEY GOODE, EXHIBITIONS MANAGER 01225 325720, LESLEY(RPS.ORG
RPS International Print Exhibition – Co Dublin Until Wed 22 June
`` Municipal Gallery, Library and Cultural Centre, Dún Laoghaire (dlr LexIcon), Haigh Terrace, Moran Park, Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin `` Ciara King, cking@ DLRCOCO.IE
RPS International Print Exhibition 158 – Derby Thursday 30 June – Friday 19 August
`` University of Derby,
Kedleston Road, Derby DE22 1GB
PATRONAGE
The following salons/ exhibitions have Societyapproved patronage:
32nd Malaysia International Salon of Photography 2016 Closing date: 8 June `` `` psmsalon.com `` RPS 2016/44
Mon13 February – Fri 24 February 2017
`` See and photograph Cuba on the cusp of change
`` Hotel Saratoga, Paseo de Martí, La Habana
`` Colin Howard,
colin.howard@mac.com
154th Edinburgh International Exhibition of Photography Closing date: 15 June `` `` edinburghphotosalon.org/ `` RPS 2016/32
VISUAL ARTS VIVECA KOH FRPS, 07956 517524 VIVECA.KAOH(GMAIL.COM
Creative Photoshop Sunday 10 July / 10:30–16:00
`` £8/£5/£3 group members `` Topics covered will include layers, masks, texture layers, white layers, softening etc `` Dolphin Hotel, Station Road,
The Nature Group residential weekend will take place at Flatford Mill Image: Shutterstock
9th International Photographic Salon Varna Closing date: 15 June `` `` fotosalonvarna.org `` RPS 2016/40 67th Midland Salon Closing date: 27 June `` `` midland-salon.com `` RPS 2016/47 The South Devon Salon Closing date: 17 July `` `` newtonabbot-photoclub.org. uk
`` RPS 2016/42 36th Northern Counties International Salon Closing date: 21 August `` `` northerncountiessalon.org.uk `` RPS 2016/53 17th International Photographic Salon, Sibiu Closing date: 28 August `` orizontfoto.ro `` `` RPS 2016/60 VOL 156 / JUNE 2016 / THE RPS JOURNAL / 479
480 | TIMES PAST |
The Little Princess
One of Marcus Adams FRPS’s earliest photos of Society patron Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
P
ortraits of royal children date back to the very beginning of photography. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert (the first patrons of the Society) and their eight children were photographed by Roger Fenton (the first president of the Society) in the gardens of Buckingham Palace in 1854.
480 / THE RPS JOURNAL / JUNE 2016 / VOL 156
Fenton took many other photographs of the royal family, ensuring the acceptability of the medium to a broader audience. Subsequently, photographs, rather than paintings, became the visual lingua franca of presenting the royal family during the 20th century, helped along the way – and in no small measure
FROM THE RPS COLLECTION
– by the images created by Marcus Adams FRPS. Born in 1875, while Victoria was still on the throne, Adams died in 1959, six years after Queen Elizabeth II’s accession. In his 84 years, not only did he witness the seismic social and political changes of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, he also contributed to a change in the way royalty is represented. With Bertram Parks and Yvonne Gregory he set up the Three Photographers group in 1920 and soon developed a reputation for child photography. We would call his approach ‘child friendly’ today in that toys littered the studio and he disguised his camera to allow a more candid approach to his sitters. His first royal commission was from the then Duke and Duchess of York (later King George VI and Queen Consort Elizabeth) for a family photograph with the then Princess Elizabeth (now Queen Elizabeth II). It is highly likely that this photograph, dated 1927, came from that sitting. The relationship continued for 34 years during which he created many hundreds of photographs of the royal family, both at home and on their numerous overseas trips. Adams’ images were often published in the mass media of the day and enjoyed wider uses. For example, a portrait of the young Princess Elizabeth was the basis for an image on the Canadian $20 banknote in 1935. He claimed that ‘the essential of a perfect picture is simplicity’, an aim more than adequately achieved in this sensitive, elegant image of mother and daughter. PETER HARVEY ARPS
ROYAL PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY COLLECTION/NATIONAL MEDIA MUSEUM/ ROYAL COLLECTION TRUST / © HER MAJESTY QUEEN ELIZABETH II 2016
‘ADAMS DISGUISED HIS CAMERA TO ALLOW A CANDID APPROACH TO HIS SITTERS’
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