The RPS Journal June 2014

VIVA CUBA STEVE SMITH FRPS ON HIS FELLOWSHIP INSPIRATION

THE

JUNE 2014 / VOLUME 154 / NUMBER 5 / WWW.RPS.ORG

SELFIE OBSESSION TRACING THE ORIGINS OF THE SELF-PORTRAIT

BEN OSBORNE’S BEST SHOTS GEOFF HARRIS MEETS A FORCE OF NATURE

© Karolina Henke

ON LOCATION WITH KAROLINA HENKE AND THE B1 LOCATION KIT Karolina Henke says her best images are shot in the spur of the moment, capturing something unforeseen, something honest.

That is why she packs the B1 Location Kit, a portable solution allowing her to shoot with precision, power and speed regardless of where her creativity leads her.

“I love the idea of a professional flash with TTL. Anything that makes my job easier is a good thing. It means I can focus on what really matters: the creative part.” – Karolina Henke For more information visit www.profoto.com/uk/b1

BEST PROFESSIONAL LIGHTING SYSTEM Profoto B1 Off-Camera Flash

OPENING SHOT

| JUNE 2014 | 257

WELCOME TO YOUR NEW JOURNAL

Y COMING UP

IN FUTURE ISSUES RPS member Paul Hensel tells us why he loves his Leicas, I meet Ken Grier – the brain behind The Macallan Masters of Photography – and Colin Prior FRPS fills us in on his latest trip to Pakistan

ou might see a few differences in your RPS Journal this month, and I hope you like them. When my colleagues and I learned we were to produce the new-look Journal we were, naturally, delighted. But it would be a fib to say we were not a little bit daunted. This is, after all, the longest-running journal of photography in existence.

What a torch to carry – and I hope, with our first bash at it, you’re intrigued enough with the results to remain curious about where we take it next.

For me, the chance to put together the journal of The Royal Photographic Society is an opportunity to head back to the roots of what truly inspires me; the language of great photography, and how the best of it can wow from a hundred paces. Photographers observe things in a way that others don’t; whether it’s in creating clarity for the misunderstood, as Alison McCauley ARPS does with her work on Indian transgender people (page 294) or in transforming everyday sights into something beautiful, as recent LRPS awardee Colin

McLean does in his Distinction portfolio (p282). Within these pages we hope to inspire you again – to learn more about the science and art of photography, but also to think afresh about the photographs you love to create.

We’ve made some changes in how we cover your own events and exhibitions too. What was Membership Matters is now the Member Guide, carried within the main body of The RPS Journal. It starts on page 327. We’d like to see more of your stories carried throughout the publication, so please do continue sending your items to me. I’ve already spoken to many members in the production of this issue – keep getting in touch, and keep sharing your images. A new look is fine and dandy, but it’s your input that keeps this Journal exciting.

CLARE HARRIS Editor

PATRON AND SPONSORS

VOL 154 / JUNE 2014 / THE RPS JOURNAL

THE RPS JOURNAL / JUNE 2014 / VOL 154 NO 5 WWW.RPS.ORG

SELFIE OBSESSION TRACING THE ORIGINS OF THE SELF-PORTRAIT

BEN OSBORNE’S BEST SHOTS GEOFF HARRIS MEETS A FORCE OF NATURE

JUNE 2014 / VOLUME 154 / NUMBER 5 / WWW.RPS.ORG

HISTORY OF THE SELFIE  STEVE SMITH FRPS  BEN OSBORNE HonFRPS

IN THIS ISSUE

VIVA CUBA STEVE SMITH FRPS ON HIS FELLOWSHIP INSPIRATION

THE

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21/05/2014 13:14

The Royal Photographic Society Fenton House, 122 Wells Road Bath BA2 3AH, UK www.rps.org reception@rps.org President Derek Birch ASIS HonFRPS Vice-President Walter Benzie ARPS Treasurer Geoff Blackwell ARPS Director-General Dr Michael Pritchard FRPS Published on behalf of The Royal Photographic Society by Think 20-23 Woodside Place, Glasgow G3 7QF | 0141 582 1280 thinkpublishing.co.uk EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES Editor Clare Harris rpsjournal@thinkpublishing.co.uk 0141 582 1379 Deputy editor Andrew Cattanach andrew@thinkpublishing.co.uk Contributing editors Gavin Stoker, Geoff Harris Design Matthew Ball Sub-editors Sam Bartlett, Sian Campbell Advertising Sales Adam Lloyds adam@thinkpublishing.co.uk

294

020 8962 1253 Publisher John Innes john.innes@thinkpublishing.co.uk

An image from Alison McCauley's hijra series

© 2014 The Royal Photographic Society.

All rights reserved.

EVERY MONTH

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 policy of The RPS or those of the publishers. All material correct at time of going to press.

ISSN: 1468-8670

Cover Rafael Trejo, Steve Smith FRPS

263 Leica launches its new T-System

THE RPS JOURNAL / JUNE 2014 / VOL 154

260 | BIG PICTURE Dune and dusted: how to take perfect images in the desert

276 | DISTINCTIONS Steve Smith's Cuba, plus Colin McLean takes on light and shade

263 | NEWS Richard Mosse's Deutsche Börse prize win; Dr Edgerton exhibition

327 | MEMBER GUIDE Events from Regional and Special Interest Groups, plus workshops and Overseas Chapters

275 | BOOKS New releases, including a revised version of Playing for the Benefit of the Band by Lee Friedlander

336 | TIMES PAST How John Cimon Warburg FRPS pioneered the Autochrome

| JUNE 2014 | 259

276 COVER STORY

308

Shooting in the wild: Ben Osborne

Steve Smith FRPS talks us through his successful Fellowship portfolio

324

The Rolleiflex: "No bleeps or flashes"

300

Bob Pearson captures the sands of time in Namibia

FEATURES

288 | HISTORY OF THE SELFIE Disposable snaps or a whole new artform? Alec Mackenzie finds out

BEN OSBORNE/GETTY

294 | ALISON McCAULEY ARPS The painter-turned-photographer's images from the margins 300 | MEMBER SHOWCASE An old mining town in Namibia provides rich pickings for Bob Pearson FRPS

THE CRAFT

304 | PHOTOBOOKS Brian Steptoe FRPS examines his pick of the photobook format ahead of a new RPS exhibition, which encourages members to enter their own photobooks

315 | LATEST KIT The lowdown on the newest musthaves, including the Fujifilm X-T1

308 | BEN OSBORNE HonFRPS The award-winning nature photographer tells us how he approached and produced some of his best shots

322 | THE DAGUERREOTYPE Insight from David Burder FRPS

318 | MASTERCLASS Tips on gardens and weddings

320 Wedding photography explained

324 | MY FAVOURITE CAMERA Daniel Meadows HonFRPS VOL 154 / JUNE 2014 / THE RPS JOURNAL

VOLKERS ARPS 260 | BIG PICTURE | PHILIP

HOW TO SHOOT IN THE DESERT PHILIP VOLKERS TELLS THE STORY BEHIND HIS PICTURE HALCYON DAZE

THE RPS JOURNAL / JUNE 2014 / VOL 154

DETAILS Name Philip Volkers ARPS Age 33 Training Assisted Robert Fairer for US Vogue for about three years, travelling around the world covering backstage fashion shows.

THE ASSIGNMENT I have been going to Burning Man, a music festival held annually in the Nevada desert, since 2006 and this year will be my sixth time. Last year Olympus sponsored my trip to the desert

and this year I am in negotiations with a publishing house to create a book. I love being out in the desert – for me, its one of the last bastions of freedom.

There is nowhere quite like it.

EQUIPMENT This was taken with the Olympus E-5 with a 12-60mm lens. There was no additional lighting and no tripod. To be honest, it was taken on board a giant pirate ship driving through a dust storm.

TECHNIQUE The dust in the desert is a nightmare. It is alkaline, so it corrodes metal. I use the Olympus cameras, as they are hermetically sealed, and I try not to take off the lens.

TIPS I suggest that you get involved and seek out the fun. It is great having a camera and it allows you to enter exciting worlds. Get out there and be passionate about your photography.

VOL 154 / JUNE 2014 / THE RPS JOURNAL

263

MEMBER SEEKS PROJECT FUNDS Military mission to raise cash 264

JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED RPS MONTHLY COMPETITION Edgerton exhibition in London 267 The three winning shots 271

INFOCUS NE W S, V IE W S, E X HIBITIONS A ND MEMBER INSIGHT

RICHARD MOSSE WINS DEUTSCHE BÖRSE PRIZE

NOWHERE TO RUN, EASTERN CONGO, 2010 DIGITAL C PRINT, 182.9 X 228.9 CM © RICHARD MOSSE, COURTESY OF THE ARTIST AND JACK SHAINMAN GALLERY; © BINDI VORA, COURTESY OF THE PHOTOGRAPHERS’ GALLERY. AN EBOOK VERSION OF THE DEUTSCHE BÖRSE PHOTOGRAPHY PRIZE EXHIBITION CATALOGUE IS CO-PUBLISHED WITH MACK MAPP EDITIONS

Irish photographer who documented DR Congo jungle warzone is awarded prestigious accolade

RICHARD MOSSE WAS last month awarded the Deutsche Börse Photography Prize 2014 for his exhibition The Enclave at last year’s Venice Biennale. Shot on infrared surveillance film,

APPLY NOW!

Mosse shows the haunting landscape of the Democratic Republic of Congo, where millions have died of warrelated causes since 1998.

“The proceeds will facilitate bringing the piece to the place

RPS BURSARY DEADLINE

where it was made, to allow an audience in eastern Congo to respond to it,” says Mosse.

The Deutsche Börse Photography Prize is at The Photographers’ Gallery, London, until 22 June

Richard Mosse and Richard Wentworth

LOOKING TO FUND THAT PROJECT YOU’VE ALWAYS DREAMED OF UNDERTAKING? TURN TO PAGE 266 FOR DETAILS ABOUT THE FIVE AWARDS AND HOW TO APPLY VOL 154 / JUNE 2014 / THE RPS JOURNAL

264 | IN FOCUS |

EYE FOR AN EYE

Aberystwyth Arts Centre hosts three-day festival DATES from 27–29 June.

For full ticket information and booking, go to theeyefestival.co.uk, or call the ticket office on 01970 623232.

For more events and exhibitions near you turn to page 268

Christophe Sorcai playing jazz in East Berlin Piano Bar, by Ian Berry

FUNDING FRONT LINE PROJECT

Documentary photographer raises money online

Soldier in Helmand, Afghanistan THE RPS JOURNAL / JUNE 2014 / VOL 154

RPS MEMBER ALISON Baskerville is raising money to begin an exciting new project that looks at the role of Women in the British Army. Baskerville hopes the project will help better

inform the public about the important part played by women on the front line, telling their unique stories through photography.

Also a member of the RPS Documentary and Visual Journalism Group, Baskerville aims to finance the trip using crowd-funding, a method of raising money where the general public can donate using a designated website.

Baskerville needs to raise £10,838 by 27 June, which will pay for her to make

several trips in the UK, Canada and Afghanistan, documenting women who work in the services. The project, entitled The Full Picture – Women in the British Army, will culminate in a photobook that will be available to the public and, as Baskerville hopes, will help raise awareness and dispel the myth that the military is one of the last bastions of masculinity.

To find out more and to donate visit bit.ly/thefullpicture

ALISON BASKERVILLE

HEAD TO WALES this summer for The Eye, an international photography festival staged at Aberystwyth Arts Centre.

A stellar line-up of photographers includes Magnum’s Ian Berry and David Hurn, travel photographer Tim Allen and landscapes master Charlie Waite.

JUNE 2014

LOVE KIT?

Turn to our new section on The Craft, starting on PAGE 315

| IN FOCUS | 265

FROM THE PRESIDENT

WELCOME TO A NEW BEGINNING Journal evolves after member feedback

The aluminium T-System comes in black or silver

LEICA UNVEILS NEW T-SYSTEM

Maker marks centenary with ‘handmade’ releases

TO CELEBRATE 100 years of iconic cameras, Leica has announced a ‘handmade’ mirrorless camera, featuring a 16-megapixel, APS-C sensor, high-performance processor and touchscreen.

The first camera in the Leica T-System was released on 26 May, along with two lenses – the VarioElmar T 18-56mm f/3.5-5.6 ASPH, and the Summicron

23mm f/2 ASPH. Two other releases are scheduled for later in the year.

The new camera is made from a single block of aluminium, and comes with built-in wi-fi, so users can quickly transfer stills and video to a smartphone or tablet. It can also record full-HD (1080p) video. The camera costs £1,350, body only, and is available in black or silver.

See more at leica.com

OUR PICK

CHRISTOPHE SORCI PLAYING JAZZ IN EAST BERLIN PIANO BAR © IAN BERRY; ILLUSTRATION BY JIM SPENCER

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W

elcome to this month’s edition of The RPS Journal, the first being published on behalf of the Society by our new publisher, Think Publishing. The Society has acted on the feedback from last year’s survey and the Journal will be showing more members’ photography and successful Distinctions panels as well as articles more aligned with members’ interests. To support this, and the inclusion of Membership Matters in the main Journal, each issue will have more pages and there will be two extra issues a year – 12 in total. I am sure that the staff and volunteers all look forward to working with Clare Harris, the new editor.

Our members’ day at the National Media Museum in Bradford in April was very successful.

I was pleased to see that more than 60 members attended. We were all able to see three of the rarest and earliest photographic plates in the world, brought by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce from France to England in

1827, which have been conserved and rehoused in a purpose-built case in the Insight centre.

The Society’s Historical, Imaging Science and Colour Groups had supported the cost of the new case. Paul Goodman and Ruth Kitchen from the museum conducted behind-the-scenes tours and made rare photographs from the collection available. Bob Gates, my council colleague, was also able to tell us about the fascinating work he had been able to organise with some of our members helping the museum to document photographs in the RPS Collection – covering hundreds of Roger Fenton’s images.

The final selection for our 157th International Exhibition has been taking place, with the distinguished panel reviewing the shortlisted prints chosen from 1,727 photographers who contributed to the many thousands of submitted images. In the month ahead the results will be confirmed and the exhibition launched, with its UK tour starting at the Greenwich Heritage Centre in London from 31 July to 28 August. Many thanks to all of those involved – we can look forward to the Gold, Silver, Bronze and Under30s Gold Award winners.

DEREK BIRCH ASIS HonFRPS, President of The Royal Photographic Society

VOL 154 / JUNE 2014 / THE RPS JOURNAL

266 | IN FOCUS |

DEADLINE NEARS FOR RPS FUNDING

THE CLOSING DATE for project funding opportunities provided by The Royal Photographic Society is drawing near.

The Environmental Awareness Bursary (in partnership with The Photographic Angle, closing date 31 June) supports projects that will promote environmental awareness.

The Postgraduate Bursary (30 June) is for students

Photographers urged to apply as the Society’s 2014/15 programme of Bursaries and project funding kicks off

undertaking photographic research or a masters in photography. The Joan Wakelin Bursary (16 June), run in association with The Guardian, is awarded to the photographer who presents the best proposal for a photographic essay on an overseas social documentary issue. There are two short film awards, in association with DepicT! Short Film Festival, for a contribution to

the overall prize for best short film and a special prize for best cinematography.

In addition, the RPS Society Events Bursary is open all year round. This enables young photographers to attend Society Regional and Group events that they would not normally be able to afford. See the RPS website under Chapters and Regions. rps.org/learning/project-funding

WIN

OUR PICK

JANE BOWN DOCUMENTARY

WHAT WE’VE FOUND ON THE WEB

Be inspired by celebrated photographer Jane Bown HonFRPS, with a documentary

about her work, Looking for Light.

We have five copies to give away.

Just put your name on a postcard and send to the address below – or pop us an email. We will choose five entries at random.

rpscompetitions@ thinkpublishing. co.uk, with the subject line ‘Jane Bown’, or post them to Jane Bown Competition, Think, Woodside House, 20-23 Woodside Place, Glasgow G3 7QF

ENTER NOW Simply email us at

CLOSING DATE 2 July 2014

THE RPS JOURNAL / JUNE 2014 / VOL 154

CURIATOR.COM What’s it for?

Curiator encourages its visitors to discover and buy new art, including photography.

How does it work?

Visitors to the website are given recommendations of work based on their initial

preferences, and they can either browse work by categories or get inspiration from

other people’s collections.

What about me?

Upload your images and impress others!

SOUVID DATTA

Souvid Datta was winner of last year’s Environmental Bursary (Under 25)

JUNE 2014

CURIOUS? Why not join the Imaging Science Group?

PAGE 333

are scheduled for release later in the year.

Dr Edgerton as featured in the 1940 film Quicker ‘n a Wink

| IN FOCUS | 267

DISTINCTION SUCCESS

Members who achieved distinction during March and April 2014 ARPS TRAVEL John Caton, Hertfordshire Alex Goh Chun Seong, Malaysia Peter Lee Pui Weng, Sarawak Yan Ching Luk, Hong Kong Mike McCusker, Cheshire Mick Sadler, Kent Stanley Spurling, London Richard Watts, Buckinghamshire

The new camera is made from a single block of aluminium, and comes with built-in wif fi, so users can quickly transfer stills and video to a smartphone or tablet. It can also record full HD (1080p) video. The camera costs £1350, body only, and is available in black or silver.

See more at www.leica.comw

ARPS NATURAL HISTORY Ian Edge, North Yorkshire Paul Forster, Yorkshire N.K. Arun Kumar, India Kin Hou Lai, Macau Andrew McCarthy, Devon Tim Munsey, West Yorkshire Hendi Suwanda, Indonesia Daryl Yeo, Singapore

DROPPING AN EGG INTO A FAN! 1940 © HAROLD EDGERTON ARCHIVE, MIT. COURTESY MICHAEL HOPPEN GALLERY; MUSHROOMCLOUD © RAY MASSEY FRPS

WHAT’S UP, DOC?

Ray Massey’s image Stone Throw

Major exhibition of Dr Harold Edgerton work opens in London A RARE SELECTION of black and white prints by Dr Harold Edgerton is being exhibited at the Michael Hoppen Gallery in London from 6 June to 2 August.

One of photography’s true pioneers, Edgerton invented the strobe flash in the early 1930s.

During World War Two, ‘the Doc’, as he was affectionately known, pioneered the use of a strobe light powerful enough to take reconnaissance images at night, and the resulting images revealed the absence of German forces at key strategic points just prior to the Allied attack on 6 June 1944.

Edgerton also worked with the famous marine biologist Jacques-Yves Cousteau, inventing underwater photographic techniques.

See michaelhoppengallery.com

LRPS EXEMPTION Alex Barker, West Midlands Emily Jane Bowers, Lincolnshire Diane Collins, Hampshire Graham Curry, County Down Charlotte Doyle, Essex David Fitzjohn, Gloucestershire Sara Strawson, Avon Paul Summer, Hampshire ARPS EXEMPTION Ernest Bow, Hampshire Ness Cohen, Manchester Brendan Grimes, Dublin Julia Hadji-Stylianou, Cyprus Jeremy Pelzer, Buckinghamshire Jo Scott, Surrey Neil Smaller, Lincolnshire Konstantin Suslov, Middlesex Vince Yeo, Singapore Antony Sai Chor Yip, Hong Kong

A MEDIUM MADE TO CROSS BOUNDARIES Society in 1934 Edgerton for some of his enthusiast Ray early ‘stop Massey FRPS motion’ work has been where he applied influenced by his electrical the Doc’s work engineering since university knowledge to keen amateur days. “Although photography. photographer,” Edgerton’s “Photography Massey explains. career was can be tethered “He was principally that to almost any awarded a of an electrical other passion bronze medal by engineer he or lifetime The Royal considered interest.”

Photographic himself to be a

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} Arcaid Images Architectural Photography Awards Until 30 June arcaidawards.com } Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2014 Until 7 July bit.ly/taylorwessing2014 } DepicT! Short Film Festival Until 7 July depict.org } The Paris Photo-Aperture Foundation Photobook Awards Until 12 September aperture.awardsengine.com

VOL 154 / JUNE 2014 / THE RPS JOURNAL

268 | IN FOCUS |

WHAT NOT TO MISS ONLY IN ENGLAND: PHOTOGRAPHS BY TONY RAY-JONES & MARTIN PARR National Media Museum, Bradford UNTIL 29 JUNE

It’s your last chance to catch these two greats of British photography side by side.

See England in all its eccentric glory, with images that show a humorous, and often melancholy way of life, now largely gone. nationalmediamuseum.org.uk

GEORGE CHAKRAVARTHI’S THIRTEEN Impressions Gallery, Bradford Discover these powerful self-portraits by Delhi-born Chakravarthi, where he reimagines 13 Shakespearian characters who meet their ends through suicide. Chakravarthi worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company’s costume department to take on the guise of each character and each image is layered with a diverse range of textures and surfaces. impressions-gallery.com

DENNIS HOPPER Royal Academy, London 26 JUNE–19 OCTOBER

TELL US!

About your coming exhibitions EMAIL: RPSJOURNAL@ THINKPUBLISHING.CO.UK

Hopper played the freaked-out photojournalist in Apocalypse Now, and was a talented photographer in his own right. This exhibition brings together over 400 of his photos, and features portraits of Andy Warhol, Paul Newman and more. royalacademy.org.uk JUNE-JULY

ALSO SHOWING

BRISTOL PHOTOBOOK WEEKEND SouthBank Club, Bristol

GUEORGUI PINKHASSOV Magnum Print Room, London

THE SUFFOLK MONOCHROME GROUP Wingfield Barns, Suffolk

6– 8 JUNE

UNTIL 31 JULY

2–29 JUNE

A celebration of all things photo-book related, the PhotoBook weekend will include talks, stalls and live music. Make sure you catch Martin Parr and Gerry Badger discussing their excellent The Photobook: A History series. photobookbristol.com

Magnum presents a career overview of photographer Gueorgui Pinkhassov, including colour works from the early 1990s to the present day.

Heralded as a genius of the medium, this one is perfect for lovers of the Magnum documentary tradition.

The East Anglian-based group exhibits their latest offering of black and white images on a wide variety of subjects.

Among those images exhibited will be monochromes created using traditional darkroom, digital capture and infra-red in both film and digital. suffolkmonochromegroup.co.uk

THE RPS JOURNAL / JUNE 2014 / VOL 154

`` Chris Marker Whitechapel Gallery, London until 22 June `` Boris Savelev Michael Hoppen Gallery, London, until 28 June `` The Years of La Dolce Vita Estorick Collection, London, until 29 June `` Charlie Waite talk Swan Theatre, Worcester, 20 June `` Fresh Faced + Wild Eyed 2014 Photographer’s Gallery, 1–13 July `` Andreas Gursky Sprüth Magers, London, until 21 June

CLEOPATRA © GEORGE CHAKRAVARTHI – COURTESY IMPRESSIONS GALLERY; BLACKPOOL, 1968 BY TONY RAY-JONES © NATIONAL MEDIA MUSEUM; DOUBLE STANDARD, 1961 © DENNIS HOPPER, COURTESY THE HOPPER ART TRUST; ON THE MUD AT PIN MILL BY DAVID COX; © GUEORGUI PINKHASSOV

UNTIL 21 JUNE

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270 | IN FOCUS | THE FUTURE OF PHOTOS

QUICK QUESTIONS

‘I’M IN CHARGE OF 34,000 PHOTOGRAPHS’

Birmingham hosts national forum on photography The sixth National Photography Symposium will take place at the Library of Birmingham this month.

Topics on the agenda will include the ethics of photography, new business models, and what the future holds for photography institutions.

Anne Lyden, International Photography Curator, National Galleries of Scotland Tell us about what you do?

I’ve recently begun work as International Photography Curator at the National Galleries of Scotland. That means I’m in charge of the collection of photographs that numbers around 34,000 - beginning very early on in the history of photography right through to the present day.

How did you get to where you are?

I started at Getty as a

graduate intern and worked my way up through the department, with a collection of over 100,000 photographs. The projects, exhibitions and publications that I worked on were really fascinating.

A Hill and Adamson print from 1845

Is there a particular photo in the Scottish collection that excites you?

It has to be the Hill and Adamson collection (works

by David Octavius Hill and Robert Adamson, of Victorian Scotland). It’s a real cornerstone of what we have here and, of course, it’s a cornerstone of the history of photography.

We have multiple prints of the same image, which really allows us to understand their practice in a way that few collections can really support or provide.

International Exhibition gears up for launch The RPS International Exhibition 157 received more than 6,600 images from 1,727 photographers in 72 countries. A hundred prints were selected and the winning images will be featured in the August Journal and the exhibition will open at the Berkeley Gallery, Greenwich Heritage Centre on 31 July.

For details visit rps.org

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MALCOLM COCHRAN; SANDY (OR JAMES) LINTON, HIS BOAT AND BAIRNS BY DAVID OCTAVIUS HILL AND ROBERT ADAMSON,1845, COURTESY OF NATIONAL GALLERIES OF SCOTLAND

You returned to Scotland after 18 years at the Getty Museum Los Angeles. What was the attraction?

The opportunity to work with this collection was something I couldn’t turn down, and it’s a really exciting time to be in Scotland right now. There’s a lot happening on the art scene. It’s really quite dynamic and to be able to participate in that in a meaningful way was also very appealing.

Library of Birmingham, 12 –14 June. Visit uknps.org.uk

| IN FOCUS | 271 RPS MONTHLY 365 COMPETITION

YOUR WINNING SHOTS

NGC7000 NORTH AMERICAN NEBULA AND THE CYGNUS WALL BY DAVID WATSON LRPS; PIGLETS IN THE SUN BY VIANNE BRITTEN; FROM INSIDE THE WASHING MACHINE BY DIANE SEDDON LRPS

Each month The Royal Photographic Society holds an online competition. The theme for April was Close to Home – here are the winners

ENTER!

NORTH AMERICAN NEBULA David Watson “The night sky is full of interesting objects and the North American nebula has a mix of star formation and gas clouds.

“This was taken from my observatory

in Spain using a Takahashi refractor FSQ85 telescope and an Atik 383L 8.3MP cooled astronomical CCD camera, the final image being assembled from 96 x 10 minute exposures, giving a total exposure of 16 hours.”

FROM INSIDE THE WASHING MACHINE Diane Seddon “I had recently bought a fisheye lens, and was looking

for any opportunity to use it. I decided a circular image would be more interesting, and decided to use the inside of the washing machine.”

Quick! Upload your photos for the next competition RPS-365.ORG

PIGLETS IN THE SUN Vianne Britten “I took this at my

home, Pentwyn Farm, in South Wales. The piglets were only three

weeks old at the time and I thought it would be a different take on the theme;

not only was the image taken at my home, but also the piglets' home.”

VOL 154 / JUNE 2014 / THE RPS JOURNAL

CALL FOR ENTRIES

2014 INTERNATIONAL IMAGES FOR SCREEN EXHIBITION

Closing Date: 6 August 2014 Reduced entry fees for members Recognised by FIAP & PSA For more information visit rps.org/screen2014

Visit The RPS website to showcase your photography, book events, renew your membership and to keep up with Society news and activities

www.rps.org

OSPREY NANSUN (SAM) HUNG. SILVER NATURE 2013

ENTER YOUR DIGITAL IMAGES IN THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES: Open (Traditional) Open (Creative) Nature

JUNE 2014

SOCIETY PATRONAGE

| IN FOCUS | 273

CHAPTER FOCUS: CANADA CHAPTER FOCUS

BACCHUS, PAN AND CERES © DEREK GALON ARPS; ALOUETTE BY DR. STEFANIE KAPPEL ARPS; DAVID KEITH JONES FRPS

Patronage has been granted to the following competitions } The 6th GPC International Salon of Color Projected Image Closing Date: 4 June gpc-hk.org } 152nd Edinburgh International Exhibition of Photography 2014 Closing Date: 18 June exhibition.edinburgh photographicsociety.co.uk } 31st Malaysia International Salon of Photography 2014 Closing Date: 13 July psmsalon.com } The South Devon Salon Closing Date: 19 July newtonabbot-photoclub.org.uk } 65th Midland Salon of International Photography Closing Date: 19 July midland-salon.com } 49th Sydney International Exhibition of Photography Closing Date: 27 July siep.org.au } The 12th Shanghai International Photographic Art Exhibition Closing Date: 27 July www.shphoto.com.cn } 16th International Photographic Salon SIBIU 2014 Closing Date: 15 August orizontfoto.ro } 35th Northern Counties International Salon of Photography 2014 Closing Date: 28 August ncpf.org.uk } 5th PSA China International Exhibition of Photography Closing Date: 1 September salon.psachina.org

NATURE‘S LARDER There’s a lot on offer in the Canadian Chapter First established May 2010 by John Bradford.

Number of members Approximately 75 Publications Bi-monthly magazine Canadian Image Maker, including member profiles, galleries, events and kit reviews.

In perspective “Canada covers 4.5 time zones so many of the typical events for Chapters are not practical.

Most of our membership is centred around British Columbia and Ontario, but we do not overlook Alberta,

Quebec and the Maritimes,” says John Bradford.

Member focus Derek Galon ARPS (image, top), based in Victoria, has been an RPS member since 2011 and joined the Chapter in 2013. He says the best thing about living and photographing in Canada is the nature and wildlife.

KENYA TO VENICE

David Keith Jones FRPS

Kenyatta International Conference Centre under the amphitheatre

Photographs taken by David Keith Jones in the 1970s showing the Kenyatta International Conference Centre in its infancy will feature in this year’s Venice Architecture Biennale.

Dr Stefanie Kappel ARPS (image, above) has been an RPS member since 2002. She joined the Chapter in 2008 and is now a member of the management team. “Canada is one of the most beautiful countries in the world,” says Kappel. “Here we live more in touch with nature.”

The exhibition, Forms of Freedom: African Independence and Nordic Models, will take place in the Nordic Pavilion and is curated by the Norwegian Museum, in collaboration with the Museum of Finnish Architecture.

The exhibition opens on 7 June and Jones’ photographs will be on display until 23 November when the Biennale closes.

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Silent Exchange

An award winning exhibition of photography by Charlie Waite.

From 23rd June 2014 at Lyttelton Gallery, National Theatre, London.

All images in this exhibition are available for view at

www.charliewaite.com Exhibition is sponsored by:

BOOK REVIEWS

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The Tuxedo Brass jazz band

Capturing the essence of the seminal Louisiana music scene

NEW ORLEANS & ALL THAT JAZZ

© LEE FRIEDLANDER, COURTESY FRAENKEL GALLERY, SAN FRANCISCO

PLAYING FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE BAND Lee Friedlander Yale University Press (£40) IN THE 1960S AND 70S, LEE Friedlander was acknowledged as one of the leading exponents of American street photography. Like his contemporaries, Garry Winogrand and Diane Arbus, he established a new way of looking at contemporary America.

Friedlander was a young man in his early twenties when he first visited New Orleans, a place where musicians came together to perform some of the finest jazz and blues ever heard. His love of the music and the people led to the publication of The Jazz People of New Orleans in 1992, featuring pictures made there between 1957 and 1982. Playing for the Benefit of the Band is a revised and expanded edition of that work.

These monochrome photographs of people and parades are more visually

DIGITAL SNAPS: THE NEW FACE OF PHOTOGRAPHY Edited by Jonas Larsen and Mette Sandbye I.B. Tauris (£16.99) A volume of scholarly essays that attempts to discuss the transformation of vernacular photography through a digital lens. However, the title promises more than is delivered. While the collection offers some interesting arguments and observations, the reader is left thinking that the title was an afterthought added to an assortment of disparate academic papers.

The poor mono images serve to reinforce this. Despite its claim, this book is sadly not the "new face of photography".

DEL BARRETT ARPS

straightforward than much of his better-known work. Their content is not as enigmatic as, say, his underpopulated street scenes of Albuquerque. Nonetheless, many exhibit his characteristic challenge to conventional photographic form. He has a deceptively informal style that imbues his work with the immediacy of the unprofessional snapshot. With this work it serves to enhance the sense of being much more than just an observer, but a part of a vibrant and exciting musical scene.

Often, there is eye contact with the photographer, but it is almost always relaxed and friendly. Sometimes the eye contact is with a person in the background, pulling the viewer deeper into the picture. It is the seemingly inconsequential details – clothes, personal photographs, stained walls, street hoardings – that Friedlander offers us, apparently unconsciously, making his pictures so rich. They defy trivial interpretation; they are an immersive experience.

So much more than a monument to these musicians, this is a personal tribute and a vivid evocation of a social milieu now much erased by time and Hurricane Katrina. The title, taken from an interview with drummer Warren “Baby” Dodds, provides an eloquent metaphor for a photographic essay that is never detached, but always empathetic. You will hear the music in every one of these pictures.

KATE MOSS BY MARIO TESTINO Mario Testino Taschen GmbH (£44.99) “We just get the point of each other and do the pictures,” writes the supermodel in Kate Moss by Mario Testino. Totally relaxed with Mario Testino HonFRPS and his camera, she is ‘snapped’ in various ways, from naked on the toilet to strutting down the catwalk.

In this book, we get to enter their world for a few moments to share the magic Moss and Testino create together.

CHRISTOPHER W MORRIS ARPS

ANDREW CATTANACH

STEWART WALL, EDITOR OF THE RPS CONTEMPORARY TIMES

READ THIS IF YOU WANT TO TAKE GREAT PHOTOGRAPHS Henry Carroll Laurence King (£12.95) An easy-to-follow guide to how to take a decent photo, this systematic and at times humorous book introduces you to everything from basic camera functions, such as aperture and exposure, to more nebulous ideas about the "perfection of imperfection", using Robert Capa’s blurry D-Day landing shots as an example. Wonderfully illustrated throughout.

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SMITH 276 | DISTINCTION | STEVE FRPS

DISTINCTIONS

Call Centre

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INSPIRATION ON EVERY CORNER

Steve Smith FRPS found his muse during repeated trips to Cuba

M Name Steve Smith About A draftsman, Steve has spent most of his working life in design.

His passion for photography started in 1978. He says that capturing everyday events, occurrences, and people is the both the challenge and the reward in his photography.

y portfolio shows the citizens and the environments of Cuba, capturing the ambience of the towns and cities along with its inhabitants. Each picture comes with its own narrative and, as Aristotle, once said: “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.�

When I first visited Cuba back in 2006 I fell in love with the country and its people, and I found inspiration on virtually every street corner. I returned in 2008 knowing how I wanted to approach Cuba and was successful in gaining my Fellowship in the Visual Art category.

In 2012 I visited Cuba for the fourth time, giving myself a brief to work towards a Travel Fellowship with the

Master

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I CONSCIOUSLY LOOK FOR SOMETHING THAT’S JUST A LITTLE BIT SPECIAL, THAT EXTRA PER CENT important proviso of meeting the criteria specified by distinction guidelines.

I am consciously looking for something that’s just a little bit special, that extra per cent – but that is the thing that can be the most difficult.

I am pleased with all the images. However, there are a few that are a little different from what I normally take which I think work well, and this is something to take forward into my future projects.

From a technical point of view, 75 per cent of this panel was shot on black and white 35mm film (Ilford FP4 125 ASA or Kodak Tri-X 400 ASA), over a three-week

Lift-off

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period in Cuba during 2012.

I used a Leica MP with an M 35mm f/1.4 Summilux lens. Two of the images were shot using a Pentax 67MK11 using a 45mm f/4 lens and 120 FP4 film. Five of the images were taken digitally, on a previous trip in 2009, with a Canon 1DS MKIII and a 24-70mm f/2.8 L and a 14-40mm f/4 L lenses.

All the post-production was carried out in Photoshop CS5 using channel mixers and curves – no plug-in filters were used. The film images were scanned using an Epson V700 flatbed scanner and a Nikon Coolscan V 35mm film scanner.

Party Girl

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ASSESSOR’S VIEW

Leo Palmer FRPS

T Commuters

he first requirement for a Fellowship submission is a statement of intent that clearly defines what it is that the candidate intends to capture and show the panel of assessors.

In his statement, Steve painted a picture of his Cuba experience. The final sentence – “The intention with this panel of photographs is to capture the ambience of the towns and cities of Cuba along with its inhabitants and to record what I have seen on my travels, a snapshot in time” – left no-one in any doubt as to his objectives for the panel.

The importance of originality is often mentioned where the FRPS distinction is concerned. We are looking for evidence of an individual approach, and the images in this panel displayed that quality.

Decorators

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Beauty in Decay

[4]

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They were all considered compositions, showing strong image design.

Monochrome printing is and always was a fine-art medium. It requires accurate exposure and sensitive post-processing in order to achieve prints that sparkle with a full tonal range from highlights to shadows. It matters not if this result is achieved by darkroom or digital processes, but they are definitely not just images with their colour removed. A great monochrome print has the wow factor; all the prints in this panel had this quality.

Overall, Steve’s panel showed the necessary vision and interpretation, with exceptional print quality, and told a very personal story of his Cuba experience as defined in his statement of intent.

MONOCHROME PRINTING REQUIRES ACCURATE EXPOSURE AND SENSITIVE POST-PROCESSING IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE PRINTS THAT SPARKLE VOL 154 / JUNE 2014 / THE RPS JOURNAL

MCLEAN 282 | DISTINCTION | COLIN LRPS

CAREFUL CONSIDERATION

For his portfolio, Colin McLean LRPS concentrated on capturing elusive light and shade

A

Name Colin McLean About Since he studied architectural history in Edinburgh, Colin has followed a career in the heritage industry. He is currently head of the Heritage Lottery Fund in Scotland.

Photography has been an interest since his teens, and it has since grown into a passion.

See colinmclean photography.com

fter attending photo forums and an advisory day with The RPS Scottish Region, I had concluded three things: that the panels liked relatively simple, well-structured images; that any post-processing had to be expertly handled; and a wide range of material was preferred for a Licentiate portfolio. It wasn’t easy to select only 10 images, but time and regular reviews eventually brought out these 10, which were taken between March 2013 and early 2014.

Many aspects of my surroundings interest me. If I were to summarise what I’m trying to achieve, it’s to encourage people to slow down and appreciate the richness and beauty of what surrounds us. Photography does become a way of life, with one constantly looking for opportunities to travel to, or divert to, places that might be worth photographing.

My inspiration is always a combination of content and light; with the latter often coming first. A lot can be achieved with a single flash and one or two reflectors; the Nikon Creative Lighting System is a very powerful

GRANGEMOUTH TOWERS Nikon D800 + Nikkor 70-300 (at 180mm) + tripod. 8.0 sec at f/6.3, ISO 100, 180mm.

A little processing in Lightroom to retain some light in the sky.

WINE BOTTLES Nikon Speedlight and a single reflector to throw some light back into the shadows. Nikon D800 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 + Nikon SB-700 + tripod, 5.0 sec at f/9.0, ISO 100. No processing required other than cropping and a slight adjustment of the shadow levels in Lightroom.

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tool which consistently produces good results.

My current kit consists of a Nikon D800 body, Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 lens, Nikkor 105mm macro lens, Nikkor 24-85 zoom lens, Nikkor 70-300 zoom lens, Cokin filters: polariser, 3 x Grad ND, 2 x ND, Manfrotto tripod with 410 Junior geared head, light stand, umbrella and reflectors. I prefer to use Adobe Lightroom, with Adobe Photoshop CC for some of my work. I work on an Apple iMac, with a ColorMunki screen calibrator.

XX XX

LAIDHE DAWN (TOP) I caught this before the sun broke the horizon.

Nikon D800 + Nikkor 24-85 zoom (at 34mm) + ND filter + tripod. 25sec at f/16 (ND filter), ISO 100, 34mm. Very light processing in Lightroom.

GANNETS, BASS ROCK Nikon D800 + Nikkor 70-300 + handheld from a boat; 1/800 at f/11, ISO 800, 300mm.

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GARLIC Black Perspex is a difficult material to get absolutely dust free. Nikon D800 + Nikkor 105mm macro + tripod + Nikon SB-700 w diffuser + reflector.

On black Perspex. 1/2 at f/20, ISO 100, 105mm.

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MILLENNIUM BRIDGE, NEWCASTLE Nikon D800 + Nikkor 24-85 zoom + tripod; 2.5 sec at f/5.6, ISO 100, 31mm.

Virtually no processing.

ZABRISKIE POINT (ABOVE) Nikon D800 + Nikkor 70-300 + tripod.

1/60 at f/18, ISO 100, 180mm.

OILCANS Nikon D800 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 + tripod + Nikon SB700 through white umbrella + reflector.

1/60 at f/18, ISO 100, 50mm THE ARMADILLO Nikon D800 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 + handheld at f/13, ISO 100, 50mm

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ASSESSOR’S VIEW

Robert Gates ARPS

T

o be successful with a Licentiateship application it’s essential to show some variety of subject matter, technique or approach.

There are three studio-type images in the panel but they are all quite different. The image of the garlic, which is extremely sharp and well exposed, and its reflection is very different to the oil cans where, in the original print, you could almost feel the greasy oil.

The bird image shows them in their natural habitat engaging in some activity and is a good use of a long-focus lens. The white feathers have not lost any of their detail. The two night images show yet another technique Colin has mastered. Taken when there is just a hint of detail in the sky, they both looked impressive as prints. The seascape shows Colin has mastered the technique of using long exposures.

Again, using a wide-angle lens he has captured this image, which is sharp from front to back. Detail has been maintained in both highlight and shadow areas, an essential requirement.

The rocky landscape – Zabriskie Point – is strongly lit, which shows the contours of the terrain making interesting patterns.

The print of the old wine bottles on the left-hand side of the panel shows similar colour to the landscape.

With this panel of work Colin has demonstrated good visual awareness and technical ability, and that he is a worthy recipient of the Society’s Licentiateship.

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286 | DISTINCTION |

ATTEND A DISTINCTIONS ASSESSMENT DAY

ADVERTISING PROMOTION

I

AT T E N D A N A S S E S S M E N T D AY

FRPS

 Visual Art

ARPS

 Visual Art

THURSDAY 26 JUNE

WEDNESDAY 25 JUNE

 Travel

 Travel

MONDAY 1 SEPTEMBER

MONDAY 1 SEPTEMBER

 Natural History

 Natural History

WEDNESDAY 10 SEPTEMBER

WEDNESDAY 10 SEPTEMBER

 Contemporary

 Contemporary

WEDNESDAY 17 SEPTEMBER

WEDNESDAY 17 SEPTEMBER

 Professional and Applied

 Professional and Applied

THURSDAY 25 SEPTEMBER

WEDNESDAY 24 SEPTEMBER

 Visual Art

 Visual Art

THURSDAY 16 OCTOBER

WEDNESDAY 15 OCTOBER

LRPS

 Prints and digital projected image WEDNESDAY 11 AND THURSDAY 12 JUNE

 Prints and digital projected image WEDNESDAY 16 JULY

 Prints and digital projected image THURSDAY 17 JULY

 Prints only Chiles Stanley Building, London EC2A 4AR SUNDAY 21 SEPTEMBER

BOOK NOW For details on attending each of these dates, please contact Ben Fox on 01225 325751 or by email at ben@rps.org

 Prints and digital projected image WEDNESDAY 22 OCTOBER

 Multimedia SATURDAY 1 NOVEMBER

FIND OUT MORE For more information on assessments, including how-to guides and application forms, go to rps.org/distinctions EXPERT ADVICE Turn to our member guide on page 327 to find dates for advisory days, where you can gain expert advice on your portfolio

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 Prints and digital projected image

CAPTURING THE MOMENT Human beings and photography have an unequivocal connection; as the aperture in a camera adjusts to control the input of light, so too do the muscles in our iris control the aperture in our eye so that the captured images can be transferred on to photographic paper or stored in our memories respectively.

It is fortunate that one of these processes of recording images can be cherished and enjoyed many years after that scene fades from existence and memory – the well-made photographic print.

We are proud to lend our support to the work of Steve and Colin in this month’s Distinctions section, as we see the immense value in nurturing and showcasing work whose quality is at such a high standard. As manufacturers of professional quality photographic papers, our reputation for producing the highest quality media available enables Royal Photographic Society members to achieve excellent standards

when printing their photographs at home.

It is important to consider all aspects of the paper type as we offer an extensive range, from powerful high gloss to textured fine art. Steve’s carefully selected choice of paper provides warmth to his monochrome images. The FB Gold Silk 315gsm media is our new heavyweight paper that we would recommend people use to achieve similar results.

So how could you achieve a tactile appearance like that in Colin McLean’s Zabriskie Point? The popular Papyrus 300gsm paper would enhance the mountain vista by emphasising the sandy details through the incredible textured surface in the paper itself.

We wish Colin and Steve great success throughout their photographic journeys and encourage anyone who prints at home to learn more through our website or by following us on Twitter. www.permajet.com 01789 739200 @PermaJet

TUESDAY 4 NOVEMBER AND WEDNESDAY 5 NOVEMBER

BEN FOX

Assessing a portfolio

nspired by what you’ve seen on the preceding pages? Come along to an assessment day to see more portfolios being assessed by the Society’s expert panels, and learn what makes for a successful submission.

LRPS and ARPS assessments are open to an audience, for which tickets are free to applicants and members, £5 for non-members, and must be ordered in advance.

Unless otherwise stated our assessments take place at The Royal Photographic Society headquarters, at Fenton House, 122 Wells Road, Bath BA2 3AH.

288 | HISTORY |

ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

THE AGE OF THE

Selfie

Can the roots of photographic self-portraiture tell us something about the inescapable boom in digital selfies? Alec Mackenzie finds out

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O THE 'OBAMA SELFIE' AFP photographer Roberto Schmidt took this image of American president Barack Obama, Danish prime minister Helle ThorningSchmidt and British PM David Cameron posing for a selfie at the memorial service for Nelson Mandela on December 10 last year

bama did it. Your kids have done it. Maybe even you’ve done it. Yes, it’s the selfie – a word much used, much despised by some and, in case you missed it, declared word of the year 2013 by the Oxford Dictionaries. There has been an explosive rise in the number of us capturing pictures of ourselves at arm’s length from every conceivable angle and location around the world.

Their proliferation has been largely led by technological innovations such as the front-facing cameraphone and the ease with which images can be shared with an online audience.

There are many who would like to place distance between the selfie and the art of photography.

“Every journalist has a tape recorder,” said David Bailey earlier this year. “But it doesn’t make them Tolstoy.” However, there is something in the creation of a construct of ourselves that we want others to see that rings true – no matter how high, or low, the artistic value of the image.

Sharing a carefully posed image of yourself is not exclusively a 21st-century activity – in the 1860s, there was a huge trend for cartes de visite, small photographs that could be left, strategically, when calling on people. However, the self-portrait is believed to have started with American camera pioneer Robert Cornelius, who single-handedly produced a daguerreotype self-portrait in 1839.

While Cornelius’ tousled hair and casual appearance has some of the spontaneity we’d associate with the selfie of today, it’s important to note that most self-portraiture for these original practitioners was not a solitary activity.

“The photographer who was going to be the subject would set everything up with their assistant, and they would be the one who took the photograph,” explains Donald Stewart, chair of The RPS Historical Group. “The reason was purely technical. Because there was no shutter release on lots of these early cameras, you just took the cap off and put it back on after you made the exposure.”

Many self-portraits of the period also went beyond simply conveying a flattering likeness of the sitter. Against the backdrop of the debate on whether photography could really be considered art, they tried to assert the idea of the photographer as a creative individual with a unique viewpoint.

Stewart says: “They were very much portraying themselves as artists as opposed to mechanics, which was the attitude of quite a few painters who felt photography was a purely mechanical process that had no soul or real artistry to it.”

SELF-PORTRAITURE FOR THESE ORIGINAL PRACTITIONERS OF THE ART WAS OFTEN NOT A SOLITARY ACTIVITY

| HISTORY | 289 ME, MY SELFIE AND I

One hundred and seventy five years in the making

SELF-REFLECTION Eighteen-year-old photographer Laura Williams’ Invisible series plays with the mirror image, a common theme since the earliest days of the medium LIVING COLOUR Like many other Secessionist photographers, Alvin Langdon Coburn turned the camera on himself.

This particular 1910 autochrome resides in The Royal Photographic Society Collection in Bradford PORTRAIT OF AN ARTIST 1901's Self Portrait with Brush and Palette by Edward Steichen (18791973) suggests that the photographer’s craft is equal to that of the traditional artist. The gum bichromate process lends itself to this painterly approach PICTURE PIONEER Robert Cornelius (1809-1893) is believed to have taken the first self-portrait, a daguerreotype taken in 1839 outside his father's lamp shop. He took this shot himself, running in front of the lens to pose VOL 154 / JUNE 2014 / THE RPS JOURNAL

PREVIOUS PAGE: LAURA WILLIAMS; ALVIN LANGDON COBURN, 1910, © ROYAL PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY / NATIONAL MEDIA MUSEUM / SCIENCE & SOCIETY PICTURE LIBRARY; © 2014 THE ESTATE OF EDWARD STEICHEN; ROBERT CORNELIUS, GETTY IMAGES. THESE PAGES: © YEVONDE PORTRAIT ARCHIVE; GETTY; ALAMY; NASA

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THE MAGIC TOUCH The great Madame Yevonde invokes the power of witchcraft in her composition entitled Self Portrait with Image of Hecate, created in 1940. Her work using the Vivex process did much to popularise colour photography

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| HISTORY | 291 Oscar Gustav Rejlander illustrates the notion of the multifaceted personality in a photograph dating from around 1865, Rejlander Introduces Rejlander the Volunteer. This playful composite double self-portrait pieced together from several negatives shows Rejlander in both his life as an artist and as a military volunteer.

However, perhaps the most famous instance of the photographer positioning their craft as equal to that of a traditional artist is Edward Steichen’s 1901 self-portrait gum bichromate. Holding a painter’s palette in one hand, a paintbrush in the other and wearing a smock that belonged to the photographer Fred Holland Day, Steichen boldly proclaims his artistic identity.

Steichen, along with Day and other prominent self-portraitists including Alfred Stieglitz and Alvin Langdon Coburn were members of the influential early 20th-century Photo-Secession movement in America. This group, along with the Linked Ring, their British equivalent, established by former RPS members, did much to raise awareness of photography as an artform with self-portraiture proving a persuasive tool to this end.

Day in particular employed it to great dramatic and controversial effect in a series of negatives taken around 1898 depicting the Crucifixion. With himself in the lead role, Day staged the last moments of Christ’s life, employing a meticulous eye for historical detail that even included importing cedar wood from Lebanon for the cross.

T

he idea that the self-portrait could rise above straightforward representation and its subjects manifest themselves as historical figures, or take on fantastical attributes, is one that was to reverberate throughout the 20th century. It also had special significance for female photographers, providing the ideal stage to begin exploring female identity in what was still a male-dominated field.

One British photographer who holds an exceptional place in this respect is the great high society portrait photographer Madame Yevonde, best known as a pioneer of colour photography and for her 1930s Goddesses series, in which London’s elite were transformed into mythical characters such as Medusa, Venus and Daphne.

Madame Yevonde applied some of that sense of the allegorical to her final self portrait from 1940.

She shows herself standing in front of a gilded mirror surrounded by bottles of chemicals from her cherished colour process and holding up a picture of Hecate, the Greek goddess of witchcraft.

By association with such a formidable muse, Madame Yevonde seems to present herself, the photographer, as both artist and sorceress.

SELFIE AWARENESS

Charting the rise of the ubiquitous social media self-portraits 2002 The first recorded use of the word ‘selfie’ is made on an Australian internet forum in 2002, in reference to a drunken birthday night out.

2014 NASA astronaut Steven Swanson uploads the first interplanetary Instagram selfie while aboard the International Space Station.

2004 The hashtag #selfie appears on the image hosting website Flickr.

Ellen DeGeneres’ star-studded selfie at the 86th Academy Awards becomes the most shared post on Twitter of all time, garnering more than three million retweets.

2008 Facebook, the definitive online platform for showing off selfies, overtakes its main rival MySpace as the leading social networking site.

2010 The release of Apple's iPhone 4 offers full selfie control with a front-facing camera that puts the photographer in the frame.

2013 Oxford Dictionaries editors select selfie as their word of the year after a 17,000% increase in its use in the preceding 12 months.

THE PRACTITIONERS WERE VERY MUCH PORTRAYING THEMSELVES AS ARTISTS AS OPPOSED TO MECHANICS VOL 154 / JUNE 2014 / THE RPS JOURNAL

292 | HISTORY | ROLE PLAY In Cindy Sherman’s Untitled (Self Portrait of Marilyn Monroe), 1982, she uses portraits of herself in different scenarios to critique the portrayal of women

BRIDGEMAN; ROYAL PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY / NATIONAL MEDIA MUSEUM / SCIENCE & SOCIETY PICTURE LIBRARY; VIVECA KOH ARPS

DOUBLE VISION Oscar Gustav Rejlander introduces himself as both the artist and as a military volunteer in this composite image from several negatives taken around 1865, facing page

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NOT JUST FOR SELFIES

Viveca Koh ARPS tells us why she loves the revolution in smartphone cameras

That same alluring potion of history, symbolism and role-play in self-portraiture is arguably most powerfully carried forward today by photographers such as Cindy Sherman and Rodney Graham, who have portrayed themselves as a multitude of personas in their work – in roles such as the Hollywood blonde bombshell and the ageing punk.

The tendency towards the fantastic narrative in the self-portrait is alive and well in the next generation of photographers. Eighteen-year-old Laura Williams captured the attention of online audiences with her Invisible series, in which she plays with the illusory nature of the mirror, harking back to some of the surreal experiments of the earliest photographers.

W

ith a heritage such as this, is there any place for the digital selfie as seen on Facebook – or should the self-portrait and the selfie remain in two distinct arenas? Liz Rideal is an artist who has curated three exhibitions on the subject of the self-portrait at the National Portrait Gallery. For her, the selfie revolution in portraiture has both benefits and drawbacks.

“The ease of taking your own photograph and promulgating it in a variety of ways is extraordinary,” she says. “There’s a value to that because the whole focus of our society is about how the individual looks and thinks, how they respond and participate. On the other hand, [the way anyone can record themselves] devalues the whole thing. It’s not precious, and so in a sense, the self has no worth.”

“The really interesting point about self-portraits,” she adds, “is that they’re about trying to make a contemporary visual statement by communicating what’s inside your head.”

Only time will tell whether any of the present-day selfies will hold the same fascination as earlier excursions into photographic self-portraiture. One common line that can be drawn, however, from the earliest daguerreotype to the cameraphone snap, is that they all continue to exhibit the essential social desire to communicate and connect with others.

The new breed of smartphone can produce photographs of sparkling clarity and excellent colour – gone are the days of the pixelated, murky ‘phone snap’ – and some even exceed the pixel count of entry-level DSLRs. As a photographer I am constantly looking out for new ways to express myself photographically, and I feel that iPhoneography has aided me greatly in this quest, partly due to the limitation of only having one lens (a bit like going out with nothing but a 50mm f/1.4 lens on one’s DSLR), but also in that using some of the different camera apps can generate many varying effects.

It is the camera I always have with me, and the quality of lenses is getting so good now that they really do produce excellent photographs.

The phone camera is very successful for close-up portraits. I imagine the device is

somewhat less intimidating to be faced with than a big camera.

My model in Little Angel happy to get close to the phone camera, which focuses very close with no additional macro lens.

Experimenting with apps is fun. Hipstamatic is my favourite, coming with virtual interchangeable ‘films’ and ‘lenses’ so that all manner of combinations are possible. Apps can mimic varying styles of analogue photography, such as TtV (Through The Viewfinder), plastic cameras with light leaks, old-fashioned plate cameras, crossprocessed, Polaroid, photo booth, various films in colour and monochrome with film borders.

There are also plenty of post-processing apps to add further texture or enhancements, such as Photoshop Express and ‘bit-glitching’ app Decim8.

I find camera phone photography exciting and endlessly creative – it doesn’t ‘dumb down’ my photography or replace my DSLR, but enhances and challenges my skills and vision, allowing me to develop as a photographer and, most importantly, never to stop ‘seeing’.

This is a version of an article printed in The RPS Digital Imaging Group’s journal, DIGIT. See more at vivecakoh photography.co.uk INVALUABLE APPS Hipstamatic Interchangeable films and lenses Photoshop Express Quick and easy post-processing Flickr Sharing with ease

Leaves & Water Drops and, above, Little Angel

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MCCAULEY ARPS 294 | INTERVIEW | ALISON

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ocumentary photographer Alison McCauley ARPS is not a fan of comfort zones. A photographer with a fascination for identity, belonging and migration, the further she finds herself from what she knows, the happier she is. It’s a quest for understanding that has led the 52-year-old and her camera to hijra communities in Mumbai and Syrian asylum seekers miles from home – creating a body of work that focuses on the warmth of the human spirit amid the toughest circumstances.

They’re stories that resonate.

McCauley, a former painter who made the switch to photography eight years ago, has had her work featured by the BBC, Al Jazeera and the Daily Telegraph. But it is the recent publication of her images on India’s one million hijras, or transgender women, that has attracted attention that could help spark real change.

In April India’s supreme court ruled that the hijra, or ‘third gender’, is now officially recognised after being legally excluded from society for decades. This legal visibility will allow hijras to apply for jobs, college places and health services. The ruling is considered by activists to be the first step towards a wider change in attitudes towards the much-sidelined community.

“Following the supreme court ruling, The Hindu contacted me about featuring my work. The fact that an Indian publication felt they were valuable images meant so much,” says the Geneva-based photographer.

Her series of images, taken during a two-week trip to Mumbai, tell the story of Kajal, a sex worker with a knife scar that trails half the length of her back, dealt out by a drunken client. And of

REFLECTIONS ON HUMANITY Alison McCauley ARPS moved from painting to photography, and is now seeing her work make waves. Lucy Anna Scott meets her

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ALISON MCCAULEY ARPS

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The hijra (third gender) face discrimination in their native India, despite recent legislation. Kajal (above), a sex worker, shows a knife scar inflicted by a drunken client

Puja, raped 10 times every month, a fact to which the police turn a blind eye.

However, the photographer is not concerned with these women as victims, but as “brave” individuals, who are “fighters”. “I was in Mumbai during Gay Pride, where many hijras marched without masks. In a country where homosexuality is still illegal, that takes courage,” she says.

McCauley’s portraits are of confident, vivacious women who look boldly at the camera. These are hijras at ease, who dance, and lark around at home. Owing to the legal vulnerabilities of the hijras and the activists who work with them, building relationships with the women was a delicate process that required a “lot of talking and listening”. But the process of getting to know her subjects was what McCauley most enjoyed.

“Photographers are rarely experts in

YOU SPEND MORE TIME TALKING TO PEOPLE THAN PHOTOGRAPHING THEM AND THAT’S WHAT I LOVE THE RPS JOURNAL / JUNE 2014 / VOL 154

WORKING OVERSEAS

what they shoot; you don’t need to be,” she explains. “You spend more time talking to people than photographing them and that’s what I love – learning about people and their environment.”

How membership of the Society's Swiss Chapter has aided McCauley in her work

cCauley used a fixer in Mumbai to help her during her trip, which cost 100 US Dollars for an average eight-hour a day. She found the guide through Lightstalkers – a website that provides contacts for photographers and film crews – in order to help make contact with the hijras and with translation. Despite this assistance, it took many days to establish communication and trust.

“The women were hesitant to begin with. In India homosexual sex is illegal and with many working in the sex trade, they were understandably scared of being photographed,” she says.

“But with the help of the fixer, who translated our conversations for us, we kept talking, some days late into the evening. I found them incredibly gracious and generous people. Even though they don’t have much, whenever I visited they would make tea and lunch.”

For Alison McCauley, membership of The Royal Photographic Society has been vital in helping retain links with her home country. “I don’t travel back to England that much," she says, "so the organisation gives me that connection."

Based in Geneva, McCauley is a member of the Society’s Swiss Chapter, with members throughout Switzerland and over the border in France.

Many are engaged in projects around the globe. The Chapter has won several RPS prizes of late – with

M

five finalists and three winners in RPS members’ competitions over the last half-year.

The group, she says, is “encouraging and supportive. They share images and critique each other’s work. And they are always available if you want to talk to anyone”.

Find out more at rps.org/regionsand-chapters

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As part of On the Threshold McAuley has been photographing Syrian asylum seekers – mainly children – living at Geneva’s Hospice Général asylum centre in Anières

I LIKE REALITY AND ALL THE MESS THAT GOES WITH IT. I COULDN’T GET INTO CLASSICAL PORTRAITURE WHERE EVERYTHING IS LIT PERFECTLY

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McCauley’s evident pleasure in getting to know the subject shows that she is worlds away from her previous career as a painter, an artform she eventually found “too isolating, something that separated me from everyone when all I wanted to do was talk to people and get involved.”

Determined to make up for lost time, at 45 years old she headed to the Barnsley-headquartered Open College of the Arts to study for a degree in creative arts photography. She graduated in 2010, and achieved her Associateship of the Royal Photographic Society in 2011.

It was a leap of faith that has never felt better. The raw nature of the stories McCauley tells is complimented by her love of visual storytelling that’s “scruffy, loose and unpolished”. A dislike of a flash, and of “perfection”, allows her to project something truer to the jagged edges of life as it is lived. “I like reality and all the mess that goes with it,” she says. “I couldn’t get into classical portraiture where everything is lit perfectly.”

She avoids spending hours postshoot, too, with limited use of editing

programmes such as Photoshop. “I don’t spend hours making images look better than they really are.”

This approach has evolved from the mode of storytelling in her earlier street photography work, which employed clean, strongly composed graphic images as a way of communicating stories of urban isolation – a method that largely aimed to “take the bestlooking shots” possible. Now, however, McCauley’s path has moved from stolen moments from the street into wider bodies of work. “For me, a single image doesn’t tell you much and I’ve lost interest in them. It’s images together that tell a story and narrate meaning.”

McCauley’s latest narrative tells the tale of people who’ve fled from war to try to find safety in the west. For an ongoing body of work titled On the Threshold, she has been photographing asylum seekers living at Geneva’s Hospice Général asylum centre in Anières – many of whom have been displaced by the ongoing Syrian conflict. “It’s been a slow process to establish relationships,” says McCauley, who’s been visiting the centre

ALISON MCCAULEY ARPS

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WHAT’S IN YOUR BAG?

Alison McCauley opens up

every week for more than a year. “The adults have been reluctant to let me photograph them in case their pictures end up back in Syria. Many images focus on children – they will look different in two years’ time and therefore not run the risk of being recognised.”

T

he tender images of the children at the Anières centre show that national identity bears no obstacle to friendship. Boys from Kosovo and Nigeria are pictured like brothers. Syrian and Turkish girls lie together, basking in the sun. This theme is even more poignant in the unpleasant political context that surrounds her subjects.

“Part of the reason behind doing this project was that there are people in Switzerland who are xenophobic. We have some unpleasant political parties here with extreme views, and which have a following. I am not a political person but I hope these images will help people consider the lives of these people, and how desperate some of them are,” says McCauley, whose childhood spent

moving from one country to the next gave roots to her interest in national identity and belonging.

Eight years after her decision to build a career as a photographer, McCauley says she’s found the right artistic path. But although comfortable in this new skin, the artist still struggles with one aspect of the job. “I am not a good salesperson.

It’s the only part of the process I don’t enjoy. I still feel like a horrible show-off when it comes to selling myself,” she says. As a way around this, she is in the process of setting up an agency with a handful of French photojournalists. The hope is the group will help find routes to market for their images, and routes that pay too. “It could be a good way of getting our work out there. Agencies can take a 60 per cent commission or more.

So we want to set up on our own so we can control where our work goes.

“Whether it’s researching a project, editing or taking pictures, I am engaged with photography the whole time. What I do now doesn’t feel like work. I’ve found what I want to do later in life. It’s fantastic and I’ll never take that for granted.”

I’ve just updated my Nikon D700 and my main camera for documentary projects is now a Nikon D610. I always have a 20mm and a 35mm lens.

Sometimes I take a 50mm too. I carry an extra battery or two, a handful of memory cards and a compact camera just in case my camera breaks down. (It hasn’t happened yet.) If I know the light is going to be good, I take my Leica M-E

and a 28mm lens.

My projects seem to take me inside gloomy rooms a lot and the Nikon is much better in low light. The Leica is my main street photography camera. I carry water, cash for the day, sunblock, sunglasses, a cotton scarf, cards printed with my name and website, a slim notebook, a couple of pens, Ricola Swiss herbal sweets, my phone, a ziplock plastic bag for my full memory cards and maybe a map.

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PEARSON FRPS 300 | SHOWCASE | BOB

THE NUANCE OF LIGHT & COLOUR

Bob Pearson FRPS explains how he returned with large-scale gems from Namibia

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was my third trip to Namibia, which is a country of light and colour, and I went with the aim of producing very large prints of high definition, as I thought that this was a genre that was being totally neglected.

Could you begin by telling us how you came to take these pictures?

The images are of the interior of the derelict houses at Kolmanskop in Namibia. This

What or who was your inspiration for them?

Well, although Kolmanskop has been very much photographed by others I still personally find it continues to be an inspiring subject as I enjoy photographing derelict buildings. Artists often produce large canvases where detail and style of brush stroke play an important part. So, I thought the interior of a derelict building would prove an ideal

he Royal Photographic Society always encourages its members to exhibit their work, that’s why every month at the headquarters in Bath an exhibition of members’ photographs is held. This month we bring you the work of Bob Pearson FRPS, who travelled to Namibia in 2012 to photograph an abandoned diamond mining community, and hear what inspired him to capture these surreal, uninhabited houses.

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subject for the sort of largedefinition print that I had in mind. That said, I think, really, the key thing is that the images are all about the nuance of light and colour, and the texture and tone of the print.

Name Bob Pearson Lives East Devon Camera Nikon D800E Lens Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8

What sort of conditions were they taken in?

It was essential to be there at the right time. They were taken either in early morning or late evening to get the best light coming through the windows and into the rooms. Ideally, you’d want to visit after a windy night so that all the sand had blown about and hidden the footsteps.

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PEARSON FRPS 302 | SHOWCASE | BOB Tell us about the equipment you used for these images?

To make really large prints the equipment is crucial. The camera that I chose to use was the 36-megapixel Nikon D800E, which effectively produces the highest-resolution image of any photo 35mm camera. Obviously it’s no good without the best lens, so I decided to use the Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 and the camera was also always mounted on a heavy tripod.

Did you use any particular techniques in creating these images?

I wanted to be at the wide end so nearly all of the images were taken at 14mm, and the camera itself has angle sensors in the viewfinder to ensure that it’s vertical and horizontal, so that’s important. The other key technique is that I used mirror lock-up and had a threesecond delay after the mirror movement so that there is absolutely no vibration left in the system. I wanted everything to be as sharp as possible. The camera RAW file was processed in Lightroom, output to an Epson printer on to Ilford Galerie paper.

When did you first start photographing interiors or derelict buildings?

I’d left photography for a number of years and returned to it in the mid-90s. Within a year or two of taking photographs again I won a silver RPS medal with an image taken in a derelict house in Spain, and in fact it’s been probably one of my most successful images. So since then I have been very aware of the opportunities derelict buildings offer as photographic subjects.

How do you know when a series of photographs is complete and ready to exhibit?

Initially I aim to produce at least twice as many prints as I’ll eventually need. I’ll then adjust and print them, and then I leave them for a period of time. Then when I return to them I may make some readjustments, and I start to reduce the number. Initially the THE RPS JOURNAL / JUNE 2014 / VOL 154

I HOPE THAT WHEN PEOPLE WANDER IN AND SEE THESE A1-SIZED IMAGES THEY THINK: 'WOW'

process is in selecting images that particularly appeal and then it is about choosing images that go well together.

What do you look for in a photograph? How do you know when you’ve captured your subject successfully?

I very much compose the image in the camera, and try to imagine, at least to some extent, the adjustments I might make in the processing to produce what I have in mind.

The first one I take is usually the one I keep and is the best.

What sort of reaction do you hope to evoke in viewers?

I think this is the first exhibition at Fenton House that has displayed only A1-sized images.

I hope that when people wander in they think: “Wow”. As they walk closer they’ll start to see the intriguing detail.

View the full exhibition until the end of June at The Royal Photographic Society, Fenton House, 122 Wells Road, Bath BA2 3AH, or go to rps.org. To find out more about Bob Pearson's work visit his website at bobpearsonphotography.com

Bob Books photobooks design publish share

20% off your first book bobbooks.co.uk/rps Photography Š Trevor Cotton

BOOKS 304 | EXHIBITION | PHOTO

A PHOTOBOOK IS A WORLD IN ITSELF: A PERFECT UNITY OF CONTENT AND FORM, OF The Dutch Photobook, published by Aperture Foundation, 2012

Ahead of the Royal Photographic Society’s first photobook exhibition in November, Brian Steptoe FRPS reviews some examples that have been internationally influential

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hotobooks have been around since the beginning of photography. But from the early 2000s onwards their popularity has grown considerably, a fact validated in 2004 with the publication of The Photobook: A History Volume I

by Martin Parr and Gerry Badger. This was followed by volume II in 2006 and earlier this year came volume III, which covers 1950 to 2013 and includes many previously undiscovered gems.

Displays of photobooks accompanying gallery exhibitions are now commonplace.

Photobook exhibitions with international entry take place as part of exhibitions and conventions, such as at Rencontre d’Arles, at Paris-Photo, and at dedicated exhibitions, including one at Kassel in Germany.

The Society believes the time has come to establish its own photobook exhibition – in the first instance limited to its own members.

Entry numbers of 100 to 200 books is the target and photobooks created using any on-demand production system, as well as handmade artist books, will be accepted. It is hoped that support for this will lead to regular RPS photobook exhibitions in the future.

Four criteria are used in judging international photobook exhibitions: concept, photography (including how this supports the book concept), editing and design, and the physical aspects of the book (paper, binding etc). Here are five examples of photobooks illustrating these criteria, including one artist’s book, most of which appear in Parr and Badger’s volumes.

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CONCRESCO David Galjaard Self-published, 2012 168 PAGES 62 PHOTOGRAPHS

Galjaard's documentary book takes a look at some of the 750,000 bunkers built at the

orders of the paranoid dictator Enver Hoxha in Albania. These were recorded during four

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IMAGE, TEXT, LAYOUT, COLOUR AND FORMAT. IT IS A MIRACLE IN PAPER AND INK

visits to the country, showing how they have been absorbed back into the landscape since the

death of Hoxha in 1985, together with interviews with a number of Albanians about their memories

associated with the bunkers.

Photographed in the neutral New Topographics style,

these bizarre scenes show the aftermath of the imposition of a political presence on a country.

â–ź Concresco was the winning photobook at Paris Photo 2012 and appears in Parr/ Badger Vol III, p 210.

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BOOKS 306 | EXHIBITION | PHOTO

A SHIMMER OF POSSIBILITY

Paul Graham HonFRPS Originally published

by SteidlMACK as 12 separate volumes, 2007, it also comes as a composite

volume, 2009 (shown here) 376 pages in total 167 photographs Graham has called this work "a filmic haiku", showing discreet events on the street, such as a

man smoking, as a sequence of images, taken in the USA from 2004–2006.

The reader is asked to unravel the possibility of a storyline for each sequence. Frequent use is made of

variations in image size and placement, and of white space and blank pages. ▼ The winning photobook at Paris Photo 2011, it features in Parr/Badger Vol III p 144-145.

THE AMERICANS OFTEN HIGHLIGHTS FRANK'S FEELINGS ON POOR TREATMENT OF A NEW AMERICAN PICTURE Doug Rickard Originally published by White Press, Cologne, 2010, extended edition published by Aperture, New York, 2012 (this version reviewed) 144 pages 73 photographs

The Americans by Robert Frank, first published in 1958, is considered to be the starting point

for modern photobooks in the west. Frank’s road-trip images in The Americans often highlight his feelings on the poor treatment of black communities in America. Rickard’s A New American Picture takes the same topic and brings it right up to date, broaching the same subject but in the internet

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age. He has searched online for locations in the USA that are considered best avoided by tourists, captured images of these from Google Street View and reframed them on his computer monitor, which is then rephotographed. ▼ A New American Picture is the final book in Parr/Badger Vol III p 310-311.

| HISTORY | 307 MISS TITUS BECOMES A REGULAR ARMY MAC Melinda Gibson Artist book conceived by the author, published by b.frank books which specialises in artist books, 2013 46 pages, French folded 72 photographs

The photographs in this book show the front and the back of ‘found’ prints from the archive of Brad Feuerhelm, many of which were discarded photos from film studios.

The back views of these appear on the viewable pages and the main images are placed exactly on the reverse, hidden within the French fold. The reader thus has to choose to tear open the French folds to see the front views.

Two folds are cut open in every book published, making each one different to the rest.

BLACK COMMUNITIES. A NEW AMERICAN PICTURE BRINGS IT RIGHT UP TO DATE HACKNEY WICK

Stephen Gill Self-published by Nobody Books in conjunction with the Archive of Modern Conflict, 2005 122 pages 100 photographs A look at the vast Sunday market in Hackney Wick, Gill recorded it on a film camera bought at the market for 50p. ▼ Included in Parr/ Badger Vol II, p 324.

EXHIBIT YOUR WORK

For more guidance on putting forward your photobook for the exhibition in November, please see the YouTube video at bit.ly/RKQwsG The closing date for submissions is 1 September 2014.

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OSBORNE HonFRPS 308 | BEST SHOTS | BEN

NATURAL TALENT

Award-winning nature and wildlife photographer Ben Osborne HonFRPS picks six shots to talk about with Geoff Harris LRPS THE RPS JOURNAL / JUNE 2014 / VOL 154

BEN OSBORNE HonFRPS

GREENLAND This is a rare example of a good shot I took while running a workshop. Normally, I’m totally focused on ensuring my clients get their own good pictures, rather than

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worrying about my own stuff, but I got this image after everyone had gone to bed. I was sitting on a rock at about 2am and noticed how the rising sun had turned the clouds pink. The

marvellous colour was mimicked by a pink rock in the foreground, so everything just came together. My tent was 30 yards away so I took the picture and crawled into my sleeping bag.

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OSBORNE HonFRPS 310 | BEST SHOTS | BEN

I

n the world of nature photography, you could say Ben Osborne is a veteran. Seven years ago, he was named Wildlife Photographer of the Year, the ultimate accolade for those who love to photograph our natural world. He has gathered many other awards, and in 2008 received the highly prestigious Honorary Fellowship of the Royal Photographic Society, for succeeding in a career stretching back to the 1980s.

It’s surprising, then, that this all started out in a very different place.

After studying for a zoology degree at the University of Edinburgh, Osborne spent 18 months as a research scientist on South Georgia with the British Antarctic Survey. “I started taking photographs seriously THE RPS JOURNAL / JUNE 2014 / VOL 154

around 1982 and I discovered that people seemed more interested in my images than my scientific work, so that’s how it started,” he explains.

Photography soon overtook animal science as the reason he would get out of bed, but his scientific training hasn’t gone to waste.

“Zoology taught me that the longer you spend with an animal, the better you understand it and it’s the same when it comes to photography,” he says. “I’m not sitting there with my finger on the shutter button all the time, but I’m

THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY CHANGES BUT I FIND THEM INTERESTING

MARGUERITE BAY (ABOVE) This was taken in 1986, on a trip to the Antarctic Peninsula.

The icebergs and pack ice create a very distinctive landscape.

The iceberg in the foreground is 120ft high and gives a real sense of scale. That was the good bit.

The harsh midday light was pretty horrible. I was going to bracket, or fire off a series of images at different exposures, to compensate for the light, but I had hardly any film left.

So I just had to get it right. I also took a version with a telephoto lens and it featured in National Geographic.

DURDLE DOOR (RIGHT) This image was shot on the Dorset coast as part of my Jurassic Journey project. I wanted to show familiar locations in a new way so I decided to photograph Durdle Door in a storm, rather than in more conventional, beautiful, earlymorning light. As soon as the shipping forecast indicated force 10, I headed down and was rewarded with this image. The wind was blowing right up the rocks and there was spray everywhere. It was too windy to use a tripod so I had to shoot handheld.

BEN OSBORNE HonFRPS

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BEN OSBORNE'S 5 TIPS FOR NATURE SHOTS KNOW YOUR SUBJECT If you are serious about wildlife photography, you need to understand the behaviour of the animals and, just as importantly, know what you want to say about it.

1

THE HOLLIES I took this near my home in Shropshire.

These ancient hollies are part of a nature reserve managed by Shropshire Wildlife

Trust. I had to park the car and walk for miles through deep snow but it was worth it. These trees are special, and very close to my heart.

BEN ON CHOOSING A LOCATION The Hollies proves you can often do your best work close to home to get the image.

GET THE RIGHT CLOTHES This may sound like an obvious tip but it’s really important. You need to make sure you have the right clothing, as if you are uncomfortable and cold you won’t get the pictures.

I wear Páramo gear as they consult closely with outdoor photographers.

2

TRY SOMETHING NEW The more photographic techniques you have under your belt, the more you are able to choose the right one for the conditions.

Techniques such as time lapse, flash and slow shutter effects can be really useful.

3

WORK ON A PORTFOLIO Rather than taking a series of unconnected images, try to build a portfolio around a particular place or subject. This also gives you the opportunity to explore a subject in much more depth.

4

CREATE YOUR OWN STYLE Don’t simply mimic the work of other photographers.

Landscape photographers are particularly bad at copying classic images.

Try to develop a signature style, so your work stands out.

5

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OSBORNE HonFRPS 312 | BEST SHOTS | BEN

observing them so that I get a better understanding of how they operate.

“I’ve got a lot of respect for scientific photography involving electron microscopes and so on, but that’s not what I am about.

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of how animals behave, and I want my photography to tell stories. The story of how the albatross seems to instinctively know its way across the ocean, for example, gives the opportunity for some very exciting images.”

The images that Osborne is

known for encapsulate this approach; atmospheric, sometimes brooding or even abstract, they capture the essence of a particular corner or resident of the natural world. This artistic bent is getting an airing now as Osborne continues to work on multidisciplinary

projects, similar to one he has just finished on the Jurassic Coast. “I worked with a poet, a musician and a sculptor, which created some really interesting photographic opportunities and challenges,” he says.

“I’ve had a great 30-year career with lots of ups and

BEN OSBORNE HonFRPS

BEN ON USING CAMERA TRAPS I’m sometimes asked if I have ever thought about using camera traps to capture animal behaviour, but I feel I’m somehow cheating if I’m not actually there to get the image.

downs. There have been so many changes, what with the demise of film and of stock photography, but I find these changes interesting. I’m not sitting around complaining, and I keep moving on.”

See more at benosbornephotography.co.uk

ELEPHANT CREATION (LEFT) This was taken when doing stills for the BBC’s Planet Earth show, and came through observing animal behaviour over time. Elephants kept coming back to this dip near the waterhole, which often overflowed.

They really enjoyed splashing around in the mud. We parked the vehicle one day and waited until this bull arrived. The combination of the mud and his skin creates some lovely graphic shapes. I was using a Canon ID Mark III digital SLR and a 70-200mm lens. I was about 30ft away. This was the overall winner of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition in 2007.

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SOUTHERN OCEAN (ABOVE) I was helping on a scientific trip in 1985. This type of albatross looks like it’s wearing mascara, due to the colour of the feathers around its eyes. I was sailing to South Georgia and the albatross appeared. A yacht on a rocking sea isn’t the best working environment. I was using a manualfocus Nikon FM2 film SLR, trying to follow a bird moving at 60mph with a 300mm lens handheld, all manual exposure. While I've never been the most technical photographer, I’d learned you couldn’t burn out the highlights in transparency film, so I was mindful of that.

JOIN THE RPS NATURE GROUP If you’d like to learn more about wildlife or nature photography, consider joining The RPS Nature Group. One of the largest and most active of the Society’s special interest groups, the Nature Group runs events around the country to meet other nature enthusiasts and further the art of nature photography.

For more information go to rps.org/specialinterest-groups/ nature

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Photography Tours and Workshops.

To the best in the world with the best in the world.

Lofoten Islands The Land of the Midnight Sun

Digital Imaging workshop

26th July – 6th August 2014 with David Ward

12th – 14th Sept 2014 with Adrian Beasley and Peter Hendrie

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Lake District

8th – 22nd Oct 2014 with David Clapp

26th – 30th Oct 2014 with Clive Minnitt and Phil Malpas

London Light and Life

Almond Blossom in Andalucia

9th - 11th Feb 2015 with Doug Chinnery

20th – 24th Feb 2015 with Charlie Waite and Peter Hendrie

You will be working with some of the most respected photographers in the world. They include: Charlie Waite • Joe Cornish • David Ward • Antony Spencer • Phil Malpas • Clive Minnitt David Clapp and many more.

Light and Land.

T +44 1747 824727 E admin@lightandland.co.uk www.lightandland.co.uk

THE MUST TRY

CRAFT JUNE 2014

THE L ATE S T TECHNOL OGY, TECHNIQUE S A ND SK ILL S

Fujifilm X-T1

Gavin Stoker feels Fujifilm’s rave-reviewed flagship system camera is a close DSLR alternative

C

ompact-system cameras have long been pitched as a more portable alternative to a digital SLR and bag of lenses. But few offered a straight swap in image quality plus a workhorse-like, weather-sealed exterior until the Olympus OM-D E-M1 and, now, Fujifilm X-T1.

From the same lineage as the X-Pro1, this high-end ‘X’ model looks an instant classic, the closest Fuji has got to a DSLRlike construction since its

short-lived ‘S’ series. With eye-level 2.36 million-dot viewfinder, plus a 16.3 effective megapixel APS-C sensor at its core, it is also something of a potential Olympus Micro Four Thirds system killer. Dare we suggest it might tempt Canon and Nikon users to Fuji’s fledgling X system too?

While previous Fuji X models impressed with a Leica-like build – the metal X-T1 again feels reassuringly solid – one aspect which let down Fuji was

Fujifilm X-T1 PRICE From £1049.99 body only SENSOR APS-C X-Trans CMOS II (23.6x15.6mm) LENS MOUNT Fujifilm X mount SCREEN 3-inch, tilting LCD (1.040K dot) WEIGHT 390g (excluding accessories) MORE Fujifilm.co.uk VERDICT A camera that punches above its weight. If you’re prepared to invest in yet another system this is a worthwhile place to start.

SCORE ▼▼▼▼▼

autofocus speed; subsequently enhanced via firmware. The X-T1 addresses this with an official 0.08-second AF speed.

We tried the X-T1 with an XF 60mm f/2.4 prime lens to achieve pin-sharp subjects with creamily smooth defocused backgrounds. We were hard pressed to tell the difference between the Fuji’s output and that of a mid-range DSLR. If you feared Fuji’s X system didn’t look sufficiently serious, the X-T1 provides cause to rethink.

VOL 154 / JUNE 2014 / THE RPS JOURNAL

316 | THE CRAFT |

2

LATEST KIT 3

1

Nikon 1 V3 £799.99 with VR 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6 PD-Zoom

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH4 £1,299.99 body only

Manfrotto 190 tripod series £184.95–£359.95

Latest-generation CX-format CSC, available from all major stockists nikon.co.uk

Create content for that pricey 4K TV set with one of the few cameras to shoot in the format panasonic.co.uk

Get horizontal, as the most popular tripod in Manfrotto’s hobbyist range has an upgrade manfrotto.co.uk

1 Much better-looking than its

2 This fourth-generation flagship 4K

angular, ugly predecessor, the V2, and it has a premium compact feel. But will it convince enthusiasts to try out its Nikon 1 compact camera system, incorporating a one inch sensor?

The V3 ditches the eye-level viewfinder, although Nikon offers one as an optional extra in the shape of the DF-N1000. Key attributes include a 18.4-megapixel CMOS sensor, up to ISO12,800, a tilting touchscreen, built-in wi-fi, the latest-generation Expeed 4A processor plus hybrid AF comprising 171 autofocus points – up from 135 points – 105 of which are phase-detection AF points. A functional GR-N1010 grip is a compatible extra, as is an SB-N7 Speedlight plus an FT1 mount adapter to enable the use of a Nikkor DSLR lens.

video-shooting compact-system camera was the first in its class to offer any greater ‘movie’ resolution than the industry-standard full-HD 1,920 x 1,080 pixels. Joined in this respect by Sony’s a7S, Panasonic’s DSLR-alike CSC option appeals to those who feel themselves videographers as well as photographers.

An eye-level viewfinder, an improved 16.05-megapixel Four Thirds-format CMOS sensor, Venus Engine processor, and fast and accurate AF system are aided by a splashproof, dustproof chassis, matching the likes of the Olympus OM-D E-M1 and Fujifilm X-T1 for ruggedness. The GH4 offers wi-fi and NFC connectivity, plus compatibility with the latest-generation ‘Gold Series’ UHS-I SD cards with up to 64GB storage.

IN BRIEF No EVF in the 1 V3 but there’s an articulated rear screen and an 18MP sensor THREE MORE TO TRY Canon EOS M, Olympus Pen E-P5, Fujifilm X-A1

IN BRIEF Panasonic’s flagship GH4 is the first CSC to market with 4K video capture THREE MORE TO TRY Sony Alpha a7s, Canon EOS 70D, Nikon D7100

THE RPS JOURNAL / JUNE 2014 / VOL 154

3 The original 190PRO tripod,

released in 1998, was Manfrotto’s first to feature a horizontal centre column. It was replaced in 2007 with the 190XPROB, and now a new generation of 190 tripods is upon us. Innovations in the four latest versions include a mechanism to operate the 90° centre column that’s hidden within the tripod casting when not in use, but can be lifted out of the casting with a single-finger operation when required, allowing the column to be swung into a horizontal position. This means there is no need to disassemble the tripod or to remove the tripod head or your camera. It also ensures the latest 190 series is easier to transport than the version it replaces. Choose from carbon fibre or aluminium versions.

IN BRIEF Tilting centre column, quick power lock, rotating levelling bubble and accessory integration ensures jack-of-all-trades status THREE MORE TO TRY Giotto’s Silk Road tripods, GorillaPod Action tripod, Velbon UT Ultrek travel tripods

5

4

6

Tamrac Apache Photo Samsung NX mini Messenger bags £399 with 9mm kit lens £59.99–£99.99 The pocket CSC that tips selfie takers the

Canon Macro Ring Lite MR-14EX II £599.99

Stash DSLR, lens and tomahawk with these stylish, ready-for-action shoulder bags tamrac.co.uk

wink, available from all major stockists samsung.com

4 Protect your equipment from abrasion and moisture with one of a trio of new photo messenger-style shoulder bags to bear the Tamrac brand.

The exterior of the bags is sailcloth, said to be both lightweight and waterproof, while providing a soft, supple feel.

The zipped front pockets are described as ‘roomy’, while numerous additional internal organiser pockets can hold hard drives, cables, memory cards, water bottles and more. The smallest Apache 2 bag will hold a CSC or smaller DSLR with 18-55mm lens attached, plus a second lens, small flashgun and accessories; the Apache 4 can cope with all of that and adds space for a 10-inch tablet; the Apache 6 holds all the above, a couple more lenses plus a laptop.

getting in on the ‘selfie’ act, offering something that will deliver better pictures than a mobile. Samsung’s newest NX, the NX mini, features a backplate LCD that can be flipped up through 180° to face the subject, and is its smallest compact system camera yet, with a depth of 22.5mm, and weighs 158g.

Like the Nikon 1 system, the NX mini breaks with Samsung’s APS-C sensor tradition to shoehorn in a one-inch BSI CMOS chip. Resolution remains a highish-sounding 20.5 megapixels, however, which its maker suggests will allow the camera to appeal to pros, not just fashion-conscious consumers.

There are three new mini NX lenses available on launch, with an ultra-slim 9mm lens bundled with the camera.

and compatible with Canon’s whole EOS DSLR series, this is claimed to offer fully automatic E-TTL flash metering, as well as the flexibility to light and shoot a diverse range of subjects. By virtue of a one-touch lock lever, it offers swift and easy attachment to your Canon of choice. A metal mounting foot and dust-wiping mechanism provide durability and reliability. Furthermore, it can be used as a wireless optical master unit to operate and trigger Canon’s EX series Speedlites remotely, while the Ring Lite is described as near silent in operation and, since the operational cord is now attached to the left of the flash’s body, it won’t interfere with the camera’s shutter-release button.

IN BRIEF A ‘piggy back pocket’ enables your Tamrac to be slipped over the handle of rolling luggage THREE MORE TO TRY Interceptor weatherproof street bags, Lowepro DryZone series bags, Domke F2 Rugged Wear camera bag

IN BRIEF If Samsung can keep noise levels down, a 20-megapixel resolution from a one-inch sensor may gain it wider appeal THREE MORE TO TRY Sony a5000, Panasonic Lumix DMC-GM1, Nikon 1 S1

IN BRIEF Ring flash design enables versatile operation, while LED modelling lamps improve low-light focusing THREE MORE TO TRY Metz mecablitz 15 MS-1 macro ring light, Sigma EM-140 DG macro ring flash, Nikon R1 Wireless Close-Up Speedlight system

5 Dedicated digital cameras are

On-camera flash solution that will provide soft, even and – moreover – flattering light canon.co.uk

6 With a guide number of 14 (ISO100)

VOL 154 / JUNE 2014 / THE RPS JOURNAL

MASTERCLASS 318 | THE CRAFT | TECHNIQUE

How to use reflectors and diffusers

As much as we all love the sun, it can be a burden when trying to capture the perfect outdoor shot. Garden photography expert Paul Debois gives his top tips on best harnessing the elements

I

’m asked all the time how to take beautiful photographs. It’s rarely a secret, and more often than not simply a case of making the best use of the conditions you happen to be working in. In this instance, I’m going to show you how to take a flower portrait in bright summer sun. A clear, blue sky in the summer, with the sun directly overhead, is usually a problem in garden photography. In fact, it is a real nuisance.

You will need a tripod, a reflector and a diffuser to try this exercise. These you can buy at almost any photographic retailer, but you can make them yourself. I have a large sheet of nylon curtain material (with no patterns) I sometimes use as a diffuser, which can be suspended over the subject. In this case, it doesn’t need to be big as it only needs to cast shade over one small flower head. Likewise with the reflector, an A4 piece of silver foil (scrunched up and reopened) can be used. Or even a white sheet of paper, depending on how much fill you need.

FINE ADJUSTMENTS FOR THE PERFECT SHOT

Avoid distractions 1 I used a 200mm lens with extension

Position precision 2 The fly has moved (I often use a

tubes. For shots 2-4, the camera was on a tripod. The lens at f/2.8 blows the background out of focus. The main distraction is the hoverfly, plus the unsympathetic light.

make-up brush to clean off insects, pollen etc) and the camera position changed to remove the bottom-left flower. But the sun was fully out, creating unsightly shadows.

Room for reflection

Red dawn

WHAT YOU NEED

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Freelance since 1988, Paul Debois has exhibited regularly at shows such as the International Garden Photographer of the Year (IGPOTY) and the Affordable Art Fair. He regularly gives workshops on garden photography for The RPS, and in 2013 became an IGPOTY judge.

SIGN UP!

Reflectors and diffusers can be shop-bought or quite easily made at home.

White card, foam board and silver foil can be transformed into reflectors, while diffusers can be fashioned from large sheets of pattern-free curtain material.

3 A small silver reflector was used out of

frame, bottom left, to illuminate the flower. Shadows have been reduced, but the image is still a bit stark as it’s in direct sunlight.

An acceptable image, but it can be improved.

PLANT & GARDEN WORKSHOP

THE RPS JOURNAL / JUNE 2014 / VOL 154

4 An alternative to a diffuser is to wait for

a cloud to cover the sun. The reflector was still in place, with the background in shade, and less dominant. Also, the colour temperature is bluer, emphasizing the reds.

PAUL DEBOIS AND JASON INGRAM WILL HOST A TWO-DAY PLANT AND GARDEN WORKSHOP DETAILS: Mells, Somerset, on 12–13 July. For more information go to rps.org/learning/workshops

MASTERCLASS 320 | THE CRAFT | TECHNIQUE

Capture the perfect day How to set up the best shots for wedding photographs that make a lasting impression. By Terry Hewlett ARPS

What not to do 1 How often do

P

hotographing weddings is one of the most rewarding, inspiring and creative assignments any photographer can have, producing creative images that the couple will cherish and enjoy for many years.

Wedding photography requires a number of techniques to produce quality images. In many cases, the necessary skills include portraiture, fashion photography, landscape and architectural photography, still life and food photography, photojournalism, and creative and inspirational photography – not to mention good social skills. Along with these, you should also be able to use your camera’s functions and flash confidently and intuitively.

However, don’t let this put you off. If you invest time and effort in honing these skills, they are in no way beyond you. off-camera flash and a triggering system with a 7-inch diameter flash reflector, either a shoot-through umbrella or a soft box and stands on which to mount them, and a reflector with both a white and a silver side.

MORE

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Terry Hewlett trained as a commercial photographer at Reading College of Art, where he won a National Royal Society of Arts Design Bursary award. He ran a commercial photographic unit in Northern Ireland, and since 2004 has been working as a full-time wedding photographer under the banner of forevervisual.

As well as attending one of Hewlett’s workshops, you can find out more about the techniques he uses in his book Wedding Photography – Art and Techniques published by Crosswood Press. See bit.ly/hewlettweddingbook

WHAT YOU NEED

Other than a decent camera, you should ideally have an

WORKSHOP!

WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY

THE RPS JOURNAL / JUNE 2014 / VOL 154

you see wedding photographers, flash on camera, shooting the bride without giving any thought to the lighting, the overall composition or the pose? Here, the shot was taken with the flash on the camera and the bride facing straight at the camera, and standing in an unflattering pose and with her dress in rather a mess.

The pose 2 Here, there has

been some attempt to pose the bride, changing her angle and position in relation to the camera. However, there’s still some work needed on the arms, dress and her attitude.

Viewpoint can have a huge impact on how the final image works out, so consider all the angles.

The flash has been removed from the camera and placed on a light stand with a 7-inch flash reflector to help control the lighting and its angle to the bride. But further consideration needs to be given to the quality of the light, as the use of a flash reflector will still produce a hard light. Lighting involves many elements, and quality, intensity, direction and colour should be among your prime considerations.

INTRODUCTION TO WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP HOSTED BY TERRY HEWLETT DETAILS: 5–6 July, 13–14 September and 15–16 November.

| THE CRAFT | 321 Change of perspective 3 In this shot,

a number of changes have been made to improve on the previous images.

As well as lowering the photographer’s viewpoint, the lighting has been softened to produce a more flattering image. For this, you could use either a soft box or a shoot-through umbrella.

Up close and personal Increasing the size of the light source will change the character of the lighting, adjusting its

intensity and quality – two of the prime ingredients in the characteristics of lighting.

4 Getting in close

and using a little creativity can help improve your images immensely. Moving

closer and using a lens with a longer focal length will help to throw the background out of focus slightly.

Harnessing the elements 5 Not everyone is

happy using flash, especially at a wedding where the pressure can be immense, so the use of a simple reflector is the answer. It produces a light that is controllable and visible, so you can see the result immediately. The

silver side of the reflector has been used in this sequence of shots, its intensity controlled by its distance from the bride and then angled to reflect the light onto her. Caution is required when using the silver side, as it can produce a hard effect.

Get creative 6 There are some

very creative images that can be produced from a single light. This image was taken with just one flash, modified with a 20° honeycomb, which has drawn out the texture in the wall and pooled the bride in an ethereal light – simply done once you understand how to control the direction, quality and intensity of the lighting. It’s great what you can do with the simplest of tools.

VOL 154 / JUNE 2014 / THE RPS JOURNAL

322 | THE CRAFT | INDEPTH

Back to our roots

Some of the very first photographs were daguerreotypes. With time and care even today’s photographer can try their hand, says David Burder FRPS

I

n 1839, photography was officially announced. Amazingly, two totally different photographic inventions were reported within weeks of each other, the only common feature being that both methods used silver compounds that changed when exposed to light.

The daguerreotype was the first – invented by Louis Jacques Mandé Daguerre (1787-1851) in France.

Daguerre created a one-of-a-kind image on a highly polished, silver-coated copper plate. Despite the fact that it produced only a single image per shot, unlike the invention of William Henry Fox Talbot, who later that year pioneered the multiple-print process using negatives, the daguerreotype became the most commercially successful process for more than a decade.

Today, daguerreotypes are highly sought after, and each is unique. Hand colouring was done to the best ones, including stereoscopic versions, which could be viewed in “3D” stereo-viewers (stereoscopes). The heyday of ‘dag’ production was from 1839 to the early 1860s, by which time other processes had superseded it.

CAN YOU MAKE YOUR OWN DAGUERREOTYPE?

The basic principle of making a daguerreotype is extremely simple, and depends on the fact that silver iodide is sensitive to light. So, all we need to expose a suitable iodised plate, develop it and fix it. However, to achieve reliable results it is a process that demands extreme care and caution at every stage.

THE DANGERS OF DAGUERREOTYPES

The first essential and dangerous chemicals are the iodine crystals.

THE RPS JOURNAL / JUNE 2014 / VOL 154

DESPITE IT PRODUCING ONLY A SINGLE IMAGE PER SHOT, THE DAGUERREOTYPE BECAME THE MOST COMMERCIALLY SUCCESSFUL PROCESS FOR MORE THAN A DECADE

| THE CRAFT | 323 The fumes are very toxic, pungent and acrid, so fortunately any leakage is readily smelled.

Much more lethal is the optional use of bromine and chlorine, sometimes used to greatly enhance the sensitivity of the plate, especially relevant for portraiture. However, the most serious danger is when considering the use of mercury, heated to 70°C, to develop the exposed plate to reveal the latent image.

Fortunately, the Becquerel method is chemical free and 100% safe.

Rather than using a camera to create a live image, it is possible to make a hybrid ‘Digital Dag’ by making a transparency from digital files, then contact printing that on to a prepared, sensitised dag plate.

Image-making pioneer Louis Jacques Mandé Daguerre

EQUIPMENT

The special pieces of kit to be made or bought are the fuming box and development box. In the USA there are several suppliers of custom-made equipment. The Daguerreian Society website carries a list of suppliers.

Personally, I adapt other timber or metal boxes to suit my way of working.

COLLECTING DAGUERREOTYPES

If the process of creating a daguerreotype sounds a bit like hard work, you could join the ranks of collectors. The most collectible tend to be of famous people or occasions.

Hand-tinted and stereoscopic ones, especially if in pristine condition and taken by famous photographers, are highly desirable.

David Burder on his way to a world-record daguerreotype

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

David Burder, BSc, FRPS, is a chemical engineer turned professional photographer, specialising in stereoscopic imaging and strange alternative photographic processes. He appeared in the Guinness Book of Records for producing the world’s largest daguerreotype

You will rarely find a dag that is not technically perfect because as it takes so much effort to polish the silver plate a photographer will rub off a poor image and re-use the polished plate.

Dags which remain protected, sealed in original glass-covered frames, are very stable and can easily withstand their 150 or more years with little degradation bar some tarnishing. Just remember – do not attempt to clean them or you will wipe away the image, which has lain there protected for years.

For more information go to the website of The Daguerreian Society, daguerre.org The author also runs daguerreotype-making courses in his London workshops. Contact David@3Dimages.co.uk

HOW TO TAKE A PHOTO LIKE DAGUERRE

There are five main stages, although extra steps are available with experience.

MIRROR, MIRROR Polish a silver coated plate to a mirror finish using jewellers’ rouge.

1

SENSITIVE SIDE Make that silver surface ‘light sensitive’ by fuming it with iodine for around 30 seconds.

ALAMY; ALL OTHER IMAGES COURTESY THE AUTHOR

2

MATTER OF TIME Expose that sensitised plate to light, normally in a camera, for several minutes, usually at maximum aperture.

Daguerreotypes are extremely slow, and the ASA rating of a basic iodised ‘dag’ is approximately 0.001 ASA. This gives a latent image,

3

The Becquerel method uses a layer of orange amberlith film

that needs to be ‘developed’ to reveal the finished picture.

WHICH WAY NOW? Develop the latent image.

There are two methods: either the highly toxic hot mercury method, or the safe Becquerel method, with which development can be achieved by covering the exposed plate with a layer of orange Amberlith or Rubylith film, and

4

An iodine fuming box, left, and a mercury ‘hot pot’

putting it out in bright daylight for half an hour or so.

GET YOUR FIX ’Fix’ the image by washing briefly with a 5 per cent solution of sodium thiosulphate to remove remaining light sensitive silver

5

halides then rinsing in water. The plate is no longer sensitive to further exposure.

The image can be ‘gilded’ to toughen and enhance it, by pouring a little gold chloride solution on to its surface and boiling briefly from underneath.

VOL 154 / JUNE 2014 / THE RPS JOURNAL

324 | THE CRAFT | Mechanical marvel: the Rolleiflex quietly gets on with the job

SUMMER SPECIAL Daniel Meadows’ Rolleiflex is on exhibition this summer at the Library of Birmingham where his retrospective, Early Photographic Works, runs until 17 August

M Y FAV O U R I T E C A M E R A

Rolleiflex

Daniel Meadows HonFRPS celebrates a medium format roll-film classic from Germany – that is crucially quiet, and quirky THE RPS JOURNAL / JUNE 2014 / VOL 154

I used my Rolleiflex when I travelled England from 1973-74 in the Free Photographic Omnibus – the double-decker bus that was also my home, my darkroom and gallery – making my National Portraits.

I used it a quarter of a century later when I revisited that journey for my book The Bus (2001).

A Rollei is mechanical. Modern cameras are electronic, covered in tiny buttons and have mean little viewfinders filled with impenetrable graphics. They bleep and flash. I can’t work with all that going on. Pictures are made by photographers. And photographers understand the principles of focus, aperture and shutter speed, and how to apply this knowledge to what we notice. So yes, we need light meters, but we don’t need cameras that sing and dance.

A Rollei is a peculiarly convivial tool. Because you hold it in front of you, waist high, it lowers your viewpoint, which stops you looking down on people. To remain engaged with the people you are photographing you have to look up from time to time and get them to look into the lens and in that look energy passes, the energy that makes the picture.

True, a Rollei has quirks. In the gloom of its metal shade, the image in the viewfinder is back-to-front.

Which can be confusing. But there is an upside: you are forced to think about the shape of the picture as well as the moment and that’s a big help with composition.

I loved my Rollei and when it broke I despaired. I hate electronic cameras. If anyone out there knows where I can get a wind-up digital Rollei, with big buttons and no flashing lights, please do get in touch.

WWW.CAMERAJUNGLE.CO.UK

+44 (0)208 949 0123

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| GUIDE | 327

GUIDE

YOUR RP S GROUP S, E V ENT S & COURSE S PROGR A MME

JUNE-JULY-AUGUST

GO TO

RPS.ORG/EVENTS FOR THE LATEST UPDATES

Panoramic views SIMON SHERWIN ON WAYS TO SEE THINGS DIFFERENTLY

P

anorama enthusiasts can learn more, with a talk from Simon Sherwin ARPS this month, held by the Digital Imaging Group Western Centre. Sherwin, who lives in Bath but makes regular trips to Japan, loves to create spherical panoramas of the places he visits. He then displays these alongside fascinating images, choosing from a range of geometrical projections.

“Spherical panoramas are made using software to stitch together sets of overlapping images taken from the same point,” Sherwin says. While most panorama makers use tripods with special panoramic heads, Sherwin has developed a method that replaced the tripod with his bare hands. As he explains, “some of the most wonderful places to visit in Japan were the temples and shrines. I wanted to capture a sense of being in these stunning places.” However, tripods are

almost universally banned in traditional Japanese buildings.

“Faced with this challenge I spent ages working out a way to take the required photographs without a tripod. The advantage of this handheld method is that it allows me to capture the entire visual sphere flawlessly, including the surface underneath me.”

Sherwin admits to being a little bit preoccupied by the potential of spherical images which face in all directions at the same time. “When it comes to projecting one of these spheres onto a flat picture surface the possibilities are endless and amazing,” he adds.

In his talk, Sherwin will explain how he goes about creating his stunning panoramas, as well as discussing how they add to traditional perspective theory by providing us with alternative ways of seeing.

For details, turn to page 333.

See also inenglish.com

Top: Simon Sherwin's panoramic technique in Cherry Blossom Viewing

Above: Cinema II, a stereographic image taken by Sherwin

VOL 154 / JUNE 2014 / THE RPS JOURNAL

GROUPS 328 | GUIDE | REGIONAL

Regions

MEET PHOTOGRAPHERS AND VIEW WORK IN YOUR AREA CENTRAL MIKE SHARPLES ARPS, 07884 756535 MIKES.SHARPLES@VIRGIN.NET

AGM SUNDAY 15 JUNE / 10.00–16.00

`` Free `` Each member will be able to bring three prints of their choice to be displayed and enjoyed by all other members `` Mike Sharples ARPS, as above

FIELD TRIP BLACK COUNTRY MUSEUM SUNDAY 29 JUNE / 10.00–16.00

`` Yearly passport £15.95, concession £12.75

`` Enjoy a day taking pictures around the town of staff dressed in period costume

`` Black Country Living Museum, Tipton Road, Dudley, West Midlands DY1 4SQ

`` Mike Sharples ARPS, as above

LONDON SALON (SPECIAL EVENING VIEWING FOR RPS MEMBERS) TUESDAY 01 JULY / 19:30–22:00

`` £2.50 members `` Special arrangement has been made for all RPS members to have a private viewing of the exhibition `` Smethwick Photographic Society, Churchbridge, Oldbury B69 2AS `` Mike Sharples ARPS, as above

JANET HAINES: LOOKING TO RPS DISTINCTIONS THURSDAY 07 AUGUST / 19:30–22:00

`` £2.50 `` Joint with Smethwick Photographic Society, Churchbridge, Oldbury, West Midlands B69 2AS `` Mike Sharples ARPS, as above EAST ANGLIA

RPS members will have a special viewing of the 2014 London Salon exhibition on 1 July in Oldbury (Central Region) IMAGE: SCHOOL OF SCIENCE, ANDREW WOOD

NATURE GROUP FIELD MEETING SUNDAY 29 JUNE / 10.00–00.00

`` Free `` Newmarket July Race course, Suffolk CB8 0XE

`` Ann Miles, 07710 383586, ann@pin-sharp.co.uk

`` For detail see Nature Group NATURE GROUP FIELD MEETING

IAN WILSON ARPS, 07767 473594

SATURDAY 12 JULY / 9.30–16.00

IAN@GREENMEN.ORG.UK

`` Free for National Trust members/

TAKING AND MAKING CREATIVE PHOTOGRAPHS SUNDAY 15 JUNE / 10.00–16.00

`` £15/£10/£5 group members `` Foxton Village Hall, Hardman Road, Foxton CB22 6RN

`` John Margetts ARPS, 01223 700147, events@rpseasterndigital.org.uk

`` For detail see Digital Group

£5.90 for non-members `` Wicken Fen Nature Reserve (National Trust), Lode Lane, Wicken, Ely, Cambs CB7 5XP `` Ann Miles, 07710 383586, ann@pin-sharp.co.uk `` For detail see Nature Group EAST MIDLANDS RALPH BENNETT ARPS, 01636 651277 RALPH.EMRPS@GMAIL.COM

CREATIVE GROUP MEMBERS’ DAY

EIRE

SATURDAY 28 JUNE / 10:30 - 17:00

DES CLINTON FRPS, 0035 341 983 7824

`` Flat charge of £6 for all entrants. `` Foxton Village Hall, Hardman Road,

DESCLINTON@EIRCOM.NET

Foxton, Cambridge, Cambs CB22 6RN

LONDON

`` David Jordan, 01603 866475,

DEL BARRETT ARPS

daveandjoanjordan@yahoo.co.uk

LONDONEVENTS@RPS.ORG

THE RPS JOURNAL / JUNE 2014 / VOL 154

DROP-IN AT THE CAVE TUESDAYS UNTIL 24 JUNE / 14.00–17.00

`` Free `` Informal photography discussion `` The Cave, Linear House, Greenwich, London SE10 8RS

`` londoncave@rps.org LIBERTY, FRATERNITY AND INFIDELITY SUNDAY 01 JUNE / 14:00 - 17:00

`` Free `` A semi-guided Bleeding London walk around Merton – led by Stephen

`` Colliers Wood Station, Colliers Wood, London SW19 2HR

`` londonevents@rps.org FLASHDANCE – AN EVENING WITH LEN DANCE THURSDAY 12 JUNE / 19.00–21.00

`` Free `` Iconic images by Len Dance FRPS FIoD `` 1 Aylesford Street, London SW1V 3RY `` londonevents@rps.org ARPS ADVISORY DAY: NATURAL HISTORY SATURDAY 14 JUNE / 11.00–16.00

`` £15/£15/£10 spectators `` Coves associateship in natural history `` 1 Aylesford Street, London SW1V 3RY `` londonevents@rps.org

| GUIDE | 329 `` Belfast, Newforge Country Club,

LRPS ADVISORY EVENING

Belfast, BT9 5NW

TUESDAY 8 JULY / 18.30–21.00

`` £20/£15/£10 spectators `` All attendees must book `` 1 Aylesford Street, London SW1V 3RY `` londonevents@rps.org

`` Mo Connelly LRPS, DVJ@RPS.org `` See Documentary and Video

ARPS ADVISORY DAY

JAMES FROST FRPS, 01578 730466

SATURDAY 26 JULY / 10.00–17.00

JAMES.FROST11@BTINTERNET.COM

`` £15 /£10 spectators `` 1 Aylesford Street, London SW1V 3RY `` londonevents@rps.org

PHOTO FORUM

Journalism Group SCOTLAND

SUNDAY 29 JUNE / 11.00–16.00

`` £10/£8 members `` An informal day to meet members and

FRPS ADVISORY DAY

discuss your photos

SUNDAY 27 JULY / 10.00–16.00

`` Cameronian Hall, 88 Victoria Street,

`` £25 members `` Booking is essential `` 1 Aylesford Street, London SW1V 3RY `` Del Barrett ARPS,

Larkhall ML9 2BL

`` James Frost FRPS, as above VISUAL ART GROUP MEMBERS' EXHIBITION 2014

londonevents@rps.org

SUN 3 AUGUST–SUN 31 AUGUST /UNTIL 16.00

NORTH WALES DON LANGFORD LRPS, 01758 713572

PORTRAITURE DAY

There are lots of chances to join the Nature Group field trips this summer.

Anne Miles, who took this image, is running the East Anglia field trip to Wicken Fen

SUNDAY 1 JUNE / 10.30–13.30

IMAGE: ANN MILES

DONCHRISLANGFORD@BTINTERNET.COM NORTH-WEST DR AFZAL ANSARY ASIS FRPS, 07970 403672 AFZALANSARY@AOL.COM

`` £15 members `` Tabley Hall, Tabley House,

SUNDAY SHOOT: POLICE DOGS IN TRAINING SUNDAY 8 JUNE / 11:00–16:00

`` £10 requested donation to Durham Retired Police Dog Charity `` Durham DH9 8HJ `` Mo Connelly LRPS, DVJ@RPS.org `` For detail see Documentary and Visual Journalism Group

NATURE GROUP FIELD MEETING

Knutsford WA16 0HB

`` Alan Angel FRPS,

aandjangel@btinternet.com

THURSDAY 19 JUNE / STARTS 10.00

`` Free for group members `` National Trust Estate Office car park,

NATURE GROUP FIELD MEETING

Water Houses, Settle, North Yorkshire BD29 9PT `` George Lamb, 01543 491644 or 07796 426391, george.lamb@virgin.net `` For detail see Nature Group

THURSDAY 19 JUNE / STARTS 10.00

`` Free for group members `` National Trust Estate Office car park, Water Houses, Settle, BD29 9PT `` George Lamb, 01543 491644 or 07796 426391, george.lamb@virgin.net `` For detail see Nature Group

NATURE GROUP FIELD MEETING SATURDAY 5 JULY / 09.00–18.00

`` £5 group members `` Bempton Cliffs, East Yorkshire

NATURE GROUP FIELD MEETING

YO15 1JF

SATURDAY 21 JUNE / STARTS 10.00

`` Free for group members `` The Ainsdale Discovery Centre, Shore

`` James Foad, 07850 306365 or 01843 580295

`` For detail see Nature Group

Road, Ainsdale-on-Sea, PR8 2QB `` Trevor Davenport, 01704 870284 or 07831 643844, trevor.davenport@virgin.net `` For detail see Nature Group

`` Free `` The Photographic Centre, 68 Great King Street, Edinburgh EH3 7QU

`` Jay Charnock FRPS, jaypix@hotmail.co.uk

`` See Visual Art Group NORTH-EAST SCOTLAND PHOTO FORUM SUNDAY 10 AUGUST / 11.00–16.00

`` £10/£8 members `` An informal day to meet members and discuss your photos

`` Mechanics Institute, St Mary Street, Brechin DD9 6JQ

`` James Frost FRPS, as above SOUTH-EAST TERRY McGHIE ARPS, 01323492584 SOUTHEAST@RPS.ORG

LRPS ADVISORY DAY SUNDAY 13 JULY / 10.30–00.00

`` £20/£15/£10 spectators `` Canterbury Christ Church University, Old Sessions House, North Holmes Road, Canterbury CT1 1QU `` Terry McGhie ARPS , as above SOUTH-WEST MARTIN HOWSE ARPS, 01326 221939 MGHVKH@BTINTERNET.COM

LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP SATURDAY 12 JULY / 09.00–17.30

`` £155/£130 members `` Workshop in the Peak District `` Monyash Village Hall,

NORTHERN JANE BLACK ARPS, 0191 252 2870 J.BLACK70@BTINTERNET.COM

SATURDAY 7 JUNE / 10.30–15.30

Nr Bakewell DE45 1JH

`` £8/£5 members `` Landscape and wildlife photography `` Penadlake Farm, Lanreath,

reception@rps.org

`` Margaret Hocking ARPS, 01872

`` Reception, 01225 325733,

LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP

FIELD TRIP TO PENADLAKE, LOOE

Looe PL13 2PG

561219, bosrowynek@btinternet.com

SATURDAY 7 JUNE / 09.00–17.30

NORTHERN IRELAND

`` £155/£130 members `` Introduction followed by a field trip

GO TO

with Professor Paul Hill MBE, Martin Shakeshaft MA and Nick Lockett MA `` Ilam Hall, Ashbourne DE6 2AZ `` Reception, 01225 325733, reception@rps.org

RPS.ORG/EVENTS FOR THE LATEST UPDATES

DAMIANMCDONALD@OUTLOOK.COM

SOUTH-WEST CONTEMPORARY GROUP MEET

URBAN ABSTRACT WORKSHOPS

`` Free `` Devoran Village Hall, Quay Road,

DAMIAN MCDONALD ARPS, 07902481691

SUNDAY 29 JUNE / 10:30–16:00

SAT 28 JUNE–SUN 29 JUNE / 10.00–17.00

`` £35/£30 members

Devoran, Truro TR3 6PW

`` Rod Fry, rod@rodfry.eclipse.co.uk VOL 154 / JUNE 2014 / THE RPS JOURNAL

GROUPS 330 | GUIDE | REGIONAL SIMON SHERWIN ARPS: SPHERICAL PANORAMAS SUNDAY 22 JUNE / 10.30–16.00

`` £8/£7/£5 DIG members `` Merryfield Village Hall, Ilton TA19 9HG `` Janet Haines ARPS, janet.haines@btopenworld.com

`` For detail see Digital Imaging Group AN INTRODUCTION TO FASHION & BEAUTY PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP SUNDAY 29 JUNE / 10.30–16.30

`` £95/£71 members `` Fashion and beauty photography `` Park Cameras, York Road, Victoria Business Park, Burgess Hill RH15 9TT

VICTOR ABERDEEN OF EIZO EXPLAINS THE ADVANTAGES OF HIGH-QUALITY MONITORS SUNDAY 13 JULY / 10.00–12.30

`` £7 non-members/region members `` Workshop on high-quality monitors `` Claverton Community Hall, Claverton Down Road, Bath BA2 6DT

`` Tony Cooper ARPS, as above LRPS, ARPS DISTINCTIONS ADVISORY DAY SUNDAY 20 JULY / 10:00–16:30

`` £20/15/£10 spectators `` RPS, 122 Well Road, Bath BA2 `` Tony Cooper ARPS, as above PHOTOSHOOT AT POLTIMORE HOUSE SUNDAY 6 JULY / 10.30–15.30

`` £40/£35 members `` Now fully booked, but if you wish to attend contact Martin Howse for the reserve list. Please do not send payment `` Poltimore House, Poltimore, Exeter EX4 0AU `` Martin Howse, mghvkh@btinternet.com

SW VISUAL ART GROUP CREATIVE TECHNIQUES IN PHOTOSHOP SATURDAY 12 JULY / 10.00–16.00

A chance to project your images to Western Group colleagues on Sunday 8 June IMAGE: VIEW ACROSS THE ESPLANADE OF LA DEFENSE, TONY COOPER ARPS

GO TO RPS.ORG/EVENTS FOR THE LATEST UPDATES

`` £8/£5/£3 for group members `` The Dolphin Hotel, Station Road, linda.wevill@btinternet,com `` For detail see Visual Art Group SOUTHERN PETER HARTLAND ARPS, 07774 184120 SOUTHERN@RPS.ORG

NATURE GROUP FIELD MEETING SATURDAY 14 JUNE / 09.00–17.00

`` Free for group members `` Ryewater Nursery, Bishops Down, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 5PL

`` John Bebbington FRPS,

01458 253027, john.bebbingtonfrps@btinternet.com `` For detail see Nature Group THE RPS JOURNAL / JUNE 2014 / VOL 154

FRIDAY 18 JULY–MONDAY 21 JULY / 16.30–16.00

`` £285 for group members `` The Kingcombe Centre, Lower Kingcombe, Dorchester DT2 0EQ `` James Foad, 07810 306065, james_foad@hotmail.com `` For detail see Nature Group THAMES VALLEY

SUNDAY 10 AUGUST / 08.00–18.00

`` £35 members `` Coaches from Bristol, Bath and Chippenham to and from Portsmouth for a day at the Royal Naval Dockyards `` Portsmouth BA2 3AH `` Tony Cooper ARPS, as above

MEMBERS MEETING SUNDAY 17 AUGUST / 10.00–13.00

MARK.BUCKLEY-SHARP@TISCALI.CO.UK

ADVISORY DAY

`` Bob Train, 01452 521424,

SUNDAY 29 JUNE / 10.00–16.00

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, lastminute amendments or cancellations please contact Emma Wilson on 0141 582 1280 or email emma.wilson@ thinkpublishing.co.uk

MEMBERS ANNUAL OUTING

`` £5 `` Highnam Community Centre, Newent

MARK BUCKLEY-SHARP ARPS, 020 8907 5874

`` £20/£15/£10 observers `` Covers LRPS and ARPS.

Bovey Tracey TQ13 9AL

`` Linda Wevill FRPS,

NATURE GROUP RESIDENTIAL WEEKEND 2014

With Jill Pakenham FRPS and Anne Sutcliffe FRPS `` Millennium Hall, Main Road, Lacey Green HP27 0QN `` Mark Buckley-Sharp ARPS, as above

Road, Highnam GL12 8DG

bobtrain@tiscali.co.uk

MEMBERS MEETING MONDAY 18 AUGUST / 10.00–13.00

`` £5 `` Copse Lane, Ilton near Ilminster TA19 9HG

`` Mick Humphries, 01823 443955, mick@somersite.co.uk

WESTERN TONY COOPER ARPS, 01225 421097 TONY@PHOTOSCOOP.CO.UK

YORKSHIRE MARY CROWTHER LRPS, 01484 720673 PHOTOBOX50@GMAIL.COM

MEMBERS PROJECTED IMAGES SUNDAY 8 JUNE / 10.00–12.30

`` £2 `` Western Region members can present any form of digitally projected image `` Claverton Community Hall, Claverton Down Road, Bath BA2 6DT `` Tony Cooper ARPS, as above

DISTINCTIONS ADVISORY DAY IN YORK SUNDAY 15 JUNE / 10.30–16.30

`` £20/£15/£10 spectators `` National Railway Museum, York YO26 4XJ

`` Mary Crowther LRPS, as above

| GUIDE | 331

Workshops

TWO-DAY PLANT AND GARDEN PHOTOGRAPHY

HEAR FROM THE EXPERTS AND HONE YOUR SKILLS

`` £280/£255 members `` Led by Jason Ingram and Paul

SATURDAY 12 & SUNDAY 13 JULY / 12.00–19.00, 06.00–13.00

Debois. See page 318 for a taste of what you'll learn in this workshop `` Mells, Somerset

Workshops take place at The Royal Photographic Society's headquarters and at other venues around the country. `` The Royal Photographic Society, Fenton House, 122 Wells Road, Bath BA2 3AH `` For further information and to book, go to rps.org/events and search under 'Workshops'.

Alternatively, call 01225 325733 or email reception@rps.org

INTRODUCTION TO PHOTOSHOP SUNDAY 13 JULY / 10.00–17.00

`` £95/£71 members `` Concentrating on key areas of Adobe Photoshop for photographers

HOW TO PHOTOGRAPH CHILDREN AND FAMILIES SUNDAY 13 JULY / 10.00-17.00

`` £95/£71 members `` Designed for beginners and

LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY SATURDAY 7 JUNE / 9.30–5.30

`` £155/£130 RPS members `` With leading landscape photographers Professor Paul Hill MBE, Martin Shakeshaft MA and Nick Lockett MA `` Ilam Hall, Ashbourne

INTRODUCTION TO THE CREATIVE EYE SATURDAY 14 JUNE / 10.00–16.30

`` £95/£71 members `` Participants will need a working knowledge of their compact digital camera or DSLR

INTRODUCTION TO YOUR DIGITAL SLR SUNDAY 15 JUNE / 10.00–17.00

`` £85/£63 members `` Transfer your developed understanding into hands-on practice as you go out and about in Bath

ART NUDE PHOTOGRAPHY SATURDAY 21 JUNE / 10.00–16.30

`` £115/£90 concession `` Suitable for all photographers wishing to learn about lighting a nude `` Lacock, Wiltshire

COAST & COASTAL FLOWERS SUNDAY 21 JUN / 10.00–17.00

`` £95/£71 members `` Aimed at intermediate-level photographers. Nigel Hicks will guide participants around Devon's Start Point `` Kingsbridge, South Devon

DEVELOPING COMPOSITIONAL & CRITIQUING SKILLS

intermediate photographers

`` Caistor, Lincolnshire

STUDIO PORTRAITURE SAT 26 JULY–SUN 27 JULY / 10.00–16.30

HOW TO PHOTOGRAPH CHILDREN AND BABIES SUNDAY 22 JUNE / 10.00–17.00

`` £95/£71 `` Led by Kathy Holmes `` Lacock, Wiltshire

comprehensive exploration of photographic composition

IMAGE: JAPANESE ANEMONES IN FLOWER, NIDA TOURIST RESORT, CURONIAN SPIT NATIONAL PARK, LITHUANIA. NIGEL HICKS/ALAMY

or no studio experience

`` Lacock, Wiltshire

INTRODUCTION TO YOUR DIGITAL SLR SUNDAY 24 AUGUST / 10.00–17.00

`` £85/£63 members `` Led by John Roe ARPS, you will

DIGITAL MONOCHROME PRINTING

learn the basic functions of your DSLR

SATURDAY 28 AND SUNDAY 29 JUNE / 10.00–16.00

`` £170/£145 members `` This workshop will demonstrate how

INTRODUCTION TO THE CREATIVE EYE

to get the best out of your digital camera

SATURDAY 30 AUGUST/ 10.00–16.30

`` £95/£71 members `` You will need a working knowledge

AN INTRODUCTION TO FASHION & BEAUTY PHOTOGRAPHY

of your compact digital camera or DSLR for this workshop

SUNDAY 29 JUNE / 10.30–16.30

`` £95/£71 members `` Work with a model for great shots `` Burgess Hill, West Sussex INTRODUCTION TO WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY

Exhibitions 01225 325720, LESLEY@RPS.ORG

Uniersity of Westminster, Harrow

MEMBER SHOWCASE The RPS headquarters, Bath

Belton House & Grantham Museum, Grantham

LESLEY GOODE, EXHIBITIONS MANAGER

SATURDAY 5 JULY –SUNDAY 6 JULY / 10.00–16.30

`` £160/£135 members `` With Terry Hewlett ARPS. See page 320 for more on this workshop

`` Lacock, Wiltshire

LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY SATURDAY 12 JULY / 9.30–5.30

`` £155/£130 RPS members `` With Professor Paul Hill MBE, Martin Shakeshaft MA and Nick Lockett MA `` Monyash Village Hall, Bakewell

SUNDAY 21 JUNE / 10.00–16.30

`` £45/£33 members `` Tony Worobiec FRPS presents a

Learn about capturing the beauty of coastal flowers with Nigel Hicks

`` £160/£135 members `` Aimed at photographers with little

INTRODUCTION TO YOUR DIGITAL SLR SATURDAY 12 JULY / 10.00–17.00

`` £85/£63 members

24 SEPTEMBER – 31 OCTOBER

JUNE

6 NOVEMBER – 12 DECEMBER

Bob Pearson FRPS (see page 300 for his work)

Michael Heseltine Gallery, Chenderit School, Banbury

JULY

Dr Alex Kumar AUGUST

John Pollard FRPS

INTERNATIONAL IMAGES FOR SCIENCE EXHIBITION

157th INTERNATIONAL PRINT EXHIBITION 31 JULY – 28 AUGUST

Berkeley Gallery, Greenwich Heritage Centre 6 SEPTEMBER – 8 NOVEMBER

Aberystwyth Arts Centre

UNTIL 27 JUNE

22 NOVEMBER – 10 JANUARY

London Gallery West,

Banbury Museum

VOL 154 / JUNE 2014 / THE RPS JOURNAL

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E&OE

| GUIDE | 333

Special Interest Groups EXPLORE MORE ABOUT ASPECTS OF PHOTOGRAPHY AND IMAGING 3D IMAGING & HOLOGRAPHY PETER FREEMAN LRPS, 01462 893633 PETERF20@TISCALI.CO.UK ARCHAEOLOGY AND HERITAGE RODNEY BERNARD THRING LRPS, 01276 20725 RODNEY.THRING@NTLWORLD.COM

BLETCHLEY PARK FIELD TRIP FRIDAY 27 JUNE / 10:30–16:00

`` Free `` For details see the RPS website `` Bletchley Park, The Mansion, Bletchley Park, Sherwood Dr, Bletchley, Milton Keynes MK3 6EB `` Martin Fletcher, martin.fletcher1@btinternet.com

VISIT TO STOW MARIES AERODROME SATURDAY 12 JULY / 10.00–15.00

`` Free `` Visit to the Great War aerodrome set in the rural Essex countryside

`` Hackman's Lane, Purleigh, Essex CM3 6RN

`` Martin Fletcher, martin.fletcher1@btinternet.com

VISIT TO UPPARK HOUSE AND GARDENS FRIDAY 15 AUGUST / 10:30–15:00

`` £12 group members `` This restored Georgian house with fine interiors is still occupied by members of the family and photography is not normally permitted `` Uppark House (National Trust), West Sussex, Near Petersfield GU31 5QR `` Keith Evans FRPS, 01732 743943, richard.evans943@btinternet.com AUDIOVISUAL

MEMBERS’ DAY SATURDAY 28 JUNE / 10:30 - 17:00

`` All entrants will pay a flat charge of £6 `` If you are a group member who has gained an RPS Distinction in the past year, or would like to show us your style, we would love to see your work `` Foxton Village Hall, Hardman Road, Foxton, Cambridge, Cambs CB22 6RN `` David Jordan, 01603 866475, daveandjoanjordan@yahoo.co.uk

WORDSNPICSLTD@GMAIL.COM

JANET.HAINES@BTOPENWORLD.COM

SATURDAY 26 JULY / 10:00 –17:00

`` £15/£10 spectator `` Pimlico, 1 Aylesford Street, London SW1V 3RY `` London Region, londonevents@rps.org CREATIVE PHILIP JOHN QUARRY FRPS, 020 8397 0479 CREATIVECHAIR@RPS.ORG

`` £10 requested as a donation to the Durham Retired Police Dog Charity

`` Each participant must agree to provide one photograph to the unit for the use of the police in publicising its work. Details on application `` Durham DH9 8HJ `` Mo Connelly LRPS, as above

URBAN ABSTRACT WORKSHOPS

DIGITAL IMAGING JANET HAINES ARPS, 01308 428219

ARPS ADVISORY DAY

SUNDAY SHOOT: POLICE DOGS IN TRAINING

Wingfield, Suffolk IP21 5RA

PETER ELLIS LRPS, 07770 837977

Devoran, Truro TR3 6PW `` Rod Fry, rod@rodfry.eclipse.co.uk

DOCUMENTARY AND VISUAL JOURNALISM DVJ@RPS.ORG

`` Free `` Wingfield Barns, Church Road, moira.ellice2011@btinternet.com

`` Free `` Devoran Village Hall, Quay Road,

MO CONNELLY LRPS

TUESDAY 3 TO SUNDAY 29 JUNE / 11.00-16.00

EDGAR.GIBBS@NTLWORLD.COM

SUNDAY 29 JUNE / 10:30–16:00

IMAGE: GAVIN HOEY

Nr Taunton TA19 9HG

`` Janet Haines ARPS, as above `` See page 327 for detail

SUNDAY 8 JUNE / 11:00–16:00

`` Moira Ellice, 01473 720928,

SOUTH-WEST MEET

`` Merryfield Village Hall, Ilton,

RPS CREATIVE GROUP 2014 PRINT EXHIBITION

EDGAR GIBBS FRPS, 02920 564850

CONTEMPORARY

Join Gavin Hoey for a day of taking and making creative photographs in Foxton, East Anglia as part of the Digital Group events

SAT 28 JUNE–SUN 29 JUNE / 10.00–17.00

`` £35/£30 Members `` Belfast, Newforge Country Club,

TAKING AND MAKING CREATIVE PHOTOGRAPHS

Belfast, BT9 5NW

`` Ida Pap tells us how to see our urban

SUNDAY 15 JUNE / 10.00–16.00

`` £15/£10/£5 group `` A day of taking and making creative

environment in a different way

`` Mo Connelly LRPS, as above

photographs with Gavin Hoey

`` Foxton Village Hall, Hardman Road,

FILM AND VIDEO

Foxton CB22 6RN `` John Margetts ARPS, 01223 700147, events@rpseasterndigital.org.uk

WESTERN CENTRE. SIMON SHERWIN ARPS: SPHERICAL PANORAMAS SUNDAY 22 JUNE / 10.30–16.00

`` £8/£7/£5 DIG members `` Food must be ordered in advance

JOHN TARBY FRPS, 020 7702 2205 INFO@TARBY.TV

GO TO RPS.ORG/EVENTS FOR THE LATEST UPDATES

HISTORICAL JENNIFER FORD ARPS, 01234 881459 JENNYFORD2000@YAHOO.CO.UK IMAGING SCIENCE DR TONY KAYE ASIS FRPS, 020 8420 6557 TONYKAYE@HOTMAIL.CO.UK

VOL 154 / JUNE 2014 / THE RPS JOURNAL

SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS 334 | GUIDE | REGIONAL GROUPS WICKEN FEN FIELD MEETING

MEDICAL R TAPPER FRPS, 020 8265 1595

SATURDAY 12 JULY / 9.30–16.00

BOB.TAPPER@BARTSHEALTH.NHS.UK

`` Free for National Trust members/ £5.90 for non-members

`` Wicken Fen Nature Reserve

NATURE

(National Trust) Lode Lane, Wicken, Ely, Cambs CB7 5XP `` Ann Miles, 07710 383586, ann@pin-sharp.co.uk

MARGARET JOHNSON LRPS, 01159 265893 M.JOS@BTINTERNET.COM

RYEWATER NURSERY FIELD MEETING

KINGCOMBE CENTRE RESIDENTIAL WEEKEND

SATURDAY 14 JUNE / 09.00–17.00

`` Free for group members `` Ryewater Nursery is a very large

FRIDAY 18–MONDAY 21 JULY / 16.30–16.00

reserve with a wide range of habitats, flowers and insects, which are all easy to access `` Ryewater Nursery, Bishops Down, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 5PL `` John Bebbington FRPS, 01458 253027, john.bebbingtonfrps@btinternet.com

`` £285 group members `` Annual residential weekend `` Contact James Foad to book and pay `` The Kingcombe Centre, Lower

MALHAM TARN ESTATE FIELD MEETING

KEITH POINTON LRPS, 01588640592

Kingcombe, Dorchester DT2 0EQ

`` James Foad, 07810 306065, james_foad@hotmail.com TRAVEL BAGPOINT@AOL.COM

THURSDAY 19 JUNE / STARTS 10.00

`` Free for group members `` Field meeting - Malham Tarn Estate

VIVECA KOH ARPS, 07956 517 524

and environs, North Yorkshire

VIVECA.KOH@GMAIL.COM

park, Water Houses, Settle, North Yorkshire BD29 9PT `` George Lamb, 01543 4916 or 07796 426391, george.lamb@virgin.net

SW VA GROUP CREATIVE TECHNIQUES IN PHOTOSHOP

VISUAL ART

`` National Trust estate office car

AINSDALE SAND DUNES FIELD MEETING SATURDAY 21 JUNE /STARTS 10.00

`` Free for group members `` Field meeting at Ainsdale Sand Dunes, Sefton Coast, Merseyside

`` The Ainsdale Discovery Centre, The Promenade, Shore Road, Ainsdale-onSea, Nr Southport PR8 2QB `` Trevor Davenport, 01704 870284 or 07831 643844, trevor.davenport@virgin.net

NEWMARKET FIELD MEETING SUNDAY 29 JUNE / 10.00–00.00

`` Free for group members `` A 7.5-mile Anglo-Saxon earthwork

SATURDAY 12 JULY / 10.00–16.00

`` £8/£5/£3 for group members `` A basic knowledge of Photoshop Catch the Visual Art Group's Members' Exhibition in Edinburgh throughout August IMAGE: ASPIRATIONS OF HOPE, JACK BATES FRPS

`` BEMPTON CLIFFS FIELD MEETING

SATURDAY 5 JULY / 09.00–18.00

GO TO RPS.ORG/EVENTS FOR THE LATEST UPDATES

consisting of a bank and ditch built out of

Overseas Chapters `` AUSTRALIA Elaine Herbert ARPS, eherbert@alphalink.com.au `` BENELUX Stephen Johns, steve_johns@me.com `` CANADA John Bradford, bradford@vaxxine.com `` CHINA BEIJING Yan Li, yanli88@yahoo.com `` CHINA SHANGTUF Guo Jing,

shangtuf@yahoo.com.cn `` CHINA QUANZHOU Xiaoling Wang, hgudsh@163.com `` GERMANY Tony Cutler LRPS, aec.flynn@t-online-de `` HONG KONG Mr Wan Shan Sang FRPS, shansangwan@ yahoocom.hk `` IBERIAN PENINSULA Peter Mitchell,

THE RPS JOURNAL / JUNE 2014 / VOL 154

clay and chalk near Newmarket, the dyke is notable for its wildflowers and butterflies `` Newmarket July Race course, Suffolk CB8 0XE `` Ann Miles, 07710 383586, ann@pin-sharp.co.uk

`` £5 group members `` A chance to photograph coastal fauna `` Bempton Cliffs, East Yorkshire YO15 1JF

will be assumed, but notes will be provided so should be accessible for most levels `` The Dolphin Hotel, Station Road, Bovey Tracey TQ13 9AL `` Linda Wevill FRPS, linda.wevill@btinternet,com

MEMBERS’ EXHIBITION ALONGSIDE THE 152nd EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION OF PHOTOGRAPHY SUN 3 AUGUST–SUN 31 AUGUST /UNTIL 16.00

`` Free, all welcome `` The Photographic Centre, 68 Great King Street, Edinburgh EH3 7QU

`` James Foad, 07850 306365

`` Jay Charnock FRPS,

or 01843 580295

jaypix@hotmail.co.uk

RPS MEMBERS AROUND THE WORLD

peter.mitchell@sapo.pt `` INDIA Mr Rajen Nandwana, rajennandwana @gmail.com `` INDONESIA Agatha Bunanta ARPS, agathabunanta@gmail.com `` ITALY Olivio Argenti FRPS, info@rps-italy.org `` JAPAN TOKYO Mr Yoshio Miyake, yoshio-raps@nifty.com

`` MALAYSIA Mr Nick Ng, nickng6208@gmail.com `` MALTA Reuben Buhagiar, info@rubenbuhagiar.com `` NEW ZEALAND Ron McKie, ronmckie@paradise.net.nz `` SINGAPORE Steven Yee Pui Chung FRPS, peacock@ sandvengroup.com

`` SWISS CHAPTER Richard Tucker ARPS, tucker42@bluewin.ch `` TAIWAN Fan Hui Ling, Joanie ARPS, djpassionfoto@gmail.com `` USA ATLANTIC CHAPTER Carl Lindgren, lindgren.carl@gmail.com `` USA PACIFIC CHAPTER Jeff Barton, rps@vadis.net

A revolution in colour

The Dryad (c.1910) displays JC Warburg's influential Autochrome process, writes Dr Michael Pritchard FRPS

M

uch of the early history of colour photography revolves around members of the Society in the pre-First World War period and during the 1920s and 1930s.

Among this group was John Cimon Warburg (1867-1931), the brother of the better-known photographer Agnes Warburg.

Part of a family preeminent in banking, philanthropy and scholarship, Warburg was

THE RPS JOURNAL / JUNE 2014 / VOL 154

untroubled by the need to earn a living. He took up photography in the late 1880s and was elected to membership of the Society in 1897, becoming a life member. He was admitted to Fellowship in 1916 and was active on the Society’s Council and in various committees.

It was with Autochrome that he created his best work.

Introduced to the public from 1907 by the Lumière company the Autochrome was the first

John Cimon Warburg FRPS (1867 - 1932)

commercially successful colour process. It produced glass positives with a distinctive palette and a softness suited to artistic photography. Warburg exhibited Autochromes in the Society’s exhibitions from 1908.

JC Warburg died in London in 1931. The RPS Journal noted that “the photographic world is the poorer by the loss of a clever and arresting personality and a life-long enthusiast for the [photographic] art”.

MAIN IMAGE: THE ROYAL PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY COLLECTION/NATIONAL MEDIA MUSEUM

THE RPS COLLECTION 336 | TIMES PAST | FROM

Taken with the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM

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