CAPITAL INTEREST NOVEMBER 2015 / VOLUME 1 / NUMBER 10 / WW.RPS.ORG
IMAGE © RORY LEWIS
WELCOME CAPITAL EXPOSURE WEEK Our big event in November is our first Capital Exposure Week. Theoretically running from the 1st to the 7th, but we are thrilled that some of the exhibitions will be running for a month. At the beginning of the year, we asked members to find interesting ‘off-spaces’ to hold photographic exhibitions and the result has been a gloriously eclectic mix of space and image. All the details are here on the RPS website and we hope that you’ll find time to come along to some of the shows. RPS London is setting up a pop-up HQ at The Magic Gallery (7 Charing Cross Underground Arcade, London, WC2N 4HZ) for the week. Why not pop in for a coffee and a chat?
BOOKWORM CORNER Our book recommendation this month is Urbanicity, produced by our very own London, Urban micro-group. Urbanicity is a compilation of 16 unique visual stories. The idea emerged from the Bleeding London project when some of the participants wanted to explore various themes, encountered on their street walks, in more depth. From dogs to windows, the photographers explore different urban themes. Urbanicity will be on sale from 5th November via the RPS Shop at £24.99 (available from the Urbanicity book launch for £19.99).
CONTENTS
LONDON, NOSTALGIA - PETA McGINLEY SHARES HER FATHER’S PHOTOGRAPHS
3-5
LONDON, INTERVIEW ONE - RORY LEWIS
6-11
LONDON, INTERVIEW TWO - NICHOLAS GOODDEN
12-15
THE TULIP PROJECT - CELINE MARCHBANK
16
CAMERAWORLD - THE EVENT
17
LONDON, STREET - A DAY WITH DAMIEN - NORMAN SMITH LRPS
18-19
LONDON, TOPICAL - ON CAMERA CLUBS AND THE PHOTOGRAPHIC ARTS GROUP
20-21
DAVE’S DIARY - HOW TO PHOTOGRAPH THE SKY? - DAVE HARRIS LRPS
22-23
LONDON, NOSTALGIA IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF MY FATHER, PART ONE
PETA McGINLEY SHARES HER FATHER’S PHOTOGRAPHS FROM LONDON IN THE 1950S. On Jan 14, 1952 My father Rix McGinley and a friend set sail on the ship “ Sydney” from Melbourne, Australia for adventures in London and the Continent. He was 26 years old, had taught in a one roomed Primary School for a few years in Country, Victoria but now wanted to see the world! He wrote home to his mother and father regularly and from these letters I have gleaned the following information. He arrived via the Suez Canal and explored Innsbruck, Austria loving the skiing and made his way to London via Calais in April. He says that teaching jobs were tied up with red tape so he may end up working in a shop but what he was keen on a job at Kodak in Harrow as a friend who had gone ahead had one already and would put in a good word for him. When he arrived in London customs were interested in his camera, they saw it was German, thought it was new and wanting to charge him customs and duty to bring it in. He had the insurance card to prove it was not new. They then arrived at Victoria Station and on seeing Big Ben they realised that “this was a culmination of a wish come true” This really was London! By May My father was living in a flat in Phillimore Gardens, Kensington (three of them renting for six guineas) and working the night shift 3pm – 11pm at Kodak learning how to be a chemist. He took 120 slides over a period of three months and he was yet to develop the black and white prints he had taken. He said “they were a good batch”. They would queue for ages for the cheap seats at the movies and the charge was six shillings. He describes the rationing as not really that bad: “Sweets we have not bought, two to four eggs each per week, eight ounces of margarine and six ounces of butter between two and asmall amount of sugar but meat is in great shortage and only 1lb so have not had much since we arrived”. He says he can turn four and fourpence of pork with roast spuds, cauliflower, and peas into an amazing roast ! “We popped into St Pauls and the simplicity is astonishing, no stained glass windows but beautifully clean. The beauty of London architecture is great and truly impressive.” Insert St Pauls and bus photo Visiting Hampton Court he says: “There is a feast of photography; can’t wait to go back when the trees are in leaf and the bluebells are out. There is no doubt that Spring is a wonderful season on this side of the world.”
IMAGES © PETA McGINLEY
He continues to say that they explore Kensington Gardens and see the yachts in the Round Pond and children catching tadpoles. By mid April he has taken 180 slides, and he has 18 reels of black and white waiting to be developed. “Work at Kodak is very interesting I am checking the density of all the color films that go through here. I collect test strips, putting them in a specimen machine which measure the colors, read from a dial and plot the readings on a graph so that densities in each color can be seen and checked if necessary.” Processing Kodachrome was interesting and paid £8.10s a week with a shift allowance. He told me that when times were quiet the boss let him read and it was at this time he actually read “ War and Peace “. I now have that copy but it is a door stop at present !
In his letters home he talks about crocus and daffodils in Hyde and Kensington Park on Boat race weekend and how the weather was still cold with half an inch snow on the paths. ‘”Another week and twill be a strain on my color film.” And as Big Ben struck 9pm the radio BBC voice followed saying” Here are some items of home news from Britian” ALL IMAGES © PETA McGINLEY
ALL IMAGES © RORY LEWIS
LONDON INTERVIEW ONE RORY LEWIS Rory Lewis is a professional freelance photographer based in Liverpool and London specialising in Portraiture. He never set out to be a photographer originally studying Medieval History and Medieval Literature at Kings College London. Rory developed an interest in photography through his love of Classical Cinema. “When I started to receive commissions I began to take it more seriously, eventually working for EMAP, and over the past 10 years freelancing for companies such as the Ministry of Defence, UK Government, Pepsi and The Sunday Times. Rory’s ‘Northerners‘ photography exhibition gained National acclaim and his work has also been acquired by the National Portrait Gallery in London. His new exhibition ‘Expressive’ comes to London on 29th October 2015
INTERVIEW WITH RORY LEWIS BY PETER PARKER
Capital Interest (CI): How do you describe yourself ? Rory Lewis (RL): That’s a good question, I see myself as a modern historical portraitist. CI: What does photography mean to you? RL: For me a photograph is a source, a historical record to look back on. For me photography is about creating a historical document so I like to keep it true to the original. I don’t do any retouching. I admire Cecil Beaton, for example, who kept all the detail in his images, so they are a true reflection of the sitter. CI: What do you want to say with your photographs ? RL: If I’m shooting a General or a Politician, I am trying to get a sense of responsibility across. The responsibility they have in their daily life. If I’m shooting an actor then I like it to be plain. I try to suck the emotion out of their face so the viewer can use their imagination and work out for themselves what they see. I want the viewer to work it out for themselves. CI: How do you get what¹s in your mind onto the photograph in just the way you want ? RL: This is difficult. It is usually a three way game. It’s between what I want, the vanity of the sitter and what the public thinks. For example when I shot Stephen Berkoff, it was very difficult. I want to show the villain in him and reflect the darker side, but he had his own ideas and it was a negotiation and in the end we met in the middle. Ian McKellen had no sense of vanity for example and he was willing to bend to whatever I wanted. But in general it is a negotiation. CI: What do you think makes a memorable photograph ? RL: For me my most memorable photos are where it is a lot of effort. My portrait of David Warner was my most memorable because he was my first formal sitter. He didn’t like having his photo taken – he hadn’t been photographed since 1957. It was daunting as I had an hour to direct one of the finest actors in the world. Even if the camera hadn’t had any film in it, I’d have remembered that shoot – it was all about directing the subject. That’s what made it memorable.
ALL IMAGES © RORY LEWIS
ALL IMAGES © RORY LEWIS
CI: How do you get yourself inspired for a photoshoot ? RL: Well my tastes are eclectic. I look around and try to aim for something that other photographers haven’t done before. I used to hate my own work – I couldn’t bear to look at it. CI: When you are shooting how much of it is instinct vs planned ? RL: I always research my sitter. If they are famous I’ll look at their work – read their book or see their films. I’m shooting John Major and I’m reading his book to see what he is interested in and it helps to build some rapport and make the sitter feel comfortable. CI: Do you have any unfulfilled photographic ambitions ? RL: Yes. Hundreds. Thousands. I’d love to have a proper exhibition in London. At the National Portrait Gallery for eample. I’d also like to shoot Putin – he is the ultimate bad guy! I like shooting the bad guys. I think people look at the villains more than they do at the heroes. I would also like to do Kim Jong Un – there’s a story to tell there. But when I shoot politicians, like William Hague or Ian Duncan Smith you can’t have a personal opinion on the politics. CI: What do you think the future looks like for photography and photographers ? RL: It’s changing all the time – I recently saw the holographic portrait of HRH Queen Elizabeth at the National Portrait Gallery and I’m contemplating producing my own work in a non-traditional print medium. Maybe I’ll produce my next exhibition using Plasma screens. And maybe it won’t be still portraits, but portraits that will move using video integration. Physical, traditional prints won’t go away –t hey been with us for over 150years and there is still appetite for them. But I think things are changing and I’m happy to embrace that. CI: Is there life outside photography for you ? RL: Not really. I love cinema and movies. I love travel. But I’m always surrounded by images and image making. I even met my wife on a shoot. I work for myself and I have to be identifiable among all the other photographers so I have to be prolific and I’m still learning of course. I’ve been working at it for 12 years and it’s a long process and I’m my own worst critic. It’s hard to switch off.
THE NEW EXHIBITION FROM RORY LEWIS
‘EXPRESSIVE’
COMES TO LONDON
CALUMET
DRUMMOND ST, LONDON NW1 2HJ ON 29TH OCTOBER 2015
LONDON INTERVIEW TWO NICHOLAS GOODDEN
INTERVIEW BY THE LONDON MEDIA BLOGGER
Nicholas “Nico” Goodden, is an award-winning London-based urban photographer and founder of the Street Photography London collective. Nico focuses on shooting Street Photography and producing mesmerizing Cinemagraphs (sometimes also incorporating timelapse). Goodden has written many articles for top publications on the subjects of urban photography and he is a pioneer who understands the power of social media. In 2014 Nico was included in the global list of the Top 100 Most Socially Influential Photographers and in 2015, the 20 Most Influential Street Photographers. The London Blogger caught up with him.... CAPITAL INTEREST (CI): How do you describe yourself? NICHOLAS GOODDEN (NG): My wife says I am “Damn Sexy” – only joking – she may be biased. I describe myself as an urban photographer and cinemagraph creator. Urban photography is wider than just Street photography. I shoot a lot of what makes London. CI: What does photography mean to you ? NG: Initially it was a way to get out of an office job. I worked in offices for most of my life and it wasn’t a dream of mine to do this. Now I have a purpose and I enjoy it and I can make a living from it too – which is a bonus.
ALL IMAGES © NICHOLAS GOODDEN
CI: What do you want to say with your photographs ? NG: That’s tricky – I’m not so much of a message person. I like to show human emotions, but I also look for simple aesthetics. It’s about being pleasing to the eye without being too intellectual. People have short attention spans these days and so asking for people to uncover deep meaning in an image is asking a lot. It’s a quick decision as to whether you like the image – Yes or No. Is it aesthetically pleasing or is there a connection with the subject? That’s all I’m trying to do. CI: How do you get what¹s in your mind onto the photograph in just the way you want ? NG: My work is split into Photography and creating Cinemagraphs and for the Street work there is not much preparation. It is opportunity and luck – I never know what I am going to get, which can be frustrating. The video work is much more set up and needs a lot of preparation. I don’t sketch or make mood boards, but I do search out locations and check the weather or how busy the area will be . CI: What do you think makes a memorable photograph ? NG: It’s about immediacy. You know straight away what makes a good image. It doesn’t need to be explained to you. You can feel the emotion. Too much street photography is just photography ‘in the street’. There needs to be a connection. CI: How do you get yourself inspired for a photoshoot ? NG: More than half of my work is not commissioned. So I look at other photographers’ work to get inspired – but not to copy. For client work, I have to stick to a brief, so it what the client wants. CI: Do you have any unfulfilled photographic ambitions ? NG: I am always surprised with where Photography takes me. I don’t really have long-term plans. For example I only started creating cinemagraphs in April 2015 and now I have produced over 150 of them including for client such as Adidas and Peugeot. I am impulsive and work quickly. This is probably a bit unconventional. Most photographers stick to what they know and are known for a genre for a lifetime such as portraiture or landscape, but photography is such a wide topic it is a shame to restrict yourself. I try to learn as much as possible. CI: What¹s been your most challenging assignment ? NG: It was my first paid job. It was for McLaren and I felt like I was bluffing, like an imposter. But I did it. CI: What do you think the future looks like for photography and photographers ? NG: If your ambition is for people to see and appreciate your work then the future is all about marketing yourself. Photographers are improving in terms of marketing. The future is undoubtedly in social media. Twitter gets me 95% of my paid work these days. CI: Is there life outside photography for you ? NG: Yes there is. But it is hard for me to spend an hour without thinking about photography. I love cooking too – I am a trained Chef and I love all things creative and artistic.
ALL IMAGES © NICHOLAS GOODDEN
THE TULIP PROJECT A HEART-RENDING PHOTOGRAPHIC PORTRAYAL OF A DAUGHTER’S LAST WEEKS WITH HER MOTHER. Celine Marchbank, who was an active participant in the Bleeding London project, has launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds to publish her photo essay documenting the last months of her mother’s life. In September 2009, Sue Miles, was diagnosed with lung cancer and a brain tumour. While her daughter, photographer Celine Marchbank, was trying to come to terms with the fact she was dying, she decided to document the time her mother had left. Celine didn’t want to create a graphic portrayal of her mother’s death, but rather chose to photograph her last few months in her Camden home, looking at the things that made her uniquely her; the details of the house she knew so well and the things she realised would also be gone when her mother was. Her mother’s love of flowers was a beautiful part of her personality; the house was always full of them, and as she photographed them she realised they were symbolic of what was happening - they represented happiness, love, kindness and generosity, but also isolation, decay, and finally death. The final project, Tulip; named after her mothers favourite flower, has been exhibited around the UK and internationally, and has been nominated for a variety of awards including the European Publishers Award and the Deutsche Bank Awards in 2011. It’s also been featured in a range of magazines, including a main feature in The Telegraph Magazine. Celine is launching her first Kickstarter campaign to raise funds to publish the project into a book. If the funding target is reached, a beautiful hardback book will be published by Dewi Lewis Publishing. The company is recognised as one of the leading photographic publishers in the world. The aim is to publish the book in early 2016. Supporters can see the Kickstarter page HERE: Campaign runs until 13th November 3pm. Celine Marchbank is an award winning documentary photographer specialising in British based stories. Based in London, her work has been published and exhibited in a variety of places such as The Telegraph Magazine, The Independent, The New Yorker, London Pho¬tography Festival, Hereford Photography Festival and Encontros da Imagem Photography Festival. She is also a regular sessional lecturer in Narrative Photography on the BA Digital Photography course at Ravensbourne University in London. Interesting links to articles about Sue Miles ‘Doyenne of counter-culture and the restaurant revolution’: THE GUARDIAN OBITUARY TIME OUT OBITUARY THE INDEPENDENT ARTICLE
Tulip project: www.celinemarchbank.com/tulip Her photography: www.celinemarchbank.com Her writing: www.celinemarchbank.wordpress.com
CAMERAWORLD THE EVENT RPS London had a stall at Cameraworld’s The Event, giving the volunteers the time to greet old friends and meet new faces. The winner of the raffle for a copy of Portfolio 3 was Lucy Hunter. Congratulations Lucy! Your prize will be winging its way to you shortly. London, Cine had a pop-up crew filming The Event and the video will be available shortly online. In the meantime, click the link below to view a trailer. HTTPS://VIMEO.COM/USER34043187/CAMERAWORLDEVENT Don’t forget, we have a number of micro-groups: London, Cine; London, Naturally; London, Street and London, Urban. Details on the London section of the RPS WEBSITE
LONDON, TOPICAL ON CAMERA CLUBS AND THE PHOTOGRAPHIC ARTS GROUP Whilst meandering through the worldwide web, we came across this thought-provoking post by Robb Quinn, former President of the Coalition of Photographic Arts. We think that Robb raises some interesting points which are relevant to helping us define the future positioning of RPS London. The article is re-printed here by kind permission of Robb Quinn.
ROBB QUINN (c) Steve McCurry
People look to organizations to fulfill their needs, but no group is the right place for everyone and a group that is trying to do too many things and please everyone will lose its focus and stray from its mission. As the former president of a local camera club and now a leader of CoPA I want to help people understand that camera clubs and photographic arts groups both serve vital niches within the photographic community. Helping people understand what these groups can do for them will aid in their decision about joining a camera club, a photographic arts group, or both.
Some may consider the following comments generalizations, but I think they are accurate for most clubs. However, it’s important to note that groups are unique. Some call themselves a “photo club”; others have “camera club” in their name. The difference may be in emphasis – a photo club on the end result and a camera club on equipment. It strikes me that camera clubs tend to look inward regarding their photography and membership. Many of their activities revolve around member to member or club to club activities, such as competitions. Contrast this to a photographic arts group, such as CoPA, which directs its activities outwardly in an effort to educate and influence the community’s view of the photographic arts. The fine arts group also tries to compare itself to, and compete against, the best and brightest photographers in the world. This outward focus manifests itself in exhibitions, juried shows, talks, and preparing photographers for major portfolio reviews and giving them the skills to approach galleries. Another important difference can be the experience and direction of the photographer in a camera club versus a photographic arts group. The camera club tends to focus on teaching and talking about the basics of photography, learning about equipment, and discovering the “rules” of photography. The camera club is a social event, not a networking event. It encourages people to go out on shooting parties and to learn from each other. Consequently, there are few concerns about people coming up with similar images because that’s the point – the more experienced members mentoring those who are eager to learn. The person in a camera club tends to be shooting anything and everything to gain experience and to figure out what they most like to photograph. The photographic arts group is about people working to develop their photographic “voice.” They tend to know what they like to do and are intent on expressing themselves through the photographic arts. The photographic artist tends to study arts of all sorts. They know the basics of photography and are constantly working to become better photographers.
Members of a photographic arts group seldom shoot as a group, but when they do they tend to be shooting widely varying photos of the same subjects since they have already begun to develop their own style and a photographic voice. In a photographic arts group it is understood that people are working on a portfolio and their own body of work. To closely mimic someone else’s current work might serve to “water down” that work and undermine the artist. When people feel they have to protect their ideas, they may be less likely to show their work in progress and teach others. There are other differences: the process of how photos are viewed and “judged” can be telling. Some clubs and regional club competitions look at photos individually and briefly before judging them. Many a photo club competition, which I have been in and judged, is about displaying a photo and having a judge or judges quickly give the photo a score, usually within seconds. A photographic arts group is more about developing a body of work and establishing a portfolio for purposes of getting into galleries and shows and being noticed by the art world, not to mention selling the work. I have always thought of the camera club method of judging as encouraging the perfectly executed “noun” – the flower, the landscape, the bird, and images that can be digested quickly. Is that bad? No, of course not, as long as someone who aspires to be a photographic artist understands that “making a winning photo” is more about beautifully mastering the basics rather than making art. The art world is about work that is daring rather than predictable. As the saying goes, “A painter shows you what he painted, but an artist shows you why he painted.” Robb Quinn is a professional and artistic photographer with a studio in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA and specializes in photographing people and artist’s work. Robb has worked with non-profits and NGOs (non-governmental organizations) and done documentary work throughout the world. He enjoys helping others to grow and become better photographers when he is not out working on a project of his own. website: www.thestudioq.com
At RPS London Towers, we think that Robb raises some really interesting points that we should be exploring as part of our ongoing quest to ensure that our region is meeting members’ needs. We’d love to hear your views on Robb’s observations. Do you agree with him? In which camp should we be setting out our stall? Or should we try to be a hybrid organisation? We’re interested in finding out more about what our members want and expect from us. We’d like to send out a member survey in the New Year - do we have a volunteer who could design the questionnaire? Please share your views with us via london@rps.org.
LONDON, STREET A DAY WITH DAMIEN by Norman Smith LRPS
In our first major collaboration with Camera world the RPS London, Street ‘micro’ group participated in an exciting day with Damien Demolder. Many of you will recognise Damien from his days as editor of Amateur Photographer but he is now an independent journalist, reviewer and lecturer on photography. Now specialising in photography workshops, he has a particular interest in Street Photography with the new, but rapidly maturing, Compact System Cameras. Today we were treated to one of Damien’s Street Photography seminars demonstrating how he uses the unique aspects of Panasonic cameras, followed by some practical exercises in the street. Panasonic were on hand to lend us all the latest goodies for which discounts would be available, through Cameraworld, after the event. Panasonic’s G7 and GH4 were available but I couldn’t resist getting my hands on a Panasonic GX8. However, I found myself to be one of many and at the back of the queue! Not too bad a problem, in the end, as Damien took pity and lent me his personal copy equipped with Panasonic Leica 15mm f1.7 lens (warm feel here!). Inspiration ‘sorted’ we took to Regent Street and Oxford Street to sample the goods. I very interesting session ensued back at The Finery - to be recommended as more than just a ‘watering hole’ - in Great Castle Street, where we had started our day and where Damien made certain he reviewed all of our images and commented accordingly. Comments after the event ranged from “the instruction was First Class, covered aspects I had not even thought of” to “a great meeting and fun shooting afternoon”. Thanks to Cameraworld, Panasonic, and especially Damien, for providing a highly effective masterclass, for which we achieved 100% attendance on the day!
ALL IMAGES © ROGER KELLY
DAVE’S DIARY THE LATEST PHOTOGRAPHIC EXPLOITS of Dave Harris LRPS
HOW TO PHOTOGRAPH THE SKY? I didn’t intend to. Images with nothing in them. Nothing at all except sky. Now the sky can be quite nice in Africa. And in London, occasionally. Some people even build up sky libraries so they can remove a dull grey mush, and insert a more colourful one. Too much computer work for me. Images all out of focus. Bits of birds with blurred beaks and fuzzy feathers. Again, some people spend ages blurring their images for an artistic effect. I do sometimes, but not today. Competition of the month - Where am I? A couple of months ago, I went with a few mates to the Hawk Conservancy Trust in Hampshire. A great day out. Very professional outfit. Highly recommended. Then I make the mistake of getting out my camera. One of our party is a bit of a whizzo at bird photography. “Set white balance to shade; minus 12 stops; ISO 640,000. And a shutter speed of 1/500th at least. To ensure the birds are sharp. But most important of all, set shooting mode to the fastest you’ve got.” My camera has 5 frames per second. De de de de de. You dirty rat! We sit down at the back. So as not to bother the visitors with our weapons. Our host holds a black kite on his jessy thing. “Now this bird is fast. And silent in flight. Watch her speed to my colleague who is holding a tit-bit of meat.” Blink. Gone. A bird trail on the retina. Again. Blink. Gone. De de de de de de de de de de de de de de de de de. On and on. The only thing that changes is the bird. Some slower, some higher. Some even faster! All are a nightmare to photograph in flight. De de de de de de de de de de de de de de de de de. Eventually the birds rest. So do we. We can shoot the birds chained to their stands. Still at last, I’m on safe territory.
Back home with sore neck. 1200 images reduce to 100. Apparently, the latest cameras allow 60 frames per second. Video, from which you can select a single high-quality image to edit. What next? I enjoyed the day. But it’s more luck than judgement. At least for the novice bird photographer.
ALL IMAGES Š DAVE HARRIS LRPS
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