GROUP MAGAZINE
NO. 81 JANUARY 2020
CREATIVE EYE
WELCOME Is it too late to say Happy New Year? Well, a very happy 2020 to you all. The exciting news is that we are running a competition in celebration of the new decade. The winner will have their image taking pride of place as the cover of our Creative Eye magazine! The image must be taken in 2020 and if compositing an image, all elements must be the author’s own work. Entrants must be a member of the Creative Eye Group, and you can only enter one image - so choose wisely. Email your entry to creative.chair@rps.org by 31st July. Good luck!
CONTENTS
CONNECT
4 Dean Village Field Trip
facebook Facebook facebook.com/groups/rpscg Or search Facebook for ‘RPS Creative’
8 Bristol Harbourside v Glasgow Photo Competition 10 Ice and Light by Barbara Bogacka ARPS 13 Sky Scraper Magic by Steve Geer ARPS 16 Creating Good Impressions by David Townshend ARPS 17 Two For One by David Rutter ARPS
Chairman Moira Ellice ARPS creative.chair@rps.org Treasurer Barry Collin LRPS CPAGB APAGB bcrps@btopenworld.com General Secretary Gillian Beckett ARPS CPAGB creative.secretary@rps.org Vice Chairman and Assistant Exhibition Co-ordinator Nigel Rea ARPS Exhibition and Events Co-ordinator Moira Ellice ARPS creative.chair@rps.org
Steve Varman, Editor
5 Greenwich Field Trip
COMMITTEE
flickr Flickr flickr.com/groups/3510780@N20/pool Or search Flickr for Creative or RPS Contact: David Ryland ARPS david_1@btinternet.com
Editor: Steve Varman creative.publications@rps.org
Exhibition Secretary Matthew Clarke BPE3* creativeimage@rps.org Membership Secretary Bill Coles LRPS creative.membershipsecretary@rps.org Publications Editor and Webmaster Steve Varman LRPS creative.publications@rps.org Archivist Barry Freeman ARPS DPAGB APAGB bazfree.photo@gmail.com
Cover image: Beach Plaid by David Townshend ARPS
Website: rps.org/ceg
18 Project C by Kevin Maskell FRPS 17 Being in the Moment by Vanda Ralevska 22 Diary © 2020 All rights reserved. Apart from storage and viewing in its entirety for personal reference, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form without prior permission of the copyright holder. The Royal Photographic Society, the Creative Eye Group and the Editor accept no liability for the misuse of any content or for any breach of copyright by a contributor. The views expressed in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the policies of the Royal Photographic Society or the Creative Eye Group. Unless otherwise indicated, all images are from, and copyright of, the authors.
Contribute an article Tell us about your stories, projects and distinction successes. If you would like to submit something for consideration, for either the eNewsletter or Creative Eye magazine, please contact Steve Varman at: creative.publications@rps.org Next issue: May 2020 (Exhibition issue) Submission deadline: July 31 2020 (for the September issue)
The Royal Photographic Society, RPS House, 337 Paintworks, Arnos Vale, Bristol, BS4 3AR, UK t +44 (0)117 3164450 www.rps.org VAT Registration No. GB 753 3057 41 Registered Charity No. 1107831
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CREATIVE EYE GROUP MAGAZINE NO. 81 January 2020
FROM THE
CHAIRMAN 2019 was a busy year which provided plenty of opportunities for members to participate in Creative Eye Group activities. The annual exhibition of members’ work was displayed in Suffolk, Smethwick and Edinburgh; the members’ open day and workshop took place at Whittlesford; there were field trips, including photo competitions, in Glasgow, Greenwich, Norfolk, Bristol and Edinburgh; Vanda Ralevska gave a presentation at Whittlesford; Roger and Angela Ford gave a joint presentation, hosted by the Smethwick Photographic Society. The 2020 Exhibition Selection Day will be on Sunday 1st March, with the deadline for entries on Sunday 16th February. Please do enter and see your work showcased. If you are an RPS International Creative Eye Group member, you can enter the exhibition selection free of charge. You will find the entry form and rules inserted in this magazine. Highly regarded photographers, Roger and Judith Parry, will be our selectors and the accepted images will be published in the Exhibition edition of the Creative Eye magazine. To welcome the new decade, the Creative Eye Group will be running a free to enter photo competition, which will be open to all UK and International Creative Eye Group members. The winning image will take pride of place on the front cover of the Group’s magazine. We will be sending you details on how to enter and submit your competition image shortly. The field trips and associated photo competitions have been very popular and will be continued. As well as returning to Scotland, Norfolk, London and Bristol, I would very much like to organise a few more trips in other areas of the UK, so please contact me if you have any ideas on places of interest and what would make a good day out. After many years as the Creative Eye’s webmaster, Barry Collin decided to hand over the role and I was delighted when Steve Varman agreed to take on this additional responsibility in December 2019. I would like to thank Barry for all his hard work which kept the website looking good and up to date with the latest news and events during his time at the helm. I wish to thank you for your continued support, and I know that you will join me in thanking our loyal and dedicated team of volunteers for all their hard work over the past year. Wishing you a very Happy New Year.
Moira
CREATIVE EYE GROUP ARCHIVES - UPDATE In the last issue, we asked members to help us find early editions of the Creative Eye magazine missing from our archive. Since then we have already received some really interesting early copies, with just issues 18, 16 and 15 left to find. If you can help - or if you have anything else of historical interest related to the group please contact our archivist: Barry Freeman ARPS DPAGB APAGB at bazfree.photo@gmail.com, Tel: 01379 668749 CREATIVE EYE GROUP MAGAZINE NO. 81 January 2020
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FIELD TRIPS DEAN VILLAGE, EDINBURGH
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Credit: Viv Cotton
Credit: John Stewart
t was a glorious October day, with warm autumn sunshine beaming down on Dean Village and the beautiful Water of Leith below. We met the party on top of Dean Bridge, one of Edinburgh’s impressive bridges, and made our way along the footpath, meandering gently by the Water’s edge, and through Dean Cemetery, with its large monuments to the Gallery of Modern Art. There were many excellent photo opportunities from old stone buildings and monuments to spectacular foliage, flora and reflections. With all field trips, getting together is an excellent opportunity to make new friends. Coffee in the gallery was a pleasant break, before we started the climb up the hill to the Edinburgh Photographic Society in Great King Street. The London Salon Exhibition was on display in its newly refurbished lecture room and Sandy Cleland gave us a tour around the splendid building, showing us the recent renovations and facilities for members. Dean Village, a hidden gem, made an excellent day out and many thanks are due to Margaret Rainey who suggested the walk and to Sandy Cleland, who invited the party on a special tour of the Edinburgh Photographic Society. Moira Ellice ARPS
Credit: Margaret Rainey FRPS
Credit: Viv Cotton
Credit: Margaret Rainey FRPS
Credit: Margaret Rainey FRPS
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CREATIVE EYE GROUP MAGAZINE NO. 81 January 2020
Credit: Neill Ellice
Credit: Viv Cotton
Credit: John Stewart
Credit: Margaret Rainey FRPS
Credit: Moira Ellice ARPS
GREENWICH, LONDON
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t 10.30am a small group of 13 people assembled outside the Cutty Sark in Greenwich on what was already arguably the hottest day of the year. We headed to the Queen’s Palace where we met up with one more to join our party and collectively decided that inside, away from the blazing sun would be the best place to start our photographic explorations. Much fun was had around the famous Tulip staircase where we all vied for the best angle to capture what we hoped would be the winning image for our Tulip competition. Some laid down on the floor to take photos looking straight up and while this was going on Dave Jordan crept up the stairs and took the winning image which he titled ‘Murder Mystery’; such creative thinking! From the cool of the Palace we walked across to Café Rouge where we had booked a table for lunch (one of my best ideas for the day) where we were able to get cool drinks and enjoy a splendid lunch together. After lunch some folk decided it was just too hot and headed off home while others of CREATIVE EYE GROUP MAGAZINE NO. 81 January 2020
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WINNER (OPEN COMPETITION)
Best image (open competition): Keeping Cool by David Balaam
us braved the heat and went to the Maritime Museum. Again, it was cooler inside than out, so we spent some time looking around and visiting the Astronomy of the Year Photo Exhibition, well worth the £10 entry fee. Our plan had been for those fit enough to climb the hill to the Greenwich Observatory to complete our day but in the event this proved too much as the weather was relentless. Two brave souls ventured forth but the rest of us decided to head off home. Our other competition for the day was an open subject and congratulations to David Balaam who won this competition with his image ‘Keeping Cool’, an apt title and the only thing to do on this exceptionally hot day. Joan Jordan ARPS
WINNER (TUILP STARCASE COMPETITION)
JUDGE’S COMMENTS
TULIP STAIRCASE AND OPEN COMPETION Keeping Cool (top)
Very striking image, full of movement, colour and reminiscent of the day. Murder Mystery at the Tulip Staircase (right)
Best image (Tulip Staircase Competition): Murder Mystery at the Tulip Staircase by David Jordan FRPS
Cleverly seen and interpreted. Not only shows the staircase and the tulips, but the photographer has also added a story to the image. Barry Collin LRPS CPAGB APAGB
Credits for other images on this page and the next page: David Jordan FRPS, Joan Jordan ARPS, Moira Ellice ARPS, David Balaam, Ajesh Janardanan.
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WINNER (OVERALL BEST IMAGE)
Overall best image: Three Young Pups by Clive Watkins LRPS (Glasgow)
HARBOURSIDE, BRISTOL INCLUDING BRISTOL vs. GLASGOW PHOTO COMPETITION
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venture a little further, the Clifton Suspension Bridge could be viewed from the west lock gate. And so, back along the north side of the harbour passing waterside apartments with small but brilliantly planted front gardens. The route bought us back to our starting point for final refreshments, swapping of notes and farewells. A pleasant finish to an enjoyable amble around one of Bristol’s gems. Roger Ford kindly agreed to judge images taken at Bristol and our recent photowalk in Glasgow.
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Highly Commended (Bristol): Shipshape by Antony Long
ristol’s Harbourside is a floating harbour - lock gates protect it from the tidal River Avon maintaining a constant water level. Today, the area bustles with restaurants, museums, and Brunel’s SS Great Britain rises from its mooring and birth place on the dockside. Our walk took us on a 3 mile walk around the perimeter of the harbour. Starting at Millennium Square, over 20 photographers met over tea and coffee ready to explore. We headed east over Pero’s bridge, festooned with love locks clustered on the railings. Then, along a cobbled pathway, across the swing bridge to M Shed and the enormous dock cranes. Bypassing around the back of SS Great Britain and pausing at Banksy’s ‘Girl with the Pierced Eardrum’ we made our way to Underfall Yard - a working boat yard at the far end of the harbour, which offered welcome refreshments. For those that wanted to
HIGHLY COMMENDED
STEVE VARMAN LRPS
Highly Commended: Glasgow Girl by Kirsten Bax
Bristol Harbourside by Steve Varman LRPS
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CREATIVE EYE GROUP MAGAZINE NO. 81 January 2020
Commended (Glasgow): Mac Windows by Margaret Kay ARPS
COMMENDED
JUDGE’S COMMENTS BRISTOL VS. GLASGOW PHOTO COMPETITION
An interesting and varied selection of images taken in two cities with similar cultural history and backgrounds. It was pleasing to see creative images taken with astute observation, use of lenses, and careful composition and framing. Black and white was utilised to good effect where appropriate. The selection of the winning image Three Young Pups took some time. However, in the end the observation and timing has produced a thoughtful, naturally composed study of the three people on a bench with their dogs, enhanced by the black and white treatment which made it a worthy winner.
COMMENDED
Commended: Recycled Framing by Carol Gracie
Roger Ford FRPS EFIAP/gold
COMMENDED
Commended (Bristol): Millennium Triffids by Christine Ryske
Commended (Bristol): Bristol Planetarium by Tim Beale LRPS
COMMENDED
CREATIVE EYE GROUP MAGAZINE NO. 81 January 2020
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DISTINCTIONS ICE AND LIGHT BARBARA BOGACKA ARPS (FINE ART)
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Credits: Barbara Bogacka ARPS
hese pictures were taken in March 2018 and February 2019 in four caves of Breiðamerkurjökull, one of the outlet glaciers of Vatnajökull, Iceland. In 2018 I visited two caves, one of which completely disappeared during the following year and the other one had changed a lot. It was difficult to recognize the place when I went there this year. The speed of melting is astonishing; about half a kilometre of this outlet retreated last year uncovering large portions of land and enlarging a lagoon, the Jökulsárlón. The other cave disappeared over this summer. I wrote a short article about Breiðamerkurjökull, published in the e-newsletter of the Travel Group last March. It can be seen at https:// issuu.com/royalphotographicsociety/ docs/enewsletter_44_ final?e=6230194/68359956 To get to these caves requires walking for about one hour on a smooth part of the glacier with rather few crevasses. Still, extreme care is needed as there are moulins (holes), which may be covered by snow. Local guides know the safe way however. My trip in February this year was dedicated to the project and I had five days to visit various caves. Knowing that they can look totally different in different
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HANGING PLAN
Credits: Barbara Bogacka ARPS
light conditions, I hoped to be able to catch a plethora of light effects on the ice. I called the panel “Ice and Light” as these two elements are creating a whole world of ever changing ephemeral images. This is partially due to the threedimensionality of the caves’ walls and the directional light coming through various holes, big and small. In addition, the different ages of the glacier layers, and so their colour and structure, make the photographic experience very exciting. Unfortunately, we had storms during two days when the wind was so strong that it was very hard to walk and the local road was closed later in the day. Despite the wind we tried to go out on a morning of one of these stormy days, but the snow drifts made it impossible to drive to the starting point, not mentioning the walk on the glacier. On the remaining, more quiet days, the light conditions were very different indeed, with clouds and sun, wind and frost. Luckily, we had no rain. For the panel I chose the abstract images, which not only show the complexity of the ice, but together give a feeling of a hidden life there.
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STATEMENT OF INTENT
Credits: Barbara Bogacka ARPS
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Glacial caves show climatic history. The ice at the bottom is hundreds of years old, compacted and black, often opaque; the upper layers are lighter, more transparent. The flickering light reflections make the dark caves alive and mysterious. We can see air bubbles, stones, volcanic ash caught in the ice. Faces, plants, animals, ghosts and other creatures are all around in shades of sapphire, changing colour and shape as the ambient light changes. I visited four caves of one of the glaciers in South-East Iceland. My project is an attempt to catch the richness in the pattern, shape, texture and colour of ice in the glacial caves. The ice and light together create an infinite number of images. Knowing that with the melting glaciers these caves will not last long, I wanted to capture their complexity and beauty by getting close to the ice.
CREATIVE EYE GROUP MAGAZINE NO. 81 January 2020
INTERNATIONAL MEMBERS SKY SCRAPER MAGIC STEVE GEER ARPS
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live in Chicago, a city known for its skyscrapers. Of the forty tallest buildings in the city, half have been constructed since the year 2000. These impressive twenty-first century structures have mirror-like skins of glass. Those of us that have played with two or more mirrors know that certain arrangements can produce an optical illusion. The same is true of shiny skyscrapers which are often built in clusters. In certain spots, if you look up you might see reality remodeled into unlikely, if not impossible, geometries. In addition to creating mirrormagic, these tall reflective towers also redirect daylight into the city’s shadows, and sometimes this redirected light itself seems magical. This is skyscraper magic: the magic of large-scale mirrors and soft reflected light.
American photographer Duane Michals once said: “Photographers tend not to photograph what they can’t see, which is the very reason one should try to attempt it.” Attempting to capture skyscraper magic in a photograph – that magical feeling created by reflected light and optical illusion, not the skyscrapers themselves – seemed like a worthy challenge and, starting at the end of 2018, it became my winter project. There are some special spots in the city where skyscraper magic can be really appreciated. They are places where two walls of steel and glass meet to form an alcove on the outside of a tall building. If you stand within the compass of the alcove and look straight up, in the resulting worms-eye view nearby skyscrapers sometimes appear like shards in a giant kaleidoscope. Sometimes they are like stems in a kelp forest in which the geometry of nature has been replaced with the geometry of Euclid. In my quest to capture the magic, I searched for these places. In particular, CREATIVE EYE GROUP MAGAZINE NO. 81 January 2020
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I searched for glass alcoves in which the worms-eye geometry was striking and immersive, and the filtered and reflected light brought this geometry to life.
According to Edgar Degas: “Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.”
Credits: Steve Geer ARPS
I have chosen to convert my digital images to black and white since I find this best emphasizes the drama and mystery of light piecing the shadows, and it’s this drama and mystery that is, I think, at the heart of the magic. In the digital darkroom I have also made some modest clean-up to remove small spots that are sometimes on the window glass and which I found distracting on large-scale prints. Finally, I make local adjustments to light curves where needed. Apart from these limited changes, the images are straight photographs. Chicago is not the only modern city offering skyscraper magic. In the summer of 2019, I visited London and discovered plenty of magic amongst the city’s tallest buildings. As a nod to London’s impressive architecture, I have included one of these images in the series. Skyscraper construction in both London and Chicago seems to be thriving, so every year there will be new locations and new possibilities to explore.
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Credits: Steve Geer ARPS CREATIVE EYE GROUP MAGAZINE NO. 81 January 2020
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CREATING GOOD IMPRESSIONS WHERE ART MEETS PHOTOGRAPHY DAVID TOWNSHEND ARPS
Moorings mosaic, Cley by David Townshend
Creative Eye member David Townshend ARPS is holding a solo exhibition “Creating Good Impressions – where art meets photography” at The Yarrow Gallery, Oundle, Northamptonshire on 11th to 24th January 2020.
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Beach plaid by David Townshend
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y exhibition is of impressionist photography, a style that I have been exploring over the past few years. I have always been an outdoor photographer, particularly of landscapes, wildlife, plants and gardens, and my best work has been taken with a macro lens and tripod. I had a career as a scientist and viewed the world in an objective, literal, ‘accurate’ way. Now, with the freedom of retirement, I am discovering my artistic side! In the past six years I have gained my LRPS and ARPS distinctions, the latter being a panel of close-up images of Astrantia flowers using very shallow depth of field, and trying to convey a sense of mystery and abstraction. In 2016 I began a new phase in my photography, expanding my nonrepresentational approach beyond plants to landscapes in all their forms. This was stimulated by the inspiring workshops run by Valda Bailey and Doug Chinnery. They teach the use of multiple exposure and camera movement techniques to produce impressionist and abstract images. The development of my personal impressionist style over the past three years is the subject of my first exhibition. Rather than being straightforward records of what I see, my images interpret light and colours, shapes and patterns. Some of my images are pure abstracts. However, in much of my work, photographing grand views or intimate details, iconic subjects or mundane objects, I combine elements present at that location at that time
on that day - to create a sense of place. Because I capture the moment in-camera rather than compose on the computer, my images are the product of spontaneity, serendipity and a bit of fun. Impressionist photography appeals to me because it provides the opportunity to be creative. I am able to present a different take on the world around me, producing unique images that sometimes challenge you the viewer, invite you to pause and explore but perhaps
with a reward when you recognise a pattern or place. The results I hope are striking, intriguing and sometimes enigmatic, like a half-recalled memory tantalisingly just out of reach. The exhibition is in two parts, images created in my local area, in Cambridge and in my garden; and images from my project Coastal Impressions - created along the English coast, particularly in Norfolk and Northumberland. I have recently produced a second book of images from my Coastal Impressions project. CREATIVE EYE GROUP MAGAZINE NO. 81 January 2020
Blakeney harbour lines by David Townshend
Ripples by David Townshend
TWO FOR ONE DAVID RUTTER ARPS
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a single base photo used to create two differing images. The clean shot was created using the “washing line” technique (wires fixed across a frame) with the cups gaffa taped on and then liquid thrown in whilst low powered
flashes freeze the motion. The “street scene” is simply the first image distorted to appear as artwork which is blended onto an industrial roller shutter door photo. Then to give the illusion of scale I lifted a commuter
from a London street scene and placed him as if walking by with his head warped in Photoshop to appear to be looking up at the giant artwork. So there you have it - two for one – and you can’t say fairer than that.
Credits: David Rutter ARPS
aving an eye for a bargain and always trying to get “one thrown in for free” on any sort of deal means I take this approach to the processing of my photographs. A typical example is shown here with
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PROJECT C KEVIN MASKELL FRPS
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Soft pastel blue by Kevin Maskell
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Ice Cold Purple by Kevin Maskell
roject C (Cancer) all became about towards the end of 2015, when I was diagnosed with Prostate Cancer. My first treatment was chemotherapy, which started a week after a week away in the Lake District with a group of photographers. The leader of the group had been taking an image a day for some time, loading them on to a web site - www. blipfoto.com. So I decided it was a good idea to start doing this, to take my mind off some of the side effects that I knew I was going to get. I am still loading my images onto www.blipfoto. com/kevinmaskell and to-date, have not missed a day. Due to the various treatment and bad side- effects that I’ve had during the last 4 years, I’ve been restricted to taking pictures in the back garden, or in the house, for long periods. But I’ve still been able to take images on various themes. One of the series was my water droplets on the Iris leaves in the small bog garden. This all came about one morning when I couldn’t sleep. So I went for a walk in the garden, and spotted the water droplets. I then got out my 200mm macro lens and took a few images. This led to a two year project, as I had to look out for mornings with little or no wind. I often had to get out very early, as the wind would pick up by 7.00am. It wasn’t easy Pastel Daffodil by Kevin Maskell
Flower Impression by Kevin Maskell
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to get all the images that I wanted, due to being no gaps between the leaves, or the angles were wrong to get the effect I wanted. I also had to be careful not to touch any of the leaves, as any movement could make the droplets fall off. Another of my series of images has been taking flowers in ice. This was something that I could set up for a rainy day, when I needed to do an image quickly, or when the side effects were very bad. I bought a few different size plastic containers with lids, so they could be stacked in the chest freezer. They only needed to be 50 to 75 mm deep, but the width and length needed to be larger than the flowers, to allow for latitude when composing the image. Also to allow for the ice to melt
a bit. Over the last couple of years, I’ve tried to come up with slightly different approaches. This is how I now do the flower in ice images. First of all, I put some water in the container and place it in the freezer. I then keep checking it until the water has a thin film of ice on the surface. Only then do I break the ice with my finger, where the flower needs to be, and then place the flower in the container. It is then left to fully freeze. This method stops the flower moving to the side of the container whilst freezing. After taking some photographs of this frozen flower, I would add some more water to the container, and then freeze it again. This added water must be fairly cold, to try to reduce
the effects of the ice from cracking. Sometimes, during this freezing process, I would take the container out of the freezer and take more images. This is done until the flower is completely covered. Then, on another day, I would take this container out of the freezer, and start to thaw out the ice, taking images at intervals. Once the session is finished, it is put back into the freezer. As the ice melts I sometimes add some more water, to make the ice wider and longer to get the correct composition. All of the ‘Flowers in ice’ pictures were taken in our conservatory, using overcast lighting. Sometimes I’ve added a coloured texture to the image to get a different effect. Lately, I’ve been going in a lot closer with the macro lens.
Right: The Drop Below: Two Drops by Kevin Maskell
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BEING IN THE MOMENT VANDA RALEVSKA
Submerged by Vanda Ralevska
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the moment wherever you are. How to savour here and now, and enjoy the present for what it is - ethereal, otherworldly, extraordinary, or simple, ordinary, even mundane. When you realise that, it stops being about photography only, and it starts being about life itself. And how extraordinarily
Colour Play by Vanda Ralevska
Winter Song by Vanda Ralevska
On Frozen Pond by Vanda Ralevska
he world is incredibly beautiful, astonishingly vivid, unexpectedly delicate, quite often surprisingly dazzling and delightful. However our hurried lives are the very reason we are seeing less and less of this wonderful world around us. I believe photography can change that. It did it for me. It changed my perception of the amazing place we live in. It allows me to appreciate the beauty, the wonder and the mystery that is present all around us. It makes me feel truly present in those magical moments when something intangible happens right in front of my lens. That’s when I no longer focus on the photograph. When capturing the image becomes unimportant, because it is deeply etched in my mind regardless. To me it is extremely important to learn how to slow down. How to take the time needed to experience
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beautiful it is. How important it is to be grateful for every single day, no matter how hard it seems at times. That is what photography is to me, enjoying life and beauty that surrounds us.
Making Waves by Vanda Ralevska
As John Muir once said: “As long as I live, I’ll hear waterfalls and birds and winds sing. I’ll interpret the rocks, learn the language of flood, storm, and the avalanche. I’ll acquaint myself with the glaciers and wild gardens, and get as near the heart of the world as I can.”
Toulouse Leaves by Vanda Ralevska
Sunlit Stillness by Vanda Ralevska
BIOGRAPHY y name is Vanda Ralevska, and I am a semi-professional landscape photographer living in London. My interest in M photography was sparked in my teens, and over the years it became an inseparable part of my life. It enables me to see things that normally stay unnoticed, and appreciate the beauty that exists within everyday scenes. I am passionate about capturing the world we live in, always searching for those fleeting moments of magic that transform it into something extraordinary. I am predominantly a landscape photographer. In my images I strive to reflect the atmosphere, feeling, and sheer wonderment that our natural world can evoke within us. Having grown up in an industrial area of former Czechoslovakia, I soon learnt how to appreciate beauty of the natural world, far away from hustle and bustle of a big city. Nowadays I find most inspiration in quieter scenes and intimate details, whether it is on the coast, in woodland, in the countryside, or even in cities, during quiet times. I don’t limit myself to one particular subject. Photography for me is more about the moments when I don’t want to be anywhere else but where I am. I am a Kase Filters Ambassador, and a member of Arena Photographers, World Women Art and Echiquier groups. I have had several successes in international competitions, including the International Garden Photographer of the Year and Black and White Spider Awards. I regularly take part in joint exhibitions, and give lectures at photographic clubs, groups and festivals, both in UK and abroad. I hope to inspire others to find their own style, to look beyond the obvious, and to find joy while doing so.
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DIARY THE ROYAL PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY
CREATIVE EYE GROUP ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of The Royal Photographic Society Creative Eye Group will be held at 10.30am on Sunday 1st March 2020 at Whittlesford Memorial Hall, Mill Lane, Whittlesford, Cambridge CB22 4NE UK, followed by the Members’ 2020 Exhibition selection. Doors open at 9.00am. Prints for the Exhibition selection must be given in by 10.00am. The Exhibition Selection will start at 11.30am and end at approximately 4.00pm.
Complementary tea and coffee will be available at 10.00am and at lunchtime. Please remember to bring a packed lunch with you. The Committee Nomination form is enclosed herewith, separately. Nominations properly signed by both the proposers (two) and nominee must reach the General Secretary by post or by hand, not by email, no later than Thursday 30 th January 2020. Both proposers and nominee must be members of The Royal Photographic Society Creative Eye Group. A list of nominees and a copy of any accompanying statement they may have made in support of their nomination will be shown on the Group’s website and be supplied by The General Secretary to any member from whom she has received an application accompanied by a stamped self-addressed envelope at least 14 days before the date of the Annual General Meeting, which is by Sunday 16 th February 2020.
AGM AGENDA 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.
Apologies for Absence Minutes of the AGM held on Sunday 24th February 2019 (see the Group’s website) Matters Arising from the previous Minutes Chairman’s Report Treasurer’s Report and Accounts for the year ended 31st December 2019 Subscription for 2021 General Secretary’s Report Committee Members’ Reports Election of Officers and Committee Members Any other relevant business* Date of the next AGM
*Note: Items for discussion under ‘Any other relevant business’ must be sent to the General Secretary by post or email (creative.secretary@rps.org) by Thursday 30th January 2020. General Secretary: Gillian Beckett ARPS, 37 Butlers Way, Great Yeldham, Halstead, Essex CO9 4QN This agenda and the Committee Reports will be available to download from the Creative Eye Group’s website from Thursday 30th January 2020: www.rps.org/ceg-docs
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CREATING GOOD IMPRESSIONS Where art meets photography (Exhibition) A solo exhibition of impressionist and abstract photographs by David Townshend ARPS created along the English coast, particularly in Norfolk and Northumberland.
NAT COALSON ARPS (Lecture) An inspiring and informative seminar presented by photographic artist, gallery owner and acclaimed speaker Nat Coalson ARPS. Organised jointly with the Creative Eye, Digital Imaging and the East Anglia Region.
When: Saturday 11th to Friday 24th January 2020
When: Sunday 6th September 2020
Time: Open daily Mon to Sat 10.30am to 1.00pm and 2.00pm to 5.00pm, Sunday 2.00pm to 5.00pm
Time: 10.30am to 4.00pm
Where: The Yarrow Gallery, 2 Glapthorn Road, Oundle, Peterborough PE8 4JF UK Event Organiser: Jonathan Vaines, eastangliaweb@rps.org Telephone: 01234 360 339
Cost: RPS member £10.00, Non-member £15.00 Where: Whittlesford Memorial Hall, Mill Lane, Whittlesford, Cambridge CB22 4NE, UK For further details regarding events please visit the Creative Eye Group website: rps.org/ceg
PARTING SHOTS
CREATIVE EYE GROUP MEMBERS’ 2020 EXHIBITION SELECTION DAY Our Exhibition Selectors will be Roger Parry ARPS MPAGB EFIAP Hon PAGB and Judith Parry DPAG AFIAP Hon PAGB When: Sunday 1st March 2020 (11.30am to 4.00pm) Cost: RPS member £10.00, Non-member £15.00 Where: Whittlesford Memorial Hall, Mill Lane, Whittlesford, Cambridge CB22 4NE, UK
CREATIVE EYE GROUP MEMBERS’ 2020 PRINT AND PROJECTED IMAGE EXHIBITION When: Saturday 4th to Monday 13th April 2020. Time: 11.00am to 4.00pm (Please note: The Galleries closed Monday 6th and Tuesday 7th) Where: Wingfield Barns, Church Road,Wingfield, Suffolk IP21 5RA, UK www.wingfieldbarns.com
FIELD TRIP (DUNDEE) When: Saturday 30th May Cost: FREE
Great Gate, Kirby Hall by David Townshend
Time: 10.30am to 4.30pm Where: Discovery Point, Discovery Quay, Dundee DD1 4XA
Love is in the Air by Vanda Ralevska
CREATIVE EYE GROUP MEMBERS’ OPEN DAY A Presentation of members’ work and projects. When: Sunday 7th June 2020 Time: 10.30am to 4.00pm Cost: RPS member £10.00, Non-member £15.00 Where: Whittlesford Memorial Hall, Mill Lane, Whittlesford, Cambridge CB22 4NE, UK CREATIVE EYE GROUP MAGAZINE NO. 81 January 2020
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THANKS FOR READING ...and a big thank you to this edition’s contributors. We welcome submissions from Creative Eye Group members, so if you have a distinction success, story, image or a project that you would like to share, please let us know. Feedback is very welcome and gratefully received, please send your comments and suggestions to the editor.
CONTACTS Steve Varman (Editor) creative.publications@rps.org Website rps.org/creativeeye Social facebook facebook.com/groups/rpscg flickr flickr.com/groups/rps-creative
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CREATIVE EYE GROUP MAGAZINE NO. 81 January 2020
