Royal Photographic Society Digital Imaging Group News March 2016

DIG News - March 2016

Pack Horse Bridge (Just Now) by Rex Waygood

February has been a busy month with both the AGM to update you all on and the results of the DIG Exhibition Competition.

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DIG AGM We had a smooth AGM; the minutes and reports of which will go into the Minutes section of the DIG Forum shortly. But we will give you an overview of the key points.

Thank you’s were extended to the resigning committee members Andy Beel and Maurice Ford. Both are thanked for their service over the year(s). Incoming we had just the one nomination, Michael Oakes, who joins us. Welcome to him – he has already got started by spending a day with us searching for a new venue for the proposed DIG Expo 2017.

All DIG Volunteers around the Centres were thanked for their continued work. We do still need new Centre Organisers for the Eastern and Western Centres. Without two individuals stepping forward and volunteering then these Centres will not be able to continue.

Financially we are still very healthy and our membership continues to grow. The committee achieved all the objectives we set ourselves for 2015 – you might be interested in seeing the slide that gives a glimpse of what we are aiming for in 2016.

Looking Forward – 2016       

DIGIT Online Member Survey Online Membership Centre – sponsored speakers 20th Anniversary bumper DIGIT Online tutorials DI Expo 2017

 Recruit Centre Volunteers The next DIG AGM will be on March 5th 2017 at Smethwick as usual, when our speaker will be Viveca Koh FRPS. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DIG PRINT EXHIBITION We had a record entry of 144 members entering work in this years exhibition, including more than usual from our OS members. So well done everyone who entered. As a result our three selectors had a hard job to work through the usual eclectic selection that represents our members wide photographic interests. You might be interested in how that 144 was broken down …….

FRPS LRPS ARPS Hon FRPS None

10 55 47 1 31

(note ‘None’ could mean a member without a Distinction or simply that they didn’t declare one)

We thank Iain McGowan FRPS, Joy Whiting ARPS and David Cooke FRPS for their sterling work.

The 2016 DIG Exhibition winner was Roger Hinton LRPS with ‘Solitude’.

Many congratulations Roger. It is a wonderful, delicate image and beautifully printed and mounted. A worthy winner.

‘Solitude’ by Roger Hinton LRPS

Each selector had 2 Ribbons to award to their chosen images. So congratulations go to the following – David Cooke selected ……

Is this our train Dad. Life is like a corridor

by Carl Mason ARPS

by David Thomas ARPS

Iain McGowan selected……

A Distance from Now Walk on by

by Lorna Brown LRPS

by Janet Haines ARPS

Joy Whiting selected……..

Storm over the Cuillins Mislaid or Abandoned

by Brian Cooke ARPS

by Fiona Senior FRPS

The Ribbon winners images can be seen on the web site HERE along with the list of all accepted images.

DIGIT Issue 68 is now well on in the production cycle and our Editor estimates that UK members should see them plopping on to their doormats by the end of the month.

I got a sneak peek at one of the key articles for this edition and know you are in for a super treat. Well done to our Editor Margaret Preston for getting this amazing worker to write for DIGIT. From this edition forth we are also going to be putting DIGIT up online using ISSUU, so you have the option of reading it if you wish on your tablets or smart phones. However to retain them as a key member benefit we had to find a secure way of making them available online where they were not accessible to the public. This has been achieved by using a new web facility the RPS have made available to us which they are calling ‘hidden pages’ - linking through to a publicly unlisted ISSUU page.

Viewing DIGIT online requires you to first register and log in to the RPS web site. To do this go to the big blue LOGIN button at the top of the RPS web site. Once you have done this successfully the blue button will now say ‘My RPS’. Return to the DIG ‘About Us’ page and at the bottom of the list on the RHS you will now see an additional page for ‘DIGIT Group Magazine’

Here is what part of your web page will look like……

In addition to the DIGIT Magazine you will find the past 2 years worth of DIGITs as well. Of course the entire DIGIT back library is still available to download copies from. That can be found on the DIG Forum.

With reference to putting DIGIT online we want to appeal to members to assist us with the following project: We will put the next two editions of DIGIT online as described above and would ask that as many of you as possible at least take a look to see how you find reading the magazine online. Later in the year we will conduct a member survey to collect your views. Potentially the ultimate aim is to offer an Online Only DIG membership. But only if the technical solution is proven satisfactory.

Don’t panic though – we are not going to lose DIGIT as a beautiful printed magazine. Full membership, as you all currently have, means you’ll get your printed DIGITs plus have access to the online version if you wish. The Online Only DIG Membership means just that – no physical copy of DIGIT each quarter. It will be a lower annual fee but other than that the membership facilities will be the same.

Your committee felt that we should, as a DIGITAL group, be moving forward with the times. With more and more people going over to tablets and smart phones and wanting to do everything on the move, anywhere anytime, we should evolve our membership accordingly. It is not anticipated that we would launch the Online Only DIG membership till the start of 2017, but we do need to spend the next 6 months testing and proving the technology. So we would appreciate your help and cooperation to do this. Thanks.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------DIG FORUM February sees the start of our 2nd year of our Forum Monthly competition and the start of an annual mini competition.

Each month we will be keeping a spreadsheet of the scores for each DIG Member who enters the monthly comp. At the end of the year the Member with the highest score will win an RPS Portfolio Three. This beautiful coffee table book is a showcase of the best of photography and imaging science associated with The Royal Photographic Society between 2010-2013.

Our February winner of the Forum Comp is Rex Waygood with his gritty image titled ‘Pack Horse Bridge (Just Now)’. Just 2 points behind him is a new forum member Greg Clucas with ‘Smoke and Mirrors’ - congrats to you both.

Here are Rex’s own words about his winning image……

We were on our way to Wells for our joint Christmas present weekend away and stopped at Bruton. It was a typical winter’s day with a steely grey sky so I started to think in Mono! :-)

Having just purchased a new wide angle lens I was walking about looking for photo opportunities to exploit that lens. Fortunately about 1000 to 400 years ago a few locals built this bridge in preparation for my visit.

As those that know my images on the forum and joke about my obsession with corners in my compositions, it can be seen that Pack Horse Bridge was definitely built for me.

It has (Just Now) in the title as I use that to show that the image was taken, processed and posted in the same day. ‘Pack Horse Bridge’ is on the cover page.

2nd placed

Smoke and Mirrors by Greg Clucas I just love this image with all its’ reflections, contours and colours Greg.

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Image for Discussion 1000 posting One of the more observant Forum members noted recently that we were coming up to this significant milestone. So reading this I made a mental note to ask the Forum moderator, Rex Waygood, who was our 1000th posting from. I should add at this point that he did not know I had planned this.

In preparation for this DIG News I duly contact Rex and asked him to look up who it was – quite by chance it was his own posting for that particular week. So after a bit of teasing about ‘fiddling the books’ I have to say that I think it is rather fitting that Rex should have this honour as without all his hard work DIG Forum would not be as successful as it is.

So well done Rex both for posting the 1000th image (plus being this months comp winner) and thank you for your continued work in making our DIG Forum the success it is. But that’s your winning streak for this year over all in one go!

‘Spiders in the Church” - the font cover at The Church of St Mary in Bruton, Somerset was our 1000th Forum posting.

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BOUQUETS AND BRICKBATS Firstly the brickbats – apologies that the DIG News email last month had a broken link on it. The upside to that is that this error got a few of you emailing in to tell us of the problem. Thanks to those of you who did but just in case it should happen again it is worth saying that DIG News is always on the same page of our web site each month, so if in doubt just check there. It also prompted us to get a simpler url set up so DIG News can now be found by the obvious web address of www.rps.org/DIGnews Thanks particularly to Gill Peachey who contacted us but aside from pointing out our problem gave us the following bouquet to go with it…

I'll take this opportunity to thank you for all the hard work that you & the committee put into running the Digital Imaging Group. I hadn't thought of joining until I was offered free membership for a while. I had no hesitation in continuing with my membership at the end of that time & enjoy the e-news and magazines.

And another from Janice Payne when she made contact ….

Thank you for your time and effort producing the DIG newsletters which always hold something interesting to read and is a good link to the group as a whole.

----------------------------------------------DIG CENTRES News from around the UK Centres Centre Organisers are desperately needed for both DIG Western and DIG Eastern Centres. We have put out appeals for volunteers before and no-one has stepped forward. Without someone picking up these vital roles then both the Centres will have to close.

Being a Centre Organiser is not an onerous role, with only four meetings a year to run. Western has a forward programme that the incoming organizer will benefit from. Whereas for Eastern then it would be entirely up to the new person to book who she or he feels is appropriate. Both Centres have committees in place, so you would not be unsupported.

If you feel you can help then please get in touch with the DIG Committee via barry@littlepics.freeserve.co.uk

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YOUR HELP PLEASE The DIG Committee are just starting out on the process of organizing the DI Expo 2017 – first is to find a suitable location. A process we have begun this last week, viewing 5 potential venues in the Birmingham area, that being as central to as many DIG members as possible.

A video of the visits is available HERE However whilst chatting in the car as we moved around the city, it occurred to us that we should be using the power of our vast membership to help us with a couple of things.

1. Identifying other possible venues 2. Recommending a top notch Garden Photographer who could possibly do us a presentation or run a workshop.

Venue challenge – the requirements are as follows: Central UK, not too expensive. Flexible accommodation that can seat 300 attendees, 2 x theatres holding 150 each, another smaller presentational room. Sufficient room for 10-12 trade stands, exhibition space and enough room for everyone to move around. Car parking adjacent. Easy to find by road, train links nearby desirable.

The National Motor Cycle Museum is too expensive, but an obvious choice.

If you can make sensible suggestions then we will happily follow them up, so are not asking you to do more than give us the basic info. Maybe you have been to a conference or event somewhere you think might fit the bill. Emails to digchair@rps.org - thanks.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------MEMBERS NEWS NEW PHOTO BOOK You may recall an item from our OS member Tony Healy in a recent DIG News, and his interesting book about sea slugs and worms. Tony now has another informative Blurb book about New Caledonia. So if you are interested in knowing more and seeing the photos do go to http://www.blurb.com/b/6899098-new-caledonia

MEMBER GALLERIES - Janice Payne ARPS Janice got her ARPS in March 2015 and you can see her work on her gallery here http://rps.org/member/gallery/janice-payne/My-Successful-ARPS-Panel I was fascinated by this panel and if anyone thinks you should not take shots of wall art because it is ‘other peoples work’ look and think again as Janice shows just how it can be used as the basis for a highly creative reinterpretation. Delightful.

Thanks for sharing this gallery with us Janice. It would be great to be given links to other members galleries – hint hint – for us all to enjoy.

MIRRORLESS JOY John Bradford (Canadian Chapter) has been in contact. Both he and I have recently bought Fuji X-T10s so regularly exchange private emails about this. With increasingly fast fading eyesight John has found a new pleasure in owning this simple to use but high quality output camera, so wanted to share the following 3 images with members.

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FOCUS ON OVERSEAS MEMBERS

David Thompson Ingoe Calgary, Alberta, Canada Freelance Photographer.

I don't view my beginnings in photography being different than most. I started as a teenager and it was a great hobby that gave me good relief of stress during my working life. However, all that changed when I was given early retirement from the Oil & Gas company I was working for in 1995.

After a preliminary certificate course in photography I began taking my photography more seriously and began working as a freelance photographer. The next step became graduation from The Photography Institute of the United States as a Professional Freelance photographer with an average mark of 85% for the course. At this time, I also became involved with several clubs and societies including the RPS. The love of nature and the eastern slopes of the Canadian Rocky Mountains where I reside has played a huge role in what I am doing with photography today. Alberta being blessed with some of the most scenic landscapes and virile wildlife, has also unique ecology where the prairies meet the mountains. The imaging of this habitat and the concept of being able to portray the emotions I experience while photographing has been extremely important to my work. Tragically, encroachment, climate change, urban sprawl and pollution are resulting in a rapid decline of habitat that supports biodiversity in our wildlife species.

My goal in ecological photography has become the method which my images of our natural environment assists in the understanding and the protection of wild animals. As photographers, our images of nature are all the more important to promote education and understanding in the desire for the public demand in protection of the wild diversity.

When I was drawn to digital photography I bought into the Canon system. I currently use a 6D, a 1D mark III, and a 40D for backup and macro. My eight lens cover the range from 10-20 mm to 100-400 mm and a 1.4 teleconverter.

I wish all of you joy and fulfillment in photography.

CafĂŠ at Emerald Lake, Yoho National Park

Mountain Stream, Kananaskis Country, Alberta

Wolf in Winter, Yoho National Park

Young Moose Calf, Waterton National Park

Finally we would still welcome some new images from you to go at the header of our web pages in the slideshow. It isn’t an easy shape to fill but on the DIG About Us page HERE if you scroll down you will find information and details on how to prepare your image. Plus the email address for our webmaster.

So till next month I will sign off with the usual statement that we love members to contact us with your thoughts and feedback – any time.

Regards

Janet Janet Haines ARPS DIG Chair digchair@rps.org