RPS Landscape Group Newsletter, December 2017

NEWSLETTER DECEMBER 2017 / VOL. 2 / NO. 10

CONTENTS 01 Editorial 02 My Experience of Harris and Lewis by Steve Hartley 04 Sydney's Northern Beaches by Alan Park

Scaleber Force

05 Dinefr Castle and River Cothi Field Trip by Peter Douglas-Jones

Š Jan Harris CPAGB

Editorial

06 Conference Gallery

Welcome to the last newsletter of 2017 - another year that seems to have flown by!

The first feature this month is Steve Hartley's account of his recent trip to the Outer Hebrides. If you are considering the Landscape Group holiday next March, I hope it will whet your appetite.

Alan Park's images from the beaches north of Sydney offer something of an antidote for those of us in the UK, where the weather has been bitterly cold.

Peter Douglas-Jones is a regular contributor to the newsletter.

This month he reports on his latest photo walk, to Dinefr and the River Cothi.

Thanks to all who contributed images to the Conference Gallery, a selection of images by delegates to November's weekend conference. It has been interesting to see the different interpretations of locations I know well and even one I have never visited.

There have been very few submissions of individual images for the Members' Gallery in recent months. So, if you have not contributed to the newsletter so far, please consider doing so.

With every good wish for Christmas and the New Year,

09 Members' Gallery 10 What's On 11 Events

Submissions The deadline for submissions to the next newsletter is Friday 19th January. Please note that it may be necessary to hold some submissions for a future newsletter.

If you have an idea for article, please send a brief synopsis of the purpose and content of the piece. Please submit your images as jpegs, sized to 72 dpi with 1200 pixels along the longest edge and borderless.

Please send all submissions by email to: landscapenews@rps.org

Kind regards Jim Souper Newsletter Editor

NEWSLETTER DECEMBER 2017 / VOL. 2 / NO. 10

My experience of Harris and Lewis

by Steve Hartley LRPS

What was the first thing I saw when I returned from Harris & Lewis? The RPS Landscape Group was planning a trip there! I thought members might be interested to hear first-hand of a recent visit. This was my second time on the island and it will not be my last.

Bostah Beach

The first visit was a real whistle-stop affair as part of a week in the highlands and islands with my other half.

We both loved it and vowed to return. This September we spent the best part of a week on the island and we were not disappointed.

It is not the easiest, or cheapest, place to get to. For us the logistics of flying in just did not work so we flew Bristol to Inverness, hired a car and then got the ferry after a night in Ullapool. We stayed in a self-catering cottage in Tarbert, owned by the Harris Hotel, which included breakfast at the hotel. We had been looking forward to returning to the Temple café, and visiting the Hebscape Gallery/Café but both closed a week early this year. The new Machair Kitchen was open and provided excellent cake and coffee, and lunches if needed. We ate in the Harris hotel one night and that was very nice.

It is fair to say Harris & Lewis appear to be full of photographers. The hotel had a workshop staying when we were there, the other big hotel in Tarbert had Lizzie Sheppard’s workshop arriving and the week after we were there Light & Land arrived. Jane and I were almost knocked off the path to Luskentyre beach one evening by a guy who was clearly intent on getting the best tripod spot; I am not saying it was crowded, just don’t expect to have the famous spots all to yourself!

Taransey Sunset

Northton Walk

Having been to the likes of Callanish and Traigh Mhor on our first visit we didn’t go back there. Bostah beach on Great Bernera was a new place for us and well worth the detour. We did see the sunset over Taransey one evening and had an amazing day out along the coast from Northton; the ruined Rubh an Teampaill medieval chapel is so atmospheric and the scenery is just out of this world. Huishnis is a place we returned to but the wind was gale-force so we walked over the headland to Traig Mheilein opposite the island of Scarp, where we were entertained by gannets diving into the sea just offshore. Not a long walk but in strong winds, not for the faint hearted! A morning walk to the Eilean Glas lighthouse on Scalpay was well worth it. The Golden Road was ‘interesting’ but it has few lay-bys to park up.

Traigh Mheilein

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Jane had asked me to make her a ‘bluey-green’ ICM picture, which is not my thing but I gave it a go. Jane was quite pleased with the result and a nice large print of it

by Andy at Fine Art Inkorporated is in the process of being framed for our wall.

The weather was mixed but most of the rain fell at night, which was jolly handy. I ventured out early one morning to capture a spectacular sunrise over Scalpay and a few days later captured the most amazing storm out to sea, followed almost immediately by a lovely rainbow over one of the lochans.

Northton ICM

All my images were made with Nikon D600 with either the 24-85mm VR or the 80-400mm VR lens and Cokin filters as required. I was really impressed by their Nuance ND filters, by the way. Post processing all done in Lightroom 6.

We did the tourist thing via a guided tour of the Harris Distillery, which was very good, and a visit to the Mission House Gallery to see Beka Globe’s unbelievable monochrome landscapes was also time well spent.

I wish I could be on the Group trip but I have been told that I have had my Hebrides fix for a wee while. I look forward to seeing your images on return!

Sunrise over Scalpay

Stormy Weather

Northton Walk - Chapel

All images © Steve Hartley LRPS Stormy Weather - Rainbow

NEWSLETTER DECEMBER 2017 / VOL. 2 / NO. 10

Sydney's Northern Beaches

by Alan Park These images were taken at sunrise on Sydney’s lovely northern beaches. Just 20 Minutes north of Sydney, locals enjoy some of the most beautiful coastline in the world.

In contrast to the well-known Bondi and Manly Beaches, the northern Beaches are less crowded. Early morning swimmers, joggers and surfers are often at the beach at dawn. Together with a group of other photographers we check the tide, swell and wind data. We arrive about 45 minutes before sunrise to scout out a shooting location, usually on the sandstone reefs which skirt each beach. It is a wonderful way to start the morning as the seascape changes each time.

Mona Vale Beach

Palm Beach Avalon Beach

Turimetta Beach Dee Why Beach

Images Š Alan Park

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Dinefr Castle and the River Cothi

by Peter Douglas-Jones A Landscape Group autumn-colour meeting was held on 11th November in Carmarthenshire. On Friday night the BBC weather forecast was truly dreadful, so all praise for the stoicism of those who had signed up - no one dropped out. In fact, heavy rain was short and local. For much of the day conditions were dull, but there was a little blue sky and some direct sunshine.

Left to right, Mike Basham, Bryan Morgan, Paul Graber, Nick & Liz Akers, Mike Swash, Sandra Basham, Shirley Graber and Peter Douglas-Jones.

Autumn Colour in Dinefr Park © Liz Akers LRPS

Clothi close-up © Nick Akers LRPS

As 'local scout', I was pleased to see some familiar faces – those of Bashams, Grabers, Akers and Mike Swash, some of whom had come a long way. New member Bryan Morgan had driven from Kidwelly, in the south of the county, bringing to the party 5x4 mono experience and the welcome and plausible pronunciation of Welsh place names.

There were logistical complications in spreading ourselves over four locations, but driving distances were short and everyone made a point of meeting for lunch.

A rocky gorge on the River Cothi proved a good bet in dull conditions: Liz Akers got particularly enthused, and perhaps we will see some of her work. There were two rivers, three bridges, two medieval castles, one country house, a deer park and some fine stands of trees – natural and ornamental. Perhaps something similar next year will include the missing ingredient – sunshine!

Dryslwyn Castle © Mike Basham LRPS

River Cothi © Nick Akers LRPS

Tees in Dinefr Park © Liz Akers LRPS

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Conference Gallery As promised in the last newsletter, the following pages show a selection of images of the Yorkshire Dales made by delegates to our first weekend conference.

The images on this page were made on the Saturday morning photo shoot at Winskill Stones. The next page comprises images made on Sunday's trip to Malham and the Monday morning shoot at Twistleton Scar and Thornton Force.

Limestone Pavement © Jonathan Ratnage

© Dave Glenn

A Splash of Colour © Robin Hudson

The road to Langcliffe © Trevor Sadowski © Peter Phillips DPAGB, LRPS

NEWSLETTER DECEMBER 2017 / VOL. 2 / NO. 10

Malham Cove © Jan Harris CPAGB

Thornton Force © Bob Smith LRPS

Aire Flow © David Harris

Thornton Force © John Carracher Evening Light, near Malham © David Rees

NEWSLETTER DECEMBER 2017 / VOL. 2 / NO. 10

The final selection of images from the conference weekend comprises images made by members during their personal exploration of the area. There are a couple more in the Members' Gallery.

Scale Haw Force, Hebden © Dawn Black ARPS

Scaleber Force © David Harris

Light and Shade © Pauline Benbrook LRPS

Train Crossing the Ribblehead Viaduct © Diana Wynn

A full selection of images submitted from the weekend is available to view on the RPS website, here.

You can read Dawn Black's blog sharing her approach to photographing Winskill Stones on the group's blog page, where you will also find her blog introducing the Togcast to the uninitiated.

Reflections at Bolton Abbey © David Rees

NEWSLETTER DECEMBER 2017 / VOL. 2 / NO. 10

Members' Gallery

Hillside Hawthorn

A Ghostly Place (Cwmorthin Quarry)

Eilean Glas, Scalpay

© David Harris

© Daryl Hutchinson

© Steve Hartley LRPS

Lone Tree

© Jan Harris CPAGB

Submission Guidelines Please send your Members' Gallery by email to landscapenews@rps.org.

Please submit your images as jpegs, sized to 72 dpi with 1200 pixels along the longest edge and borderless. It would also be helpful if you would provide a caption and a note of any RPS distinction that you would like to have included in your credit for the image.

The deadline for the next newsletter is Friday 19th January 2018. Thank you!

NEWSLETTER DECEMBER 2017 / VOL. 2 / NO. 10

What's On Exhibitions Voices from the Land Hawes, North Yorkshire This exhibition of photographs, audio recordings and writing shares the lives and practices of Dales farmers today. Rob and Harriet Fraser and a team of volunteers have collected the work over ten months on farms and at shows and sales. It will be displayed alongside items from the Dales Countryside Museum’s collection until 22nd December.

Doug Scott: High Exposure London Doug Scott is a renowned mountaineer and also a remarkable photographer. His body of photographic work is notable for the way it captures the beauty of the world’s highest mountains and most remote views. Doug will, for the first time, be exhibiting in black and white, with several images in wall filling scale. At the D Contemporary Gallery in the heart of London’s Mayfair from the 1st December to the 5th January.

Dark Line - The Thames Estuary London Nadav Kander's personal reflection on the landscape of the River Thames at its point of connection with the sea, through atmospheric images of its slowmoving dark waters and seemingly infinite horizons.

At the Flowers Gallery from 17th November to 13th January 2018.

Claire Carter: Where I Stand Ludlow Claire is a silent witness to the awe-inspiring, passionate beauty of areas of our planet that most of us can rarely, if ever, visit. Claire takes us on a journey to icy, cold, immense landscapes and to the beauty of the natural world closer to home. At the Photo Space from 25th November until 27th January 2018.

A Green and Pleasant Land Eastbourne This major survey exhibition focuses on artists who have shaped our understanding of the British landscape and its relationship to identity, place and time. Exploring how artists interpret urban and rural landscape through the lens of their own cultural, political or spiritual ideologies, the exhibition reveals the inherent tensions between landscape represented as a transcendental or spiritual place, and one rooted in social and political histories. At the Towner Art Gallery, Eastbourne until 21st January 2018.

A selection of exhibitions & events which may be of interest to landscape group members

Illuminating India: Photography 1857 - 2017 London Part of a season of exhibitions and events, at the Science Museum, that celebrates India’s contribution to science, technology and mathematics. From 4th October until 31st March 2018.

Common Ground Southampton For the past four years, David Baker's Common Ground photographic project has examined Southampton Common and the old cemetery to artistically interpret a landscape that has been shaped by human activity through management of this shared space. At Southampton City Art Gallery until 7th April 2018 Paul Nash and the Uncanny Landscape York Paul Nash’s groundbreaking inter-war landscapes which transformed the genre of British landscape painting feature in this new exhibition curated by John Stezaker. The exhibition also includes works by Stezaker including new landscapes created in response to the themes of the uncanny landscape. A private collection of rarely seen Nash drawings, paintings, photographs and ephemera is also on display. At York Art Gallery until 15th April 2018.

Wildlife Photographer of the Year 53 London This year's exhibition, showcasing the fifty-third year of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition, at the Natural History Museum until 28th May 2018.

Conferences, Fairs and Festivals The Photography Show Birmingham Next year's show at the NEC will run from Saturday 17th to Tuesday 20th March. Registration is not yet open but you can sign up for a reminder.

If you have, or know of, an exhibition you think may be interest to landscape group members, please email landscapenews@rps.org with details.

NEWSLETTER DECEMBER 2017 / VOL. 2 / NO. 10

EVENTS Andy Astbury – Landscapes Sunday 14th January, 10:30 to 15:30 Chorlton, Manchester Andy Astbury will both show his work and give an indepth explanation on how he achieves the image.

Organised by North West Region.

See here for details.

Long Exposure Coastal Exploration Saturday 3rd February, 9:45 to 17:00

Shoreham and Brighton The day will start at Shoreham, taking photographs of jetties, water falling over ramps, waves breaking against the sea wall, groynes in the harbour. The day will continue at Southwick, Brighton (photographing posts, groynes and seascapes) and Brighton sea front, with the opportunity to photograph the old pier.

For full details go to the Group events page, where the event will appear shortly.

Nightshoot Saturday 17th February, 18:00 to 22:00 Bath Explore the wonders of night time photography during this hands on evening photography workshop.

You will learn various creative techniques for working in low light conditions and painting with light.

Organised by RPS HQ - see here for details

Photographing landscape; whatever the weather with Tony Worobiec FRPS Sunday 18th March 2018, 10:30 to 16:00 Northumberland The purpose of this course is to alert you to the potential of photographing landscape, irrespective of the weather conditions. Usually run at Bath HQ, Northern Region has secured the opportunity to attend this popular workshop in the north of England.

See here for full details.

Could you host an event?

If you know of a promising and photogenic location in your area, and you would be willing to organise an informal session for other members of the Group, please email to rps.landscape.events@gmail.com.

We welcome all volunteers and would very much like to hear from members in all parts of the UK.

Landscape Group holiday to Harris & Lewis Thursday 22nd - Thursday 29th March 2018

Harris and Lewis Landscape group member and Lewis resident Tim Parish LRPS will be leading this weeklong holiday to Lewis and Harris, guiding participants to some of the well-known photographic locations as well as to a good few that he has researched himself specifically for this trip.

See here for full details - please read carefully before booking.

Beyond Visible Light: A workshop on Infrared landscapes with Simon Weir Saturday 19th May 2018, 10:00 to 18:30 Oldbury An acknowledged expert in the field of Infrared photography, Simon's workshop will give you a thorough understanding of the magical world of digital infrared.

See here for full details.

Special access Stonehenge dawn shoot Sunday 25th March 2018, 6:00 to 7:30

Stonehenge Following the popularity of this event in March, we are making a return visit next year. See here for details.

Photographing landscape; whatever the weather with Tony Worobiec FRPS Sunday 10th June 2018, 10:30 to 16:30

Bath The purpose of this course is to inspire the participant to recognise that each month in the year offers wonderful opportunities for taking great photographs. It aims to be as broad as possible, and features not just pastoral landscape, but recognises that landscape should also embrace agricultural, coastal, industrial and urban locations.

To be held at Bath HQ - see here for details

For details of all Landscape Group events listed above and of additional workshops and events of interest to group members, please visit the group's events page.

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Event categories The categories below aim to help members understand what is on offer at any particular landscape group event. They are also a guide for potential event leaders who might be worried that their photographic skills are not sufficiently strong for them to lead an event.

Group A – Field trips where the guide has a good knowledge of the location (e.g. good viewpoints, good subjects, good times of day, tides if relevant etc.) and will have ideas about what to do in case of unhelpful weather or light conditions, but does not wish to offer any advice on photography skills or techniques.

Group B - Field trips where the trip leader has a good knowledge of the location (as in Group A) but is also willing to offer general technical support and advice to inexperienced photographers. The leader is NOT expected to be an expert in anything but should be sufficiently experienced to pass on knowledge of the basics.

Group C - Field trips that focus on a particular technique – such as long exposures or photographing at night. The leaders of these events will primarily offer advice about technique and location knowledge will be sufficient to enable participants to learn and practice the technique(s) concerned.

Group D - Workshops that primarily focus on skills or technique and where location is irrelevant or is a secondary consideration. These may take place indoors or outdoors. The workshop leader may have limited knowledge of the location but will be experienced and skilled in the topic of the workshop.

Booking Confirmations A few members have contacted us because they were unsure as to whether or not they were booked on an event. Here is a brief guide to how you can check this for yourselves.

When you book a landscape event through the RPS website, the system should send you a confirmation email.

If you have not received it and want to check if you are booked on an event, then login to your account on the RPS website, select the tab labeled events and tick the box for events you are booked on.

Any events you have booked will show up in orange.

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