October 2023 Newsletter
2024 is the start of the next phase of RPS Scotland’s recovery from the COVID, and hopefully our return to normal. But, what is normal? And, do we really want to go back to it?
I guess we all do, as we’re creatures of habit, and those habits are comforting. However, nostalgia can sometimes imbue a rose-tinted warm and fuzzy glow over the old days, so it’s only right that we try and return to the old days, but maybe in a new way. Before COVID we had weekend conferences every other year, and so we’d like to have another one of them. We’re looking at a couple of choices of venues and locations, and the 2nd last weekend in March, or the first couple in April…depends on availability and costs. We’ll mix the days up between speakers, workshops, and advisory sessions, distinctions celebrations, and we’ll have our Annual Exhibition selection session, and our AGM will also probably be then too, but that will also be going out on Zoom so that anyone can join in, wherever they may be. We’ll record the speakers too, so that they’ll be on our YouTube channel afterwards ( RPS Scotland YouTube in case you want to see the lovely library of talks already recorded).
Speaking of AGMs, that is also the time for elections to the Committee, and as we’re going on a strict 3 year rotation process the post of Secretary is available, and we’re looking for volunteers. I won’t be going away, and will still be around to help with events and Newsletters etc., so if you’re keen on helping out then get in touch: scotlandsec@rps.org.
Monthly Competition
People…we all know them, and in general they’re probably not as nice as, say, dogs, but hey if weren’t for people who’d serve us fresh coffee?
Congratulations to Kirk for his expertly timed capture.
November’s topic is Autumn and you should submit your entries to Ken, sized at 1000px wide, by as many pixels as you want tall, via Scotlandweb@rps.org. How much more appropriate can you get?
Madame Butterfly Kirk Lothian
There’s a vast range of photography within the RPS, and if you look there’s a special interest group for you, and within this SIGs there are a variety of opportunities and formats for you to develop your photography and progress your journey. I’d suggest that it’s in the SIGs that you really get the best value for your RPS membership, and the volunteers within these SIGs are genuinely wonderful folks, giving freely of their time and passion. They all deserve your support.
Last month saw a wee plug for The Digital Imaging group, and so this month we’re featuring the Creative Eye Group, who’s Chairman is the one and only Clive Watkins LRPS from Ayr way, one of a good few SIGs with Scottish RPS members on their committees. We lead the way, way beyond our numerical representation.
Creative Eye Group
Our aim is to encourage the development of photography as a means of expression and as a vehicle for the author to make a personal photographic statement. The medium can be print or projected image, monochrome or colour, for it is the personal input of the photographer which makes the description of “creative” appropriate. We think imagination is the key to creative photography and is surely unique to each of us. It is often said that two photographers standing side by side will not see the same picture. The creative photographer will think that bit differently; see that bit differently and consequently end up with a more unusual, interesting or thought provoking interpretation. The creative process can be in-camera or processing in the digital or analogue darkroom.
The Creative Eye Group produces a printed magazine three times a year, focussing on, but not entirely made up of articles from our members. We have annual exhibitions with medals and awards selected by a panel of external assessors. The group organises talks and walks throughout the year. We also hold an annual members day where selected members give short talks on Zoom. Going forward we are working more closely with the Regions to enable many more face-to-face events for our membership to enjoy wherever they live in the world.
Find out more about the Creative Eye Group on our webpage www.rps.org/ceg
What’s On in October?
Adam Geary - Sweet Spot, Arbroath Brothock Gallery, July to October:
https://www.adamgeary.com/#
Making Space: Photographs of Architecture. Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh 07/10/23-03/03/24.
Photoforum - Northern: 7th October, Community & Arts Centre, Nairn.
https://rps.org/regions/scotland/photoforum/ RPS Grampian: 15th October Day Oot to Ferryhill Railway Heritage Trust. To join this group contact Nigel Corby on RPSGrampian@gmail.com
Landscape SIG: 16th October - Birks of Aberfeldy, 31st October - The Hermitage, 5-11 November Cairngorms in Autumn,
https://rps.org/groups/landscape/events/pro-led-events/ RPS Scotland Talk series: 17th October - Kit Martin
https://rps.org/events/regions/scotland/2023/october-2023/kit-martin/
Further Ahead
https://www.nationalgalleries.org/visit/scottish-national-portrait-gallery
Photoforum - South West: 11th November Shambellie House, Dumfries
https://rps.org/regions/scotland/photoforum/
Landscape SIG: 5-11 November Cairngorms in Autumn,
https://rps.org/groups/landscape/events/pro-led-events/
RPS Scotland Online Photoforum: 21st January 2024, invigilated by Douglas J May FRPS
https://rps.org/regions/scotland/photoforum/
March / April 2024: Weekend Conference and AGM and Exhibition Selection
Ongoing?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000v4db Dealbh is Slighe - Image and Path, a wonderful series of photography programmes, hosted by Calum McLean. It is in Gaelic, but there are subtitles, and each episode is short but very sweet. Recommended.
Just to continue the happy sequence of successful F panels by Scottish members, I have included Hazel Frost FRPS’s fabulous F. It’s her second Fellowship, so maybe she should now be FFRPS? Her first F was in the Travel genre, and this one is Documentary, which just hints at the range and depth of photography that Hazel commands. She has given a talk on this for the RPS, where she spoke about the project itself, and also spoke how the tension and nervousness she faced was no less than she remembered when she got her first F, and all that despite being the Chair of the L Panel, and the Travel panel Distinctions committees.
October: Kirkcudbright Arts Centre 2024.
January: Eden Court Theatre, Inverness
February: Aberdeen Arts Centre
Down Came the Rain Mike Tibbs ARPS RPS ScotlandAround the country there are quite a few smaller groups having zoom meetings, days out, gallery visits, and just generally indulging themselves in their photography. The Northern Group has led the way for many years, and still punches above it’s weight…although even they are feeling the wind of post-COVID change, and so they’re seeing a reduction in numbers attending events. The success of these local groups is down to the local members, and as well as the Northern Group there are active groups in Lanarkshire, West / South West Scotland, Tayside, and Grampian. You’ll see their events noted on our website, and also in the monthly newsletters. Please support them, or you may lose them.
Here’s the link to the latest Grampian Day Oot, and it’s a mega one, a huge e-zine based around the Open Days programme around Aberdeen.
Grampian Day Oot e-zine https://issuu.com/royalphotographicsociety/docs/ ne_scotland_2_sept_2023
As well as the geographical regional groups the SIGs also have local sub-groups, so if you’re tastes are more specific to a genre then you should check out the SIG pages to see who has a Scottish group going. I know for sure that Contemporary and Documentary have Scottish group events…a mix of external speakers, members talks, face to face days etc, but if you’re particular SIG doesn’t have a Scottish group, then I also know for sure that if you contacted them they’d be delighted to support you. The advantage that these smaller genre based groups have is that they tend to be more intimate, more focussed, more open to discussion sessions which can really help you progress on your photographic journey, and develop the particular skills and style that your genre requires.
Like most things in life, the more you put in, the more you get out.
One last thing worth checking out, the Scottish Portrait Awards have released this year’s shortlisted video, and it features our own Douglas J May FRPS, amongst some very other fine photographers. See it here:
https://youtu.be/HQTkctsz15g?si=6BtY5GyPbP19mi3a
RPS Scotland Committee
RPS Regional Organiser:
Dave Ferguson LRPS scotland@rps.org
Committee:
Ken Ness FRPS scotlandweb@rps.org
Kirsten Bax LRPS scotlandtreasurer@rps.org
Steven Whittaker ARPS scotlandsec@rps.org
Local contacts
Northern
Dave Shillabeer ARPS
Morton Gillespie ARPS
Grampian
Nigel Corby FRPS
Tayside
Robin Millar
Fife
Monica Vella
Ken Goodfellow LRPS
Mark Reeves FRPS
Central
Bob Black
Lanark
Douglas Thompson FRPS
Glasgow
Anne McKelvie
Borders
Fiona Cadger ARPS
Colin McLean LRPS
Ayrshire
Clive Watkins LRPS
South West
Jean Robson FRPS