Celebrating RPS Digital Imaging Members’ Distinctions
Welcome to Accolade 17
We are delighted to bring you a further edition of Accolade, the third of this year. If you have been awarded a distinction, but have not yet been invited to contribute, you have not been forgotten. We have a list of successful Digital Imaging members who we will be inviting over the course of next year.
We are always impressed by the variety of DI members’ work and the passion you have for your photography. The submissions in this edition are no exception. It is fascinating to read your stories and how you all approach the process differently. We are particularly grateful when you are prepared to share the things that did not go to plan or when you were unsuccessful with your first application. What you learnt helps us all prepare better, so thank you!
We have an interesting Fellowship panel in this edition which we are sure you will want to view in more detail. If you haven’t already found it, there is a zoom facility in ISSUU at the bottom of the page, so you can have a closer look at this or any of the panels.
As you may already know, the ARPS and FRPS distinctions are changing. No details have yet been released but Lois has included what information we currently have in the Resources, section starting on page 48.
Our next edition is planned for spring. At the moment that feels a long, dark, cold time away but there will be plenty to occupy us in the coming weeks. Perhaps the New Year will bring a resolution to start a project that could become the basis of a distinction.
Enjoy the edition.
Sue Vaines
Accolade Editor
Caroline Petch
Accolade Contributions
LICENTIATE LRPS
LICENTIATE
Suraj Garg LRPS
I have been doing photography for over a decade now and I believe that I have evolved as a photographer over all these years. My passion for photography led me to participate in a number of competitions and I received a very good response to my work. I had read about RPS' distinctions, and I was instantly drawn to their structured approach to recognising photographic skill. I thought I was ready to give it my best shot starting with the Licentiate.
The Process
In 2024 I decided to take the plunge and pursue my LRPS distinction. I signed up as a member of the RPS and then I read through all the detailed criteria for the Licentiate.
I also spent time studying successful LRPS panels showcased on the RPS website, paying particular attention to how they demonstrated technical competence and visual variety while maintaining a sense of cohesion.
The biggest challenge was selecting the right set of images. I started by shortlisting about twenty photographs from my archive that, in my view, demonstrated technical skill and artistic sensibility. To stay objective, I created a simple spreadsheet, listing each image alongside the LRPS criteria it potentially fulfilled: composition, use of light, decisive moment, focus, and balance. This exercise helped me identify strengths and gaps in my selection. I also reviewed each image meticulously for distractions, dust spots, and tonal inconsistencies, knowing that such small details can make a significant difference during assessment.
I initially attended an online LRPS Study Group and got some useful feedback that helped me refine my panel. The real turning point, however, was attending an in-person RPS Advisory Day.
The feedback from the assessors was invaluable as they pointed out subtle improvements that elevated the overall impact of my panel. Their encouragement gave me immense confidence, and I left the session feeling far more assured about my submission.
Skills & Techniques
The LRPS distinction isn’t about mastering one specific technique, rather it’s about demonstrating yourself as a wellrounded photographer. Understanding the criteria thoroughly and ensuring that each image contributes to a cohesive yet varied panel is key. One has to just follow the criteria to ensure that your images tick off all the points which will lead you to achieve the LRPS distinction.
My Favourite Images
The first is the sunrise shot over River Ganga in the holy city of Varanasi on the previous page. I had just arrived at the ghats (banks) of the river before sunrise and was taking in the views when I noticed the orange ball rise from behind the city over the river. Just then I noticed the boat so I ran around to line up the sun, its reflection and the silhouette of the boat and shot this picture.
The second is the long exposure shot of people walking about the square in Canary Wharf (this page). I call this image 'When Time Stood Still' trying to showcase our busy lives against the almost still looking clocks. It is kind of surreal to me and one of my favourite images I have taken.
Peace Pagoda Sunrise on the following page was in my intended panel and was submitted along with other images for the Advisory Day. The feedback I received was that it had too many highlights and was overpowering the rest of the panel so this image was dropped from the final submission. In fact, the images in the panel were moved around a bit based on the assessors' advice.
Personal Insights
The LRPS journey was incredibly rewarding and introspective. Revisiting my older images with a critical eye made me realise how my photographic vision had evolved. I learned to evaluate my work more objectively, considering not only aesthetic appeal but also technical and compositional discipline. Since completing the distinction, I find myself more observant, more patient, and more deliberate in how I approach a scene. It has encouraged me to strive for greater consistency and to view every frame as a potential story in itself.
Future Plans
I’m currently working towards my Associate distinction in the Visual Art genre. My project focuses on the brutalist architecture of the Barbican Estate, exploring its geometric forms and interplay of light and shadow. I recently attended an Early Advisory session at RPS House, where the feedback I received has been instrumental in shaping the next stage of my work. The process has been both challenging and creatively fulfilling, and I’m genuinely excited to see how the project evolves.
Advice for Others
Take time to read and understand the LRPS criteria thoroughly, it’s the foundation of your submission. Study successful panels, not to imitate them, but to understand how others have met the standards laid out in the criteria. Feedback is invaluable: attend Advisory Days, join study groups, or book one2one sessions. Be open to critique as it can reveal aspects of your work you may not have noticed. Above all, enjoy the process. It’s a remarkable opportunity to reflect on your journey as a photographer.
On Reflection
Achieving the LRPS distinction has been a milestone in my photographic journey, an affirmation of both my commitment to the craft and the quality of my work. The most rewarding part was engaging with the RPS community; meeting assessors and fellow photographers who share a deep passion for the art form. There was so much to learn from each of them.
Ian Gardiner LRPS
My personal 60 year passion for photography was inspired by the memories of my grandfather hand-painting water colours onto black and white images from the 1950s and 1960s.
During Covid I joined a local camera club for the Teams meetings to enable my 92-year-old father to continue the 50year family history of club membership. I also decided to seek a wider experience that would allow for more constructive critique of my work and expand my passion; this led me to the RPS.
The Process
I initially picked about 20-30 images and produced these on 6x4 prints which I presented to the peer group of members of the Scottish Stonehouse RPS Club meeting for discussion. I showed a mix of old files from my “best of” photos. My idea was to use a blend of colour, monochrome, portraiture, landscapes and wildlife, and shots taken on my iPhone, Hasselblad, 35mm and Nikon digital images from the past few years.
Having presented a few times across many months to the RPS peer group I felt ready, all sorted, primed and ready to go, excited even at the prospect of having a successful submission.
My first submission was rejected. Mostly I was unprofessional and unprepared, submitting images with the wrong dpi, and over cropped images lacking detail. I forgot to double check the file sizes as I posted them. In retrospect I had too many copies on different storage files and sent the wrong ones! I took note of the feedback and realised
it was time for a new start. I booked a one2one with Bhupinder Ghatahora, which was simple and informative. Again, I agreed with the comments and prepared a way forward for submission two.
Skills & Techniques
I did eventually use a mixture of monochrome and colour images. I knew the Liverpool dock image was always going to be a monochrome even before I pressed the shutter release. Similarly, the man fishing beside the oil rig at Dundee harbour was again, because of the mist, always going to be a monochrome image.
I have always watched “How to Videos” for advice on all styles of photography from Landscapes to Portraiture and also on Photoshop. The RPS Talk Walk Talk scenarios are very interesting and lately I have attended some of these.
My Favourite Images
My first is Bow Fiddle Rock along the Moray coast next to Portknockie (this page). I just loved the light on this one and used my camera on spot metering to catch the rock detail.
My second was taken at the RSPB Nature Reserve at Oa on the Isle of Islay (previous page), the light and the panorama from the waterfall to the horizon was breathtaking.
"Resilient Old New Yorker" (next page) was excluded as it had lost all detail when cropped and cropped again for my original submission. It was a low quality almost pixelated image which I hadn’t been aware of initially.
Personal Insights
I learned that I need to be super critical of my own work. For example, I was advised to make a small crop to the image of the Long Bench (No. 6 in the panel), which had a red utility box in the top left of the image and wow what a difference!
I think I now have a much more professional approach to photography; I very rarely go out without a camera. With camera in hand, I’m always aware of the lighting, shadows and cloud formations. I’m always listening for birds of prey, along the shoreline, watching for beavers and otters in the rivers or the sight of gulls diving around dolphins.
Although the ego was slightly ruffled by my initial lack of success, I made a complete turnaround. I listened to ALL the advice and resubmitted the work, ensuring my post processing was correct. I also utilised the full colour palette in my colour images and a full range of tones in my monochromes.
Future Plans
I have been producing small batch guidebooks about Glasgow architecture and a local castle. I’m always on the lookout for an excuse to work on my next photographic project. I am currently working on a booklet about Prehistoric Rock Art and may use this as the basis for an ARPS submission!
Advice for Others
My advice to aspiring LRPS candidates would be listen carefully to your peers, join a local club, visit your local art galleries for inspiration on colour or whatever you like. The opportunities are out there in abundance the problem is choosing what suits you but go with your heart.
In hindsight my train ride towards the LRPS has been helped enormously by insight and experience from the local RPS group members, you know who you are! Remember it’s not the station you arrive at it’s the journey to get there that is important. Initially I was too eager to submit, and I should have had the awareness to slow down and request and a one2one first time around.
On Reflection
I am now much more confident but with an edge of professionalism thrown in. The journeyitself was the most rewarding part for me, but I am also really chuffed to have my LRPS. I will temper my excitement and move slowly towards the submission of my ARPS.
Jim Boud LRPS
I decided to begin the LRPS process as I wanted to prove to myself that I had the basic skills necessary to be a photographer.
The
Process
I watched a live online Assessment and that gave me a good idea of the level of detail that was required. I also attended an in-person Advisory Day in Cambridge and found that extremely useful. Not least because there were submissions from those going for ARPS and FRPS which gave me a perspective into what was required at LRPS level.
I formed a group within my camera club of those who were thinking of going for the distinction and we met informally to discuss our progress. I think it was important that we recognised that the submission was a personal thing and that you couldn’t succeed if you relied on group think alone.
Choosing the images was a mix of finding stuff that was technically OK, that demonstrated the range of skills that were required and then fitting them into a presentation panel in a pleasing way. My submission was amongst the first of the online only system.
Skills & Techniques
I set out to demonstrate a range of skills, so I did not emphasise one over another. I think that having a broad range of skills was something that I took from the Advisory Day.
My Favourite Images
The image of the yellow balloon on the previous page was a grab shot taken whilst my grandchildren played and I was gazing up at the roof of a glass house. I like it but was wary of including it because it is unconventional. It makes my point that you should go with your instincts.
The ceiling of Kings Cross has been photographed many times, but I think I got an unusual angle (below) by climbing some stairs onto a platform. The pink colour was projected onto the structure, and the geodesic frame makes a striking pattern.
My image ‘Rachel’ on the following page was rejected in favour of Image 10 after my Advisory Day feedback. I was reluctant to include it because I had taken it at a commercial shoot set up by a camera manufacturer. I was assured that one image taken in such a way would not jeopardise the panel. I preferred my chosen image because I felt that there was more engagement with the model, which was ironic because the assessor noted that ‘there was a degree of empathy, but it does lack some visual purpose’.
Personal Insights
The process has made me more thoughtful about the mechanics of taking photographs. If you want to demonstrate a skill you have to
appreciate what the purpose is of having that skill.This makes me think more carefully now, for example, I use the manual setting on my camera more often than not.
Future Plans
I have just been elected President of my camera club so that will keep me busy. My aim will be to get members to take more photos and share them and in so doing to improve their skills.
Advice for Others
Go for it! Follow your own instincts about how you present your panel to show your skills. Take advice from more experienced photographers. But don’t underestimate the level of scrutiny that your images will receive, so don’t think you will get away with the odd blemish, because you probably won’t. If you know something is wrong, deal with it.
On Reflection
I do feel my photography has improved during this process and I have enjoyed the challenge of achieving the LRPS and developing the skills to do so. I hope to be more creative as a result.
ASSOCIATE ARPS
ASSOCIATE
Jane Moore ARPS Natural History
I gained my LRPS and learnt so much from the process. Applying for an ARPS distinction was a way of learning and achieving a standard in Natural History.
About the Panel
I have a passion for observing and learning about natural history. Our world is full of fast-moving projects and deadlines, and frequently, little time is spent observing the beautiful and fascinating world we inhabit with other species. Many people do not notice the insects and spiders that inhabit our planet because they are small, but they have an important place in our ecosystem.
The Process
I set out to create a body of images that not only reflected my Statement of Intent and project goals in a cohesive way but also worked together as a panel with a unified artistic colour palette. To guide this process, I attended an RPS Advisory Day and benefited greatly from the support of my mentor, Dr Ann Miles FRPS, MPAGB, FBPE, AFIP, whose inspiring work continues to influence my own. I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to Mick Durham FRPS, MPAGB, EFIAP, and Andrew McCarthy FRPS.
Skills & Techniques
To illustrate the species clearly and in a visually engaging manner, I employed macro techniques that highlighted both detail and form. It was challenging to identify the
scientific names of species. I was more than lucky to have George C. McGavin FLS, FRGS, Hon. FRES, generously dedicate his time to reviewing and correcting my Species List.
My Favourite Images
It is hard to choose favourites as each one has a fascination. However, my Common Malachite Beetle caught in spider silk on the previous page, reminds me of how transient life is and how important it is to value our time. My initial thoughts were that this is the end of the line for this insect.
I had never thought about an insect sleeping, but I do now, having observed this Mining Bee (below), though the identity is uncertain due to the camera angle.
The image on the next page was a spare and another favourite but was not included because I already had enough images that met the standard.
Personal Insights
My photography has transformed the way I interpret the world around me, making me increasingly aware of how composition shapes the viewer’s experience. Through my work, I aim to reveal the hidden macro world and bringing to light the intricate details that often go unnoticed, inviting viewers to discover the beauty that surrounds them, but which usually remains unseen.
I am continually exploring, inspired by curiosity, and energised by the excitement of learning something new. I have been influenced by two people. Firstly, my dear friend, Dr Nigel Winser, who has dedicated his career to conservation, advancing the
protection of natural environments and championing greater awareness of their ecological and cultural significance. Secondly, Dr Ann Miles, based in Cambridge, who is an accomplished photographer and mentor whose deep knowledge of biology and passion for the natural world enrich both her work and her guidance to others.
Future Plans
I love travelling to new places, observing natural history, and exploring the landscapes in which it unfolds. Although the technical demands of an FRPS make it feel like a distant goal, I have not set it aside.
My photographic journey has been interrupted for personal reasons, yet it remains a profound source of inspiration and solace. As I move forward, I hope to reconnect with my photography at a deeper level, embracing the opportunities to learn, reflect, and explore the beauty of our planet.
Advice for Others
For those contemplating the ARPS journey, it is well worth pursuing. While it requires focus and sustained effort, it offers an invaluable framework for developing photographic skills and sets a benchmark of quality to aspire to.
On Reflection
My work has continued to evolve since I began my ARPS journey. It has been an important stage in my photographic development, and I am grateful for the support and encouragement offered by friends and by photographers whose work I greatly respect. I have also published a personal book to record my work, a project that allowed me to share my creative journey and present it in support of this distinction.
STATEMENT OF INTENT
With this panel, I aim to capture the intricate beauty and diversity of insects and spiders. My images highlight their structure and often-overlooked behaviour while revealing a variety of feeding, sleeping, exuviating, and pollinating activities. Some are at different stages of their life cycle. Each photograph offers a glimpse into the macro world of Nature.
Insects and Spiders, vital to Earth's ecosystems, are experiencing an alarming decline because of habitat loss, pollution, and climate that requires urgent action to halt their decline.
SPECIES LIST
01 Green Drake Mayfly (Ephemera danica)
02 Caterpillar in dew (identity not established because of dew)
03 Caterpillar of Toadflax Brocade Moth (Calophasia lunula)
04 Ashy Mining Bee (Andrena cineraria) (Female)
05 Six-spot Burnet Moth (Zygaena filipendulae)
06 Cucumber Spider (Araniella cucurbitina or A opisthographa)
(microscopic examination required for differentiation)
07 Common Malachite beetle (Malachius bipustulatus) caught in spider silk
I first joined the RPS in the late 1970s and gained the LRPS in 1982 with a panel of black and white images. Then life intervened. I failed to maintain my membership and my LRPS lapsed.
I re-joined the Society in 2022 and completed the LRPS, for the second time, in 2023. The quality of my work improved immensely whilst working on the second LRPS and I thought, for the first time, that maybe I could achieve an ARPS.
About the Panel
I visited Spittal beach and was immediately captivated by the patterns and colours of the rocks that are visible at low tide. I returned twice more to spend a total of five days on the beach. Although I could ensure I was there for low tide, I was lucky with my visits as the rocks are sometimes covered in sand if there has been a storm.
The images are mostly abstract, and it was suggested I could submit them as a Visual Arts panel, but I see myself as a landscape photographer and felt that I wanted to achieve the distinction to reflect that.
The Process
I received lots of support and encouragement for my draft ideas from two holders of the FRPS, so I moved to producing a draft panel which I presented to an Assessor in a formal one2one.
Underwhelmed would be a kind reflection of his comments; he felt that few, if any, of the images were of the required quality. So, it was back to Spittal with some very specific objectives!
I presented the panel as prints – mostly because I like being able to see and hold a physical object but also because I felt the quality of printing, choice of paper, choice of mat, position of the image in the mat were all opportunities to create a positive impression.
I watched the Assessment via Zoom – dumbstruck as the prints were put up in reverse order. A mistake that was rapidly corrected. The first Assessor to speak was very positive so my hopes were up. There was a discussion about the colour of the images and was it ‘realistic’ – the consensus was that this is how I had wanted to present them and that was acceptable.
My Favourite Images
It is hard to identify a favourite image.After many, many hours of staring at the images I am more aware of what I don’t like than what I do. If I have to choose one, it would be Number 13 on the previous page. The colours are particularly striking and there is a small pool of water with some grains of sand that adds extra depth and interest. I also like it as one of the Assessors said 'it could be in a gallery'!
A number of the images are small sections of the original photo - numbers 7 and 9 (this page) are actually two compositions from one shot.
The image on the following page didn't make the panel because I felt it didn't fit the general colour scheme I was looking for and also it has too many grains of sand on it. For my second visit to Spittal I took a brush to clean the rocks before taking the shots.
Future Plans
I’m still enjoying being able to think of myself as an ARPS. I have a number of projects moving ahead. I have thought about trying for the Fellowship, but I worry that I do not have the originality necessary. But who knows – I didn’t think I could achieve an ARPS!
Advice for Others
Choose a topic that has clear boundaries, it will help you keep focused and stop the project growing and never getting finished. Ask for input. The official one2one process is the closest to an actual Assessment but there are lots of other people you can ask for opinions. I found that photographers, who had been through the assessment process, were very generous with their support and guidance.
Make sure your Statement of Intent is not too long and actually describes all of your images.
On Reflection
As an amateur photographer I find it hard to know if I am improving and if my work has merit. By putting forward a body of work for scrutiny, first by peers, then by an experienced Assessor and finally a panel of highly acclaimed professionals, I have seen my photography improve and I and can say, with some objective confidence, that at least for this panel, I have produced some work of real quality.
STATEMENT OF INTENT
Natural Abstract Beauty
Spittal is a small coastal town close to Berwick-upon-Tweed. At the far end of a pleasant, but rather ordinary beach, are four rocky outcrops each just a few metres wide. These folded saddlebacks of sedimentary sandstone, coloured by iron ore deposits, are only accessible at low tide and are often covered by sand.
Whilst interesting from a geological perspective, it is the abstract beauty of the exquisite palette of colours, arrayed through miniature canyons, veins, clefts, fissures and pools, that I find most arresting.
These swirls and hues, wrought by unimaginable forces, carved and polished by millennia of tides are, it strikes me, as beautiful and evocative as the work of any revered abstract artist!
In my panel I have set out to capture the abstract beauty of these rock formations - devoid of context or scale.
Richard Broomfield ARPS Natural History
I had a rough outline of how I might move on from my LRPS (2019). This was however thwarted by the Pandemic lock down. But turning 'restriction into opportunity', allowed me to develop a panel right on my doorstep!
About the Panel
My long-term ARPS plan was to shoot a Landscape panel developed around the theme of costal architecture. But living in land-locked Worcestershire, this would present too many travel difficulties during the Pandemic. However, a mile from home is an established woodland renowned for its butterflies and fungi. My thoughts therefore switched to an autumnal Natural History panel of developing fungi.
I mentally penned out the project as 'Fungi a mile from home'. This turned out to be too ambitious as I quickly found I couldn't realistically produce a varied panel of species just from one wood! With the subsequent ending of travel restrictions, I expanded my plan to cover fungi within Worcestershire, but keeping the emphasis on my very local sites. After three seasons I had all the images I desired.
The Process
By the time I was ready to pull my panel together, I had shot around 50 different species of fungi. Focus stacking around 40-80 shots per finished image, literally produced many thousands of RAW files to process and store safely.
In my mind, choosing a good selection for a final panel of 15 should therefore be relatively straightforward. How wrong I was! Forensic scrutiny for technical quality, composition and harmony quickly whittled my 50 to around 20. There were some
duplicated species, but I considered this acceptable if I could show different life stages from freshly emerged to mature fruiting bodies. The other challenge was how I might pictorially display a large diameter Waxcap side-by-side with, say, a 5mm tall Felted Twiglet!
With my Statement of Intent finalised I participated in a Nature Group Advisory Day. I received very positive feedback, with a couple of suggestions on swapping one or two images around. I also picked the brains of both natural history and wider RPS friends, whose guidance was invaluable. Emboldened, I booked my Assessment.
After eagerly waiting many months for my own Print Assessment Day I, unfortunately, and quite rightly, didn't then meet the Assessors’ exacting standards for one print. I was offered a Resubmission for the next Assessment Day. Disappointed, but buoyed by the otherwise great feedback, I swapped out that image for another . The challenge was finding something that would seamlessly blend in, without disrupting the overall harmony of the panel. That done, my second Assessment Day was set for March 2025. Sadly, I couldn't be there but I was able to watch the confirmation of my Associateship online. This concluded a four-year journey that, at times was stressful and challenging, but nevertheless a great experience.
My Favourite Images
Two of my favourites are the cluster of Wrinkled Peach fungi (previous page), a particular favourite species of mine, and the three tiny Felted Twiglets growing on a leaf (this page). Both were a real challenge to capture in woodland whilst lying full length on wet moss and leaf litter.
One image that didn't make my final panel was of the classic Fly Agaric (next page). Again, a favourite species, but being a vertical image with bright colours, it gave me limited options for placement. However much I like Fly Agarics, the overall brightness would disrupt the harmony of the panel. Sadly, it couldn't be included in the final 15.
Skills & Techniques
Having previously helped at an A/FRPS Advisory Day and also learning from my own Advisory Day feedback, I was acutely aware of the exacting standards around technical quality for
Natural History submissions. Focus stacking was a technique relatively new for me, so getting to grips with stacking, then blending images, was a skill I needed to rapidly master. I knew the Assessors were all eagle-eyed, so there was no room for error through slip-shod alignment or unsharp edges. I successfully used Helicon Focus for all my focus stacking.
Personal Insights
My main photographic interest is landscape, although I have always had an interest in observing and photographing wildlife. I am fortunate to have friends in my camera club, many of whom are holders of RPS distinctions, to call on for advice. I would say that it was their encouragement and photographic prowess that inspired me to challenge myself.
Future Plans
After two years as Chair of my camera club, and the challenges of ARPS I’d say, if I was an actor, I'm resting between jobs! In the meantime, I am hooked on international photographic salons, and this fills my time. Maybe a shot at a Fellowship, but not until I come up with a deliverable idea.
Advice for Others
If I were to offer advice, I would simply say always start with an idea of what you are wanting to deliver. I also found it particularly helpful at the outset to sketch out a rough Statement of Intent, with some key words. This focused my mind on the 'whats whys and hows' to deliver a plan. Stick at it, tweak where necessary and don't get put off. Importantly, always read and understand the latest Assessment criteria in full. The feeling of accomplishment is great!
On Reflection
Reflecting on the challenge, for me, photography is a hobby, so it was something to try and enjoy, despite the exacting standards. And, most importantly, it's an experience to learn from!
STATEMENT OF INTENT
Fungi on My Worcestershire Doorstep
My intention in this panel is to show a selection of the diverse range of fungi found in woodlands and churchyards close to my home in rural Worcestershire. I wanted to achieve this with a limited carbon footprint. Consequently, the majority of the images were captured less than one-mile from home.
I aim to show a range of larger individual and clusters of fruiting bodies side-by-side, with magnified images of the smallest species. All images were captured in natural-light or using LEDillumination in dark woodland.
My key challenge was to locate freshly emerged specimens in pristine condition, certainly before insect or animal damage occurred. This usually meant dawn shoots to capture the oftenminute fungal spores developing on leaf litter, grassland and branches as they rapidly turned into stunning fruiting bodies.
My interest in this aspect of natural history started during the pandemic lockdown. It has developed into an all-consuming passion!
Joining a camera club was the catalyst for my distinctions journey. I gained my LRPS in 2015 and my ARPS in the Pictorial genre in 2016 with a panel of architectural abstracts.
In 2018 I started work on an idea for an ‘F’ panel based on monochrome abstracts from Santiago Calatrava’s station building in Liege, Belgium. After some one2ones my panel eventually went for Assessment in the Visual Art genre in 2023; it was unsuccessful (you can view it HERE) mainly because it was deemed not to be distinctive, but rather “a welltrodden path”. Not being someone to be deterred by this situation, I set about thinking of ideas for a new panel; something unquestionably different; something that would spark my interest; perhaps something outside my normal realm of architectural photography.
About the Panel
The tube train idea came from a trip to London where I was meeting someone on a station platform and happened to be right opposite where the train doors stopped. I became interested by what I was witnessing inside the trains and thought it would make an interesting photography project. After mulling it over I realised that it had the potential to fit the requirements for the Contemporary genre.
I don’t normally photograph people, and this aspect of the project would be something new for me. Then there was the added challenge of taking pictures in the underground, the lighting, and the TfL rules and limitations.
From the start I had pre-visualised the concept of the panel arrangement; one row of prints surface-mounted, framed by the train doors and lined up close together to
mimic a train stopped with the doors open. Imagery that captured the pulse of a typical day on the Victoria Line would be key to success, as well as how to sequence the images to tell my story; and overcoming the technical challenges.
The Process
I chose the Victoria Line because it has the highest frequency of trains giving me the most trains to work with in the short time I could remain at any one location. To avoid causing an obstruction, a Transport for London no-no, I did all my photography from a seat where I would be comfortably out of the way.
My camera was mounted on a ‘Platypod’, placed on the seat beside me, giving a reasonably consistent and stable viewpoint. The camera was in plain sight for anyone to see as I didn’t want to be sneaky about taking the images. Most passengers never noticed the camera, but some did, including the girl in image 6.
Processing involved a lot of work to get the colour tones of the different parts of the train interior and the doors to match due to the variations in lighting conditions between the different stations, plus sorting out the geometry so that everything lined up exactly.
Over the course of the project, I had a couple of one2one sessions with Mick Yates to review the panel images and especially to hone the Statement of Intent. These were invaluable. Getting the Statement right is such an important part of the application and Mick was very helpful in prompting me to refine the wording to ensure cohesion with the images.
It took many visits to the Underground to realise this project, the extremities of the day being the hardest to portray. By the time I had captured all 21 images that went into the panel, I had glimpsed over 850 doorway scenes – some empty, some a crowded jumble of people and occasionally a perfect doorway tableau.
My Favourite Images
The image on page 40 is my favourite, taken in the morning rush hour. The train already looked full, then at the last minute the lady with the stroller appeared and managed to squeeze her way in; supreme optimism and plenty of practice. I particularly enjoy the interaction between the people. Dogs on the underground go largely unnoticed, but the one on the previous page had clearly got its fellow passengers on edge, unlike the one in image 8.
The lady in the image below was haranguing her partner, with lots of classic Italian gestures. It went on for the whole station stop while he just stood there listening.The image meant something to me having been there in person, because looking at it, I would mentally replay the whole ten seconds of sound and animation and chuckle inwardly; without that recall the image doesn’t convey an interesting enough story on its own so I omitted it from the final 21.
Future Plans
I need to find a local project, convenient for East Devon where I live. Also, it would be good if my next project was in clean fresh air, daylight and peaceful surroundings!
Advice for Others
You need to have a passion for what you are doing; it will drive you to keep going the extra mile to achieve the perfection that is needed for a Fellowship. Having one or several one2one sessions will be invaluable. Attend Assessments on-line or in person beforehand, to get some real insights into what is expected. Above all, enjoy the experience.
Reflection
Being present at the Assessment was the best part of the whole process, soaking up the experience and hearing the Panel Chairman announce the result. Being there is especially relevant when submitting prints because this may be the only time you ever see your panel displayed in the way you intended. It’s a huge honour to be made a Fellow of the RPS, and to be there to receive it in person seems appropriate.
STATEMENT OF INTENT
The Victoria Line Train
Waiting for someone on a Victoria Line station platform, I found myself opposite the doors when the trains stopped. As trains arrived and departed, I became increasingly intrigued to see what would be revealed when the doors opened, a tableau of infinite variety and actors. What will I see this time? The doors open and close like theatre curtains. Actors enter and exit the stage. The train departs. I am left pondering on the tableau just passed, curious as to the story it tells, in anticipation of the next.
Watching trains come and go is like being at the theatre watching a play without words.
My aim in this body of work is to explore the human behaviour and social interactions seen in these doorway tableaux, and how the stories they portray are affected by the different mix of passengers as the day progresses; from the brief calm of the early morning, through the morning rush hour, the less busy off-peak period with its shoppers and tourists, the evening rush hour, and finally to the end of day when seemingly “anything goes”.
Over many visits to London, I set out to capture candid observations at different Victoria Line stations, sampling the doorway tableaux at various times of day. I wanted each image to depict a slice of life, unwittingly portrayed by the tableaux actors.
The images have been processed for a harmonised appearance that transcends the different lighting and physical constraints at each station. Using the doorways to frame each tableau, the windows, doors and interiors have been aligned to appear as if they were all from one train.
I present a Victoria Line train, as a sequence of doorway tableau images progressing through the day from left to right.
RESOURCES
RPS DISTINCTIONS
Find out how to start – or continue – your Distinctions journey:
LRPS is a general assessment of your photographic skills, for which you provide a panel of 10 images. ARPS and FRPS assessments are assessed in specific genres, namely Applied, Contemporary, Documentary, Film, Landscape, Natural History, Photobooks, Travel, and Visual Art. For prints and digital submissions, you provide 15 and 20/21 images for A and F respectively, as a panel or a wordless book.
Each of the pages below includes handy links to guidelines and genres for distinctions, assessment dates, and a “how to apply” document:
• Licentiate (LRPS) – the process for LRPS is digital only – see below for more details.
• Associate (ARPS)
• Fellowship (FRPS)
Changes to LRPS
The LRPS application process uses a dedicated portal for digital submissions only – no prints or books will be assessed. There is lots of supporting info on the RPS website.
Changes to ARPS and FRPS
A working group is currently looking at changes to both these distinctions. We’ve been advised that applicants who aren’t already well on with their submissions might wish to wait until next year to see what the changes are; but in the meantime, ask the team on distinctions@rps.org if you have concerns. ARPS and FRPS submissions continue to support print-based assessments as well as digital ones and photobooks.
Photobooks
The Photobook genre has its own special guidelines and submission process (as opposed to an ARPS or FRPS submission in book form). You can find out more here: Photobooks. You might also like to see a talk hosted by Stewart Wall which is both informative and inspiring.
Preparing for submission
Whatever your readiness for LRPS, we offer an LRPS Support Group to DI members only. We’ll be offering DI members their own dedicated LRPS advisories in due course – watch out for details.
Advisory Days for all levels can be booked here; these may be online, in person, or both, and are offered at various venues. You can generally attend as an observer if you aren’t ready to step up yet (usually advertised a week beforehand on the Facebook group). In addition, some Chapters and Regions offer online Distinctions Study Groups. You may be able to find these by searching the RPS website.
You can request a one2one portfolio review – an online session with a panel member appropriate to your genre/ distinction. See how to book a one2one for more information.
There has been some confusion over what happens next – someone from HQ will find you an advisor and put you both in touch to arrange a date and to send images/ presentation plan. This can take time depending on how many volunteer assessors in your genre or at your level are available, and you are advised to make your request at least 4 months before an assessment.
As for Assessment Days, you can sign up to observe an Assessment Day (in person or online). It can be very helpful to hear what assessors say about other panels, successful or not.
And don’t forget, as well as projected and printed images, you can also apply for a Film, Video and Multimedia Distinction at any level, and also a written Research Distinction: Film and Research.
More avenues of support
You can find successful applicants talking about their experiences in a number of Distinctions Live podcasts on the RPS Distinctions Channel on YouTube.
This talk from Stewart Wall gives advice on How to Pass Your Licentiate.
The private Facebook Group RPS Distinctions **Official Group** is still growing after 5 years, and now has almost 5500 members. It includes news and notices of events from HQ, links for observer places at assessments, and posts celebrating distinction successes to inspire you. It’s a civilised venue to ask questions, share your successes – and disappointments –and ask for critique or expert advice on your proposed submissions.
If you aren’t sure which genre or level to apply for, you can post 6 images (plus your SOI if appropriate) and request moderator advice.
You’re reading issue 17 of Accolade, which celebrates Digital Imaging members’ distinction successes, and is useful for insight into the process in many different genres and at all levels. All the back numbers are also available on the DI website.
