RPS eJournal BENELUX chapter issue 2 Winter 2016

Number 2 - Winter 2016

Acknowledgements

View from the RPS Benelux Chapter Organizer

By Richard Sylvester LRPS,

RPS Benelux Chapter Organizer richard.sylvester@skynet.be The Royal Photographic Society BeNeLux Chapter Copyright The copyright of photographs and text in this eJournal belong to the author of the article of which they form part, unless otherwise indicated.

Editor Dawn Black, Simon Williams Cover Frank Geraedts Contact information Website Tony Roe antony.roe@gmail.com eJournal Simon Williams info@simonwilliams.nl

Welcome to this, the second issue of our RPS Benelux Chapter eJournal. The first issue has been very well received, both from the RPS HQ in Bath and by our Chapter members. It can be downloaded from the About US tab on our Chapter website: http://rps.org/regions-and-chapters/chapters/benelux/ about The eJournal is a very important source of publicity for our Chapter and for attracting new members. I would like to thank everyone who contributed to the eJournal and especially Armando Jongejan, without whom the first issue would not have seen the light of day. I am happy to announce that Simon Williams will be co-editing the journal together with Armando and will provide his expertise in graphics design and layout.

We are actively seeking contributions from our members for future issues of the eJournal: paths to distinctions, tutorials, local activities, future events, ideas for future activities, photos etc.

RPS Benelux Chapter Website Our website is a very important source of publicity for our Chapter. Tony Roe, our webmaster, has been busy adding material to the website. Please take a look at it: http://rps.org/regions-and-chapters/chapters/benelux

I would like to encourage members to add photo albums of their work to the galleries on the website. For members Armando Jongejan with Distinctions, this could, for example, be photos from armandojongejan@hotmail.com your panel. It is not difficult to do. Once you log into your RPS account (upper right hand side on the RPS website), Foto Fair go to the My Profile page. The necessary information Janet Haines for adding an album and uploading your images is then janet.haines@btopenworld.com provided. The galleries are an important starting point for some of the future activities that are being planned.

National Coordinators We should also start adding information to the Events, The Netherlands: Dawn Black the Blogs and the Forums. We could, for example, dawn@dawnsblackphotography. highlight member’s websites in the Blogs and provide com links to them. If you are interested in publicizing your personal website on our RPS Benelux Chapter page, Belgium: Eddie Maes please send Tony Roe a short text about your website e.d.maes@skynet.be along with a link to it. Tony’s e-mail address is given in Luxembourg: Simon Hauxwell Acknowledgements. Please also put me in copy. simonhx@mac.com

October 2015 RPS meeting in Clervaux

Benelux

Chapter

Our recent RPS Benelux Chapter meeting in Clervaux was a big success and I hope that everyone who attended the meeting enjoyed the activities. A summary of the meeting can be found elsewhere in this eJournal. We need to keep up the momentum and move ahead to plan the future activities of the Chapter.

Workshops Are you interested in attending a photography related workshop that would be organized by our members? If yes, on what topic? Specific camera techniques?

Post processing? Or something else? How long would you like it to last? Should it be attached to one of our Chapter meetings, either in the morning session of the Chapter meeting, or the day before or the day after the Chapter meeting?

Distinction Advisory Day We have scheduled an RPS Benelux Chapter Distinctions Advisory Day in Brussels on Saturday, 13 February 2016. You may like to attend the Advisory Day and present a panel of images for advice for either the LRPS, ARPS, or FRPS Distinction. Details concerning Distinctions and the Advisory Day are provided in this eJournal. Please publicize the Advisory Day in your area.

Next RPS Benelux Chapter Meeting Frank Geraedts will host the next Benelux Chapter meeting in s’Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands, which is in easy reach of members from all three Benelux countries.

The meeting will be held on a Saturday, either 16 or 23 April 2016. It is likely that there will be a photo walk in the morning and then an image review session and business meeting in the afternoon. Further activities can be arranged on the Sunday for members wishing to extend their stay.

Please indicate your interest and availability by using the following Doodle before Friday 22 January. http://doodle.com/poll/z836vwetxi7usyn5 Dutch Photojournalistic Group The Dutch Photojournalistic Group is publishing a new book: 96 pages, 22 x 28 cm, full color, with image wrap. It is available in Dutch with photographs of 34 photographers. It costs just € 30 in the EU and € 28 in the NL, including shipping. If you are interested, please contact Armando Jongejan.

We welcome contact from all who are interested in getting more information about the Chapter and in participating in our activities.

See also pages 22 and 23.

For those members who would like to receive advice on a panel of images but cannot attend an Advisory Day, it is possible to receive online advice by uploading a panel of images to the RPS HQ in Bath. Details are available at: http://rps.org/distinctions/advice Please also see pages 12 and 13 for more information on the advisory day and study group.

We welcome contact from all who are interested in getting more information about the Chapter and in participating in our activities.

International Photobook Competition 2016

By Brian Steptoe FRPS

All members who are interested in presenting their work in the form of a photobook are invited to participate in this first Open International Photobook Competition and subsequent Exhibition.

This is a summary of the process, but for full details and an entry form, please see www.rps.org/photobook and also https://www.facebook.com/groups/ RPSPhotobooks/ Details of Event: ◊ Entries to be for self-published, book dummies, artists and handmade photobooks. ◊ Books may be produced by on-line

Photobooks at Paris Photo © Alan Borthwick

digital print services, by offset printing or any other processes. ◊ No commercial book trade publications. ◊ Only one book per entrant. The book must be the author’s own work, (however books containing found images may be used, provided their source is stated). ◊ Books must have been created between 1 January 2014 and the closing date for entries of 31 July 2016. ◊ Text in the book to be in English or having a translation into English accompanying the language used.

Awards: Winner award £1000 and RPS medal Second - RPS medal and Bob Books token value £150 Third - RPS medal and Bob Books token value £100

Selection and exhibition:

Online facilities:

The short list and winners will be chosen by selectors David Campany, Lucy Kumara Moore and Dewi Lewis.

The 2016 catalogue will be publically available online. It is hoped to also create page-turning videos of the winning, second and third photobooks in order that these can also be seen on-line. The catalogue of the pilot 2014 exhibition can be read at:

The selected photobooks will be exhibited in London between 18-23 October 2016 at the Espacio Gallery, 159 Bethnal Green Road, London E2 7DG and on 12 November 2016 at Impressions Gallery, Bradford BD1 1SD. A catalogue of the selected photobooks will be sent to all entrants.

http://issuu.com/bjsdesign/docs/ rps_photobook_exhibition_2014_catal Cost: Entry Fee £25.00, £10 for 25 years old or under entrants.

Books are returnable where return postage is supplied.

RPS Benelux Chapter Meeting held on Saturday, 17 October 2015

By Richard Sylvester LRPS

RPS Benelux Chapter Organizer The meeting on 17 October was preceded by a dinner in Clervaux on Friday evening.

On the Saturday morning, we had a guided tour of the Family of Man Exhibition in Clervaux Castle.

The meeting was called to order after lunch by the Chapter Organizer, R. Sylvester. There were 14 participants, 5

from Belgium, 2 from Luxembourg, and 7 from The Netherlands, including guests.

The meeting started with presentations by two Chapter members, Frank Geraedts and Didier Verriest, who recently obtained their ARPS Distinctions. They presented images from their work and explained the pathway leading to their distinction. This was followed by the presentation of images

by Roland Ries and Andre Meyer-Vitali who were seeking advice for putting together panels for an ARPS Distinction.

Didier Verriest with his ARPS body of work, The studio of the artist. Photo © Simon Williams.

Frank Geraedts showing his ARPS panel Time to move, time to look. Photo © Simon Williams.

RPS Benelux Chapter Web Page Tony Roe has taken on the role of webmaster for the RPS Benelux Chapter website: http://www.rps.org/regions-and-chapters/ chapters/benelux Members are encouraged to contribute to the website, especially photos for the rolling bar of images on the home page (which must be sent to the RPS HQ in Bath) and photos for member galleries which members can upload after logging in to their My RPS account and My Profile page.

The website is important for the visibility of the Chapter and for promoting its activities and newsletter. The galleries are a starting point for getting together member’s images for future events that are being planned.

RPS Benelux Chapter Newsletter Simon Williams has agreed to co-edit the Newsletter together with Armando Jongejan and will do the Newsletter layout based on a template that he is developing.

Members are encouraged to provide material for the website: photos, tutorials, information about future events and meetings, future ideas, etc. The deadline for submission of material for the next issue is 1 December.

Future Activities A Distinctions Advisory Day is scheduled to be held in Brussels on Saturday, 13 February 2016. Chapter members are encouraged to publicize this event in their area.

An RPS Benelux Chapter meeting is scheduled to be held in s’Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands, on Saturday, 16 or 23 April. The local organizer is Frank Geraedts.

Other future activities that are under discussion include a Chapter print on demand book, a Chapter photo book, a Chapter Exhibition in Bath followed by a “travelling exhibition” at different sites in the Benelux countries and photo competitions with other chapters.

In order to increase Chapter membership, we need to increase our presence at local meetings and activities within the Benelux.

The Benelux Chapter can promote the RPS through the organization of various activities in the Benelux: ◊ Exhibitions ◊ Mentoring and peer review of portfolios ◊ Visits to and holding of Chapter meetings in photo museums ◊ Liaisons with other clubs within the Benelux ◊ To attract new members, a list of the advantages and added value of becoming an RPS member will be put together.

The meeting then came to a close.

However, activities continued in the city of Luxembourg with a Saturday night dinner and Sunday morning photo walk for those members who could prolong their stay.

Thanks to Simon Hauxwell who was the local organizer. It was a very enjoyable and successful meeting and a good time was had by all.

Adding you own albums and galleries to the RPS website

By Tony Roe

Once you have got your RPS password, log onto the RPS website.

Click on the MY RPS bubble on the top right to take you to your own section within the website.

From your My RPS page, select the My Profile tab.

This is where you can update your Profile Image, Introduction and Profile privacy settings.

At the bottom of the page, the My Albums section lets you manage your albums.

Once you have selected Add an Album, provide some information for Album title and Album description and select your Album privacy. Don’t forget to include the BENELUX Chapter, so the album can appear on the chapter’s home page.

Then it’s a simple case of adding your photos from the Add Images button.

Have you tried the Back Button for focusing?

By Richard Sylvester LRPS

Back button focusing, what is that?

Cameras are usually configured so that the shutter is used to lock focus and then take your picture. Half press the shutter to focus and then when in focus, a full press takes the picture. What could be easier?

But if you are shooting an object at a fixed distance from your camera or if you have a large depth of field, do you really need to refocus each time? Is there a better way to focus?

Back button focusing was invented by Canon in 1989. It removes the task of focusing from the shutter button and of having to refocus for each shot, to using a button on the back of the camera. You can speed up by focusing once and refocusing only when necessary.

How is back button focusing done?

The AF-L or AF-ON button on the back of the camera is used to focus and the shutter button is only used for metering the exposure and taking the image.

Unfortunately, the exact procedure to set this up varies from one camera to the next, even for the same manufacturer.

For example, on the Nikon D300, you have to set custom setting A5, AF activation, to the option AF-ON only. Autofocus only works when you press the AF-ON button. The shutter release button will not autofocus, but will only be used for metering exposure and releasing the shutter. On the Nikon D600, custom setting F4, Assign AE-L/ AF-L Button, needs to be set to AF-ON so

that only the AE-L/AF-L button will initiate autofocus. In both cases the focus mode selector switch on the front of the camera is used to set the camera to the single (AFS) or continuous (AF-C) autofocus mode.

When in AF-C mode (AI Servo in Canon speak), a short press on the AF-ON button will act like the AF-S mode, a long press will track a moving object using continuous auto focus. With M/A autofocus lenses, focus can then be fine-tuned manually.

Fuji cameras have the focus mode selector switch on the front of the camera. Set this to the manual (M) focus mode. The AF-L button is used to activate autofocus. The choice between AF-S and AF-C autofocus modes is set in the Instant AF Setting in the Autofocus Setting Menu. As you are in manual focus mode, the focus can still be adjusted manually.

Back button focusing takes time and practice to get used to, but it can turn you into a better photographer once you understand it.

Further information about back button focusing and its advantages can be found at: http://digital-photography-school.com/backbutton-focus-what-is-it-and-why-shouldyou-try-it/ http://digital-photography-school.com/ back-button-focus/ http://digital-photography-school.com/ advanced-tips-for-tack-sharp-images/ http://www.photoventure.com/2014/01/30/ back-button-focusing-the-professionalmethod-for-getting-sharp-images/ Try it, you might like it!

Fuji mode selector switch Nikon D300 AF-L and AF0ON buttons

Exhibitions

FOAM

There are a number of upcoming exhibitions that you might be interested in: Catherine Minala Catherine Minala is holding an exhibition of her work “Brussel My Belle”, which is featured in her book “Kiss & Brol”, at the Gallery of the Alliance Française de Bruxelles-Europe, Avenue des Arts 46, 1000 Brussels, from 7 December to 26 February.

The opening hours are from 8h30 – 18h30 on Monday to Thursday and from 8h30 – 12h30 on Fridays.

Foto Fair 2016 The FotoFair is a photography and media exhibition for enthusiasts – professional and amateur alike. The event is mainly educational, so visitors are ensured that they gain inspiration and ideas.

Besides demonstrations on photography, visitors can also attend many conferences workshops and masterclasses available from well known photographers and photographic ambassadors along with members of the RPS Benelux Chapter.

The latest equipment will also be on show with event offers.

The show is 28 and 29 May, you can find more information here: http://fotofair.nl/ The address is: Beekse Bergen 1, 5081 NJ Hilvarenbeek.

We have the possibility of promoting the RPS at a stand during this event. Janet Haines will provide publicity material for the RPS, however we need several Dutch speaking volunteers to man the stand. Are there any volunteers? If you can help for this, then please contact Janet Haines to let her know your availability during this event. janet.haines@btopenworld.com.

Francesca Woodman - On being an angel The Foam Museum in Amsterdam is showing a retrospective exhibition featuring the works from this exceptional American photographer.

The most significant subject in her work was herself. She used photography as a personal expression, and so she makes herself the only subject of her work. Her photographs were shown in a number of major international exhibitions and they have inspired artists worldwide.

The exhibition runs from 18 December until 9 March 2016. http://www.foam.org/museum/programme/ francesca-woodman Farming Folk The foto museum in Den Haag is showing an exhibition of agricultural life in Dutch photography since 1885.

Timeless images, captured in the past by photographers like Adriaan Boer, Henri Berssenbrugge and Ed van der Elsken, and today by Bert Teunissen, Dirk Kome, Hans van der Meer, and others. In this exhibition, 250 images created by more than seventy different photographers provide a visual account of the period that evokes many different themes: the development of a national cultural identity, the reshaping of the landscape, and changes in agricultural work.

The exhibition runs from now until 13 March 2016. http://www.fotomuseumdenhaag.nl/en/ exhibitions/farming-folk

Antwerpen FotoMuseum celebrates 50 years

2015. Three new exhibitions opened at that moment, and a new collection book was presented to the public.

By Eddie Maes LRPS

A major exhibition, that will remain on show for a year, presents a selection of material from the museum’s own collection that includes historical and contemporary photographs, and also a collection of cameras that span the complete history of photography.

The FotoMuseum Antwerpen opened in 1965, following initiatives originated by employees of the Gevaert (later AgfaGevaert) photographic company in Antwerp.

It is now time to celebrate half a century of FotoMuseum at its present location, which has been considerably extended and modernized about ten years ago.

The exhibition is enhanced by an interesting array of printed materials from the museum’s library collections: books, photographic magazines, but also small items like the ones illustrated.

The celebrations started with a three day opening weekend on 20-22 november

An array of items from the museum’s collection Photography, Inc At the same time, a new book presenting a selection of the FotoMuseum’s collection is published.

“Photography, Inc” gives an overview of 175 years of photographic history, including much of the material included in the exhibition.

Together with “Het archief van de verbeelding” (2002) and “The Eye of the Photographer” (2012) the book gives an impressive look into the richness of the FotoMuseum’s collection.

An orriginal printed flyer advertising a photographer using the Daguereotype process

Exhibition dedicated to August Sander Another important exhibition (second floor) is dedicated to August Sander (DE, 1876-1964).

Over three hundred original prints form “a kaleidoscopic retrospective of different themes spanning five decades: cityscapes of Cologne before and after World War II, German landscapes, botanical studies, commissioned work for the industrial sector and much more”.

Some included works have never before been exhibited, many are made available by Die Photographische Sammlung/SK Stiftung Kultur, Köln, that is acting as co-curator of the exhibition.

Jan Hoek - Shooting stars The FotoMuseum always includes an exhibition of a young or lesser known photographer.

Jan Hoek (NL, 1984) shows portraits of people, some in precarious situations (refugees, homeless) that he tries to photograph as they would wish to appear.

© Die Photographische Sammlung/ SK Stiftung Kultur – August Sander Archiv, Cologne; SABAM, Bruxelles, 2015

This approach not only shows deep respect for the subject, but also questions the continuously challenged concept of the photographic truth.

Open from “Photography Inc.” from 21.11.2015 till 09.10.2016.

“August Sander” and “Jan Hoek” from 23.11.2015 till 14.02.2016.

Info: http://www.fotomuseum.be/en/ exhibitions.html

©Jan Hoek, New Ways Of Photographing The New Masai - 1st choice of Secri, 2014, courtesy Galerie Ron Mandos

The road to a distinction RPS Benelux Advisory Day

Chapter

Distinctions

Richard Sylvester LRPS

The BENELUX Chapter of the Royal Photographic Society will be holding an RPS Distinctions Advisory Day (DAD) in Brussels on Saturday, 13 February 2016, from 12:00 PM to approximately 5:00 PM in the library of Le Cercle des Voyageurs, Lievevrouwbroersstraat/Rue des Grands Carmes 18, 1000 Brussels: http://www.lecercledesvoyageurs.com/ RPS Distinctions are recognised as measures of achievement throughout the world. When you work towards a Distinction, you will improve your photographic skills and also know that once you have been successful, the quality of your work will be recognised worldwide.

Although this is an RPS event, non-members are welcome to participate in the DAD at the same rates as full RPS members. Please note that for those non-RPS members wishing to submit a panel for advice, the number of panels that can be accepted from them is limited and depends on the number of panels submitted by RPS members who have priority.

For those who come to seek guidance on

a distinction panel for the Licentiateship (10 images), Associateship (15 images) or Fellowship (20 images), please bring printed images and a proposed hanging plan as you would like them to be submitted.

Observers are also welcome. Seeing a wide variety of sets of images and hearing the comments, analysis and discussion is an interesting and stimulating experience.

Practical information and guidelines on RPS Distinctions can be found at www.rps. org/distinctions For more information concerning the Royal Photographic Society and the BENELUX Chapter, visit the RPS web sites at www.rps.org www.rps.org/regions-and-chapters/ chapters/benelux RPS membership is open to anyone interested in photography, be they amateur or professional, artist or scientist, young or old. If you are interested in participating in the Distinctions Advisory Day, please contact Richard Sylvester for further details.

Please note that the deadline for registration is Friday, 22 January.

Distinctions advisory day, Š RPS HQ

Netherlands RPS Study Group We have now been meeting for a few months and it is wonderful to see how everyones work has come on in leaps and bounds. Most have gone from a haphazard pile of little prints, to LRPS or ARPS panels that are coming together really well.

The aim is for each group member to get his or her work in a suitable order for the Chapter Advisory day meeting in Brussels on February 13th. They may not consider themselves ready to go forward to Assessment by then, but by taking advantage of Roy Robertson Hon. FRPS and Armando Jongejan’s FRPS knowledge and guidance they will be in a far strong position to work towards their given goals.

Once we have a good balance of images, whether at L or A standard the really hard work sets in where we have to be ultra critical of quality. Each image needs to be inspected for any minor point that can be improved, whether that means a little cloning, better processing, cropping and in some cases reshooting, it is imperative to reach the highest possible standard if they are to succeed. Then printing is the final challenge. That too needs to be 100%

Study group in session © RPS HQ

accurate; no banding, no blocked blacks or burnt highlights. A perfectly good panel of work can fail from poor processing/ printing.

We meet once a month in Den Haag – the next two dates are January 11th and February 1st. It is open to everyone and you would be welcome to join us. Do not think you have missed out by not coming along from the beginning as it is a flexible arrangement where you can work at your own speed and you can jump in any time.

If you want to know more about gaining your prestigious Society Distinction, but perhaps do not live close enough to Den Haag to join us, then do come along to the Brussels meeting if only to view what others have done and what is said about the panels. It is a learning opportunity and perhaps it may inspire you to have a go yourself.

For more information contact Janet Haines

janet.haines@me.com

The road to my Associate distinction

By Frank Gereadts ARPS

In October 2013 I attended a week long workshop on landscape photography in the Lake District where I learned about the RPS before which I had not heard of.

I was in a group of ten people, in which one or two held an Associate level distinction.

I really appreciated their landscape photos and in my opinion they had achieved something.

After I got home I took the time to look at the RPS website to find out about the membership and distinctions.

I decided to become a member and find out more about the distincion levels.

LRPS or ARPS After becomming a member I researched the distinctions.

I thought and still think that a distinction helps ones photography to go forward.

Creating one good image is fairly easy, 10 or 15 that come together in one panel is something else.

Since I need to set goals for myself I decided to go for an Associate level panel straight away.

Subject I thought about what the subject of my panel should be.

Landscape would have been an obvious choice, but like I wrote before, I needed a challenge.

During the first quarter of 2014 I had many ideas.

On these ideas I based my set of rules. One doesn’t need a set of rules but I found out that it helped me to focus on the subject and not constantly change my mind every week.

In short it came down to: 1. Intentional camera movement (ICM) 2. Architecture/modern buildings 3. Squares, this is not often seen in panels

4. All movement made in camera, to show a creative element.

5. Stay close to home since I have very little time available during a single shoot 6. Have fun 7. As much post production as needed.

Let me explain the last two.

Having fun is important to me. Life is tough enough and I knew there would be setbacks on the way to the distinction.

As long as I could have fun, I knew photography would be fun and in the end I would be successful.

When it comes to post production, people and photographers in general can act or react funny ways. YES, I do a lot of work in post production.

I shoot in RAW and make sure that I ‘fill the hisogram’, i.e. expose to the right.

In general this means that the camera is used to collect as much data as possible and post production is almost mandatory.

To technical? Ok, maybe if interest is there I can write an article on that matter.

But back to post production, the technology is there and it doesn’t mean that I jerk all sliders Lightroom has available.

I still want to achieve a natural look and I like structure in my photos.

Learning the technique Back to creating the panel. ICM was something I had to learn. This was a real challenge. It took quite a while to master the technique. I tried different lenses (including different focal lengths, different shutterspeeds, different movement (in speed and directions).

I soon found out that no two photos were the same, even when I tried. I also found out that it didn’t matter how light conditions were.

Some photo’s in the panel were made in a hail storm, others in bright sunlight.

After a while I found out which technique produced certain results and worked on from there.

Statement of intent Fairly early on I found that I was not sticking to my own rules and was unable to explain to other people what I was doing and what my intention was.

I started writing the statement of intent in an early stage in the process.

In a period of about a week I set down behind my laptop a few times and the statement was finalized in very little time.

During the process of creating the images this helped me to focus on the subject.

Time to move – time to look The Paleiskwartier (Palace Quarter) is a new development in the city of ‘s-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands.

Many people work, study and live there every day. I’m proud to be one of them.

Architects have drawn straight lines, builders constructed the modern buildings.

They will stand through time.

But do we ever take the time to really look around us?

statement of intent came to life and I was able to go on a shoot for half an hour and come home with two or three photos that made the panel.

Once the panel was completed I showed it to other people and asked for feedback.

I also made it the background on my laptop.

I was living the panel every day. I made several changes, about eight versions of the panel were made.

Advice In the summer of 2014 I had no idea of the quality of my panel Others liked individual pictures but had no clue about what a panel should be.

I contacted the RPS and sent a digital version of the panel I had in mind. The feedback gave me confidence.

The feedback also contained some directions. I needed to do some rework, I replaced two photos.

I also requested input on the category I should enter in.

We are busy people, this prevents us from seeing things, or even take time to take a quick look.

The Visual Art category had been recently split in two new categories, one of them was called Pictorial. This was going to be my category.

My intent is to slow time down and speed up the steel and concrete. This challenges one to really take a look and see things that one normally cannot see.

I also sent the printed images to Richard and Steve for the assessment day in Brussels in early 2015. Unfortunately I could not attend.

All images were produced in camera.

The feedback was more than I hoped for: ‘change nothing’. Which I did.

Bringing it all together In the first few months I was very sure that I made photos that would fit the panel.

Well, not one of those images made the final panel. The reason why? They are pretty good photos by themselves but do not fit the panel.

Creating a panel is in the details. I looked for patterns, even lighting, structures.

You can look at photos on a screen for dozens of times. There comes I time when you need to print.

And place them on the table or floor and start putting the panel together.

After about five or six photos my rules and

Panel One - rejected I secured my spot on an assessment day in June 2015. A few days later I received the result.

The panel had failed on three images, numbered 8, 9 and 10. 8 Was to concrete, had not enough movement and 9 and 10

were two abstract.

To be honest, I completely agreed with the feedback. I had to make new images.

Panel 1 The panel that failed on photo 8, 9 and 10. It is clear that it comes down to details.

Panel Two - Success

‘ok’ on my panel.

A few weeks later I went out and shot about 80 images in 20 minutes.

I’m very happy that I was rewarded with a Distinction. RPS head quarters asked me if they could use my panel as an example for an ARPS Distinction, so it will be featured on the website very soon.

I picked three of them, put them in the new panel and asked for advice again.

After this I sent the new panel for a socalled referral. And during the weekend we held in Luxemburg last October I received the

Panel 2 The panel that led to the Distinction.

Next Challenge My next challenge? Besides creating better landscape photos and running workshops, I really like to achieve a Fellowship Distinction.

This will be a tough one. At the moment I have no idea of the subject, ‘set of rules’ I will set myself, but it has to be a challenge.

And fun!

The Calumet C (CC-400) view camera.

By Eddie Maes LRPS

It was by accident back in 1970 that I started collecting historical and classic cameras.

Since then it has been an ongoing passion. I find that the useability of an ancient camera, however elaborate or crafty it may be, is certainly one of the most rewarding aspects of collecting.

I bought this Calumet C back in 1975 from a trustworthy secondhand shop. It was in full working order and came complete with a 135mm Wollensack Raptar lens and Rapax shutter, which is a moderate wide-angle for the 4x5” format. It came also with just some double-sided sheet film holders. In the following weeks these two photographs were taken.

The camera instantly attracted my attention in the shop, because I recognized it as the camera used for illustrations in Ansel Adams’s 1970 course book “Camera and Lens”. Fig1.

It came with a huge carrying case, needed to accomodate the 50 cm long monorail base (16” bellows), providing ample additional space for sheet film holders, light meter, focusing magnifier, and whatever other desirable accessories, or spare lenses I needed. Fig 2

The Calumet Company The Calumet C was produced by the Chicago based Calumet company, that had been producing photographic accessories. The design is very similar to the older Kodak Master View, which Kodak produced from the mid-forties until 1956. After Kodak abandoned large-format, the rights to the design were released to the Calumet company. A 4x5” as well as a 8x10” model were produced, under the Calumet name, from 1960 untill approximately 1970 in both grey and black finishes.

The workings of the camera There is nothing exceptional about such a monorail view camera. It consists of two separate solid body parts, united by a bellows and moves on a rigid monorail.

In most of these cameras one of the body halves or sometimes both, allows for a number of adjustments such as tilting and rotating the lens holder and allowing movement of the ground glass frame. Very often the front part can also be raised or lowered relative to the optical axis of the camera, and also sometimes left or right shift. These movements allow for a number of image adjustments to serve as perspective control and differential focus allowing close or distant focusing of the image. The use of these features requires understanding, and most of all - patience. But the possible visual results that cannot be obtained by rigid body cameras. The design of the Calumet C also adds a number of additional elements to these common features.

One important feature that distinguishes it from many older view camera constructions, and I suppose it is one of the reasons why Adams selected it for the illustrations in his textbook is that the construction of the front and back is such that the horizontal and vertical axes of rotation of these parts pass through the optical axis of the camera, or to put it otherwise through the center of the lensboard and of the negative (fig. 3).

Another rather exceptional feature of the camera is the freely rotating ground glass and film holder (fig. 4). In many view cameras the back can simply be unmounted and reattached after a quarter turn, making possible landscape and portrait orientations of the negative. The back of the Calumet C however can be freely rotated over any angle, to put the ground glass and film in any orientation. Only the common 4x5” Polaroid film holder, due to it’s bulky roller mechanism, could not be used freely in all orientations of the back.

The camera front can be raised 3”, dropped 1”, making possible perspective correction, which may then require tilting of the lensboard, depending on the covering circle of the taking lens (fig. 5).

Horizontal shift of the lens is possible by sideways movement of front, back or both body parts; an even more important shift is achieved by additionally rotating the front and back elements in the same direction, and realligning the monorail (fig. 6). The original bellows is designed wide enough, and has enough flexibility, to easily allow for any of these movements.

Besides the larger 8x10” model, two more variants of the Calumet C were produced.

One had an even longer monorail and 22” bellows, allowing the use of long focus lenses (I have used the common model with a TeleXenar 360mm/f:5.5 lens without problems).

Another was a more compact model with a shorter monorail, aimed at wide angle work.

To allow for extensive image correction by shift and tilt, the bellows of this model is wider and built for increased flexibility.

The author at work with the Calumet C in december 1975, when the two photographs at the beginning of this article were taken. The equipment performed absolutely reliably under these wintery outdoor conditions. (photograph: Nava Mozes, Yashica LM44)

The photograph below was taken during a large format workshop in the summer of 1995. Extensive adjustments of the front and back were made to obtain the desired geometry in the image. The presence of a grid of guidelines on the ground glass is definitely helpfull in achieving the final result.

The photograph of the altarpiece in Vreden (Nordrhein-Westfalen, D.) is one of a large series taken for a doctoral research project in art history (Dr. Ria De Boodt, 2002).

One of the purposes of the research was comparing precise form factors of altarpieces from the Antwerpen school, produced between 1520 and 1550.

The photograph required the geometrically correct, and perspective-free redition of these altarpieces in the churches or musea where they were located. We travelled to a number of locations in Belgium, but also to northern Germany, the French Jura area and also the UK in Norfolk, with this Calumet C camera and the necessary lighting equipment, in order to obtain such reproduction that would not have been possible other than with a view camera.

The photo book “Photography of the national photojournalism group”

by Armando Jongejan FRPS

In our first eNewsletter, Janet Haines ARPS and myself Armando Jongejan FRPS wrote about ‘Involvement and ideas?’ The suggestion was that we create and publish our own “RPS BeNeLux photo book” at the end of 2016. To give you an impression of how to realize a photo book in a short time span of three months, Armando has written an article about a book by the Dutch national photo journalistic group. At the end of the article you will find a few pages of design and the layout of the book.

If someone thinks, ”this inspires me to create our book” for 2016 - 2017, let us know.

From idea to realisation this photo book was published within three months! The speed with which it was made says something about the subject we were working on. Journalistic-, street- and documentary photography must often be realised in a short period of time.

Speed of work is one aspect, the other is quality - it must be high! We worked with a keen eye observing and recording the world around us, sometimes actual news and other times daily life. This alternation and worldview is what the members of the photojournalism group drive to record and connect too.

The photojournalism group of the Dutch Fotobond was founded on November 4th 1995. Coordinator Jan Hendrik van der Veen spoke about this during our meeting on 26th September 2015. That was when the idea was suggested to organize “something” for this anniversary. In spring we already had a beautiful exhibition at the Photo Festival Naarden - Off Festival in the Netherlands. Then what? A photo book? There was agreement. Chris Bakker and myself took the lead to see to what extent this idea was realistic.

The advantage of the journalism group is that there are 34 members with different backgrounds, knowledge and experience.

Several photographers have published books, they know how a book should be designed, that subsidy must be arranged, having networks, and performing well in the Dutch language and editing. If you bring these people together and put their experiences together you are able to do a lot of work.

An application for subsidy was written by myself and within four days we had our first commitment. A draft design was made to fit supplied photographs and accompanying texts from the members.

“Writing” photographers were invited to write an introduction or essay.

Peter van Tuijl is a founding member of photojournalism group and has designed a number of books, so we asked him to design ours. Peter was immediately enthusiastic

and prepared to obtain estimate from a publisher. We knew then that the book was a realistic idea. The offer turned out even better than expected.

Tom Meerman-Triton is well known. As well as being the coordinator of the Amsterdam branch of the University of Applied Photography, he is also a gifted photographer.

The step from studio photographer, where he could do everything himself, to a street photographer took a number of years. Read his introduction and you will understand the steps needed to make a series about his fellow citizens, The Culemborgers.

Paul Levitton was involved in the creation of the photojournalism group. An English photographer, he has lived in Amsterdam since 1980 and was involved in the first balloting of the photojournalism group in 1995.

Paul writes on his website “Taking pictures is my passion”. If you look at his pictures, you understand what he means. We are pleased that Paul wrote the essay fit in our book after 20 years. Adrenaline is his best friend and is his driving force. It helps him to perform at the decisive moment. In his essay he writes that after he takes his photo he is “knocked out.” That says something about his drive and passion to come home with a good result. We recognise this feeling as a photographer. It matters. His photographs and essay say it does!

Ahmet Polat - “Motivated to Capture the unexpected” is his motto on his website. His street and journalistic photography illustrates this quote well. Ahmet has written a very good essay for us about his responsibility as “Photographer of the Fatherland”. He writes about the ‘selfies’ of celebrities and the sharing of photos on the internet. He writes, “What makes the difference?” He argues that carefully created pictorial essays or real journalistic work matters. “Right now, in a time where everything is consumed volatile, we need more people to take time and attention. In a picture the story matters.”

His story, his essay in our book matters!

The many photos of the members of the photojournalism group, together with the texts and photos of Tom, Paul

and Ahmet make our book a beautiful document.

We did it by the efforts of many. Particularly

by Chris Bakker, Jan Hendrik van der Veen and Peter van Tuijl. For me it was a nice period to realise a tangible result with them: the photobook “Photography of the national photojournalism group”.

The photo book was published on 20th December 2015 and it is a book to have and cherish!

Note: Armando’s photographs in this book were taken in Dunkirk in July 2014.

Lastword

By Simon Williams

In 2014 my partner and I traveled to Scotland to get married. The place we joined together was Pebbles in the Lowlands. The weather was very mixed as you would expect in Scotland but it did give me the

opportunity to take some very memorable images. We then went onwards to the Lake District where the landscape afforded more opportunities.

Here are some of the images from that fantastic holiday from the summer of 2014.

The bridge Pebbles. © Simon Williams

Pebbles town. Photo © Simon Williams

The woods, Pebbles. © Simon Williams

Sunset landscape. © Simon Williams

Buttermere, Lake Discrict. © Simon Williams Would you like to see your contribution in Include the reason why you made the Lastword in our next BeNeLux Journal? photo(s) and why you are satisfied with the Sent your contribution to: results. armandojongejan@hotmail.com.