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The Journal of The Royal Photographic Society
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November / December 2023 Vol 163 / No 6 rps.org
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LORNA SIMPSON HonFRPS
The Journal of The Royal Photographic Society November / December 2023 Vol 163 / No 6 rps.org
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The RPS Awards 2023
Lorna Simpson, Levon Biss, Siân Davey, Ralph Gibson and more
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Opening shot KEEP IN TOUCH WITH THE RPS
Contact the editor with your views rpsjournal@thinkpublishing.co.uk
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RPS HONOURS WORK THAT TAKES YOU TO THE MOON AND BACK
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A series of historic Apollo space travel images obscured by the shadow of time and now illuminated by technology. The portrait of a diverse neighbourhood united by a garden strewn with wildflowers. And a multimedia journey sparked by piles of old issues of Ebony and Jet rediscovered during lockdown. These are just three of the stories you can discover in this special edition celebrating the RPS Awards 2023. Science has been at the heart of the Society since it was founded in 1853. Its mission to ‘promote the art and science of photography’ has been underpinned more recently by its pledge to make ‘photography for everyone’. The work of Andy Saunders, recipient of the RPS Award for Imaging Science, unites both those aims. During an intense three years of work in his Cheshire office, Saunders digitally restored archive images of Apollo missions, offering an exciting new perspective by using a process called ‘stacking’. He explains, “I wanted to see Neil Armstrong on the Moon, but we’ve not been able to because he was often holding the camera.” His quest to find that elusive image was successful. “I was blown away by what I was looking at. I was editing it in the office at two in the morning like an archaeologist brushing the dust off some long-forgotten artefact.” That image became the catalyst for a wider project and the book Apollo Remastered. Alongside Saunders’ work sits the images of Siân Davey and Lorna Simpson, each awarded an Honorary Fellowship for a powerful body of work. Both created their most recent projects during the darkest days of the pandemic. UK-based Davey, whose work explores themes of community and belonging, photographed The Garden after she and her son began clearing their back yard. Renowned US artist Simpson similarly found light and creativity in the airlessness of lockdown, using her grandmother’s vintage magazines to inspire mixed media pieces. I hope you enjoy discovering their work, alongside that of RPS members honoured for their commitment to the Society including Paul Mitchell FRPS, Vanessa Slawson FRPS, Dr Rolf Kraehenbuehl ARPS and Chris Renk.
KATHLEEN MORGAN Editor ‘Apollo 9, 6 March 1969’ by NASA/JSC/ASU/Andy Saunders
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Contents Features
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Ralph Gibson HonFRPS makes form, contrast, texture and light his points of departure from the norms of creative photography. Here the legendary American image-maker talks us through his best shots.
In the work of Laura El-Tantawy HonFRPS, global conflict and suffering become blurred up with the personal and subjective. The result is a practice that always places emotion at the heart of things.
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HONORARY FELLOWSHIP
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In a fusion of art and science, Levon Biss uses macro photography to burrow down into collections of bird eggs, pollen, butterfly pupae ... and mobile phones.
Siân Davey HonFRPS has created an Edenic home space where her subjects can explore nature and themselves. It’s part of a fascinating photographic journey meditating on the therapeutic value of art.
AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN THE ART OF PHOTOGRAPHY
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HONORARY FELLOWSHIP
LEVON BISS; RALPH GIBSON HonFRPS; SIÂN DAVEY HonFRPS; LAURA EL-TANTAWY HonFRPS
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AWARD FOR ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY
Yan Wang Preston moves between photography, land art and performance art to explore “the intersection between our perceptions of the environment and our perception of identity”.
Cover story LORNA SIMPSON HonFRPS
The awardwinning American photographer and multimedia artist gets playful and painterly with portraits taken from old magazines
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AWARD FOR SCIENTIFIC IMAGING
Andy Saunders has taken a giant leap in the world of scientific imaging with his stunning restoration efforts on the photographs taken during the Apollo missions to the Moon and outer space. NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2023
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Staff list, 1 VERSION REPRO OP
THE ROYAL PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY RPS House, 337 Paintworks, Arnos Vale, Bristol BS4 3AR, UK rps.org frontofhouse@rps.org +44 (0)117 316 4450 Incorporated by Royal Charter
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Patron HRH The Princess of Wales
Group Editor Kathleen Morgan rpsjournal@thinkpublishing.co.uk 0141 375 0509
President and Chair of Trustees Simon Hill HonFRPS
Contributing Editor Rachel Segal Hamilton
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Deputy Chair Mathew Lodge LRPS
Art Director John Pender
Honorary Treasurer Charlotte Fraiberg
Managing Editor Andrew Littlefield
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Trustees Gavin Bowyer ARPS, Sebah Chaudhry, Sophie Collins LRPS, Andy Golding ASICI FRPS, Mervyn Mitchell ARPS, Dr Peter Walmsley LRPS
Deputy Editor Ciaran Sneddon Advertising Sales Jamie Dawson jamie.dawson@thinkpublishing.co.uk 0203 771 7201
Chief Executive Officer Dan Jones
Client Engagement Director Rachel Walder
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Directors Finance and HR: Nikki McCoy Marketing and Membership: Lucinda Stewart Programmes: Dr Michael Pritchard FRPS
Circulation 10,082 (Jan-Dec 2022) ABC ISSN: 1468-8670
The Journal of The Royal Photographic Society November / December 2023 Vol 163 / No 6 Published on behalf of The Royal Photographic Society by Think, 20 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JW thinkpublishing.co.uk
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© 2023 The Royal Photographic Society. All rights reserved. The ‘RPS’ logo is a registered and protected trademark. Every reasonable endeavour has been made to find and contact the copyright owners of the works included in this publication. However, if you believe a copyright work has been included without your permission, please contact the publisher. Views of contributors and advertisers do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Royal Photographic Society or those of the publisher. All material correct at time of going to press.
CONTRIBUTORS Teddy Jamieson (page 594) An award-winning features writer, Jamieson was born in Germany, raised in Northern Ireland and lives in Scotland. He is the author of Whose Side Are You On?
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Gemma Padley (page 606) A journalist and author of photography books, Padley has written for the British Journal of Photography, Foam, the Telegraph, Time LightBox, the BBC and others.
Graeme Green (page 624) A photographer and journalist for media outlets including the BBC, the Guardian and the Sunday Times, Green is also founder of conservation initiative the New Big 5 project.
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House ad - The Photography Show, 1
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16-19 March 2024 Birmingham
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Tickets on sale now!
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• 250+ exhibiting brands • 300 live talks & demos • Endless inspiration
Bring on 2024!
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The destination for anyone passionate about photography, video or content creation. Free entry for professional photographers* Visit photographyshow.com and apply now! *Professional photographers, videographers and image-making industry representatives can apply for FREE entry to the show. All applications must be made before midnight on 15th March 2024 and will be verified against specific criteria.
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LENNART VERHEUVEL / WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR
BY LENNART VERHEUVEL
It shows the final throes of a beached orca, the serenity of the landscape contrasting sharply with this beautiful mammal’s sad, failing struggle to survive. Lennart Verheuvel’s haunting image has won the category Oceans: The Bigger Picture in Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2023. It was taken at Cadzand-Bad, Zeeland, in the photographer’s homeland of the Netherlands. The orca, which had initially been rescued but became stranded again soon after, was later discovered to have been severely malnourished and ill. Orcas are vulnerable to the effects of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which were banned across much of the globe more than 30 years ago. The chemicals can persist for many years in marine food webs, weakening immune systems and reducing breeding success in whales, porpoises and dolphins. Verheuvel’s image will be exhibited alongside other winning entries from the competition at the Natural History Museum, London. Dr Doug Gurr, director of the Natural History Museum, said, “Whilst inspiring absolute awe and wonder, this year’s winning images present compelling evidence of our impact on nature – both positive and negative. Global promises must shift to action to turn the tide on nature’s decline.” Wildlife Photographer of the Year is at the Natural History Museum, London, 13 October 2023 to 30 June 2024. nhm.ac.uk
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In focus NEWS, VIEWS AND EXHIBITIONS
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TOM HICKS HIGHLIGHTS THE BLACK COUNTRY
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ART WOLFE HonFRPS IS WILD ABOUT WILDLIFE
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MAX HOUGHTON IS INSPIRED BY THE NEXT GENERATION
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‘Fallen’ by Nick Holt
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THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED
A quartet of 2023 RPS Bursary recipients illuminates fresh stories of a pioneer photographer, a flower-picking community under threat and an LGBT+ helpline 568
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This year’s four recipients of RPS Bursaries take us from the beginnings of photography to the low carbon future promised by a ‘Great Green Wall’ under construction in the Sahara. At first glance the work of Caroline Douglas, Sean McKenzie, Ana Caroline de Lima and Nick Holt couldn’t be more different. Yet, each photographer covers unfamiliar stories, bringing overlooked narratives to light. RPS/MPB Postgraduate Bursary recipient Caroline Douglas will set out to honour scientist Mary Somerville as a pioneer of the anthotype. “Back in 2019, while reading a text on women in early British and Irish astronomy, I first encountered references to her experimental work in protophotography,” says Douglas, who has unearthed test strips – physical photographic colour strips – in Somerville’s notebook. “Since then, I’ve been tracing her role in early photography, which has come to be more significant than I could ever have imagined.” MPB have also awarded a second Postgraduate Bursary this year, to artist Sean McKenzie. For his series on the history of Switchboard, the LGBT+ helpline, he will create lifesize sets, reimagining scenes inspired by real logbook records from 1974 to 2004. “Growing up in a regional town in Australia, at a time just before the internet really took hold, I was isolated,”
‘The quinoa farmer – Peru, 2017’ by Ana Caroline de Lima
“I hope to highlight the worlds of those who relied on Switchboard as a source of support”
‘Vanity’ by Sean McKenzie
says McKenzie. “I hope to highlight the worlds of those who relied on Switchboard as a source of support. People who are constantly navigating different states of legality, social acceptance and discrimination, but also love, kinship and belonging.” It’s second time lucky for Ana Caroline de Lima, who first applied for the Joan Wakelin Bursary in 2017. Her project for the 2023 bursary, run in partnership with the Guardian, focuses on traditional flower pickers in Minas Gerais whose ancestors were enslaved Africans, indigenous people and Portuguese settlers. In 2020 the UN Food and Agriculture Organization recognised their livelihood as a World Agricultural Heritage. NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2023
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THE TISH MURTHA STORY
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A documentary about photographer Tish Murtha, who chronicled working class life in Thatcher’s Britain, arrives in UK cinemas on 17 November. tishmurtha.co.uk/tish.html GAURI GILL WINS PRIX PICTET
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Indian photographer Gauri Gill has won this year’s Prix Pictet, on the theme of ‘human’, for her ongoing series Notes from the Desert. prix.pictet.com A NOBEL RPS CONNECTION
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Congratulations to Ferenc Krausz on receiving the 2023 Nobel Prize for Physics for his work on attosecond physics. Krausz, the director of the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics, was awarded the RPS Progress Medal in 2006.
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TAYLOR WESSING SHORTLIST
‘Hands and instruments of early photography’ by Caroline Douglas
“The communities live under permanent pressure from activities seen as ‘economic progress’ for the region such as eucalyptus plantations, which dry up the groundwater, reducing biodiversity,” says de Lima. “Their lifestyle deserves recognition, and is an example of resistance and living in harmony with nature.” Nick Holt’s work for the TPA/RPS Environmental Bursary, meanwhile, will report on a landmark effort to stop desertification in the Sahara by planting a 10-mile-wide, 4,350-mile-long forest using indigenous techniques. After visiting the region several times since 570
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2020 on work and personal trips, he says, “I became fascinated by the ancient rock art of the Sahara – depicting cows, giraffes and elephants – from a time when the Sahara Desert was a green savannah supporting human, animal and plant life. When I got home I started to research desertification and the idea for a larger project began to take shape.” The work of all four recipients will be featured in the RPS Journal next year. Look out for information on how to apply for an RPS bursary from February 2024. rps.org/bursaries
The Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize exhibition is at the National Portrait Gallery, London, 9 November to 25 February 2024. On this year’s shortlist are Serena Brown, Jake Green, Carl Francois van der Linde, Alexandre Silberman and Gilleam Trapenberg. npg.org.uk
‘Me nana fie’ by Serena Brown
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What to see
Catch a selection of the best UK exhibitions
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DAIDO MORIYAMA RETROSPECTIVE The Photographers’ Gallery, London Until 11 February
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The renowned Daido Moriyama gets his first British retrospective. The impact of the Japanese artist and street photographer on the medium over 60 years cannot be overstated. Visitors can see how his style of ‘are bure, boke’ (translation: grainy, blurry, out of focus) imagery took shape through magazines, photobooks and installation.
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‘Provoke #2, Tokyo, 1969’ by Daido Moriyama
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OUR HOME. OUR PLACE. OUR SPACE Open Eye, Liverpool Until 23 December
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MARC WILSON: A WOUNDED LANDSCAPE Impressions Gallery, Bradford Until 3 February
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Wilson’s haunting exhibition comprises portraits of Holocaust survivors, alongside stories and images of sites where Nazi atrocities occurred. The photographer travelled to 20 countries over six years to make this body of work, prompted by his own family history. The series is a powerful reminder that the legacies of genocide live on in the landscape of Europe.
A WORLD IN COMMON Tate Modern, London Until 24 January 2024
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This survey of African photography presents image-making from across the continent in all its thrilling variety, from RPS Honorary Fellow James Barnor’s upbeat postcolonial photojournalism to the stylised images of Aïda Muluneh and the bold studio portraiture of Hassan Hajjaj. In the work of these artists from different generations, past, present and future collide while new utopias take shape.
Open Eye is leading the way in Britain’s socially engaged photography movement. This exhibition brings together three collaborative projects with people in Walton (North Liverpool), Prescot (Knowsley) and Chester town centre, with participants sharing their stories.
HIROSHI SUGIMOTO: TIME MACHINE Hayward Gallery, London Until 7 January 2024
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Time and memory have been areas of interest throughout the Tokyo-born photographer’s career. In this retrospective, visitors can explore how his visually striking work has developed, informed by philosophy, mathematics and optics. His mysterious monochrome images have the power to stay with you.
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CECIL BEATON: THE ROYAL PORTRAITS (VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM) Claudia Acott Williams (Ed) Thames and Hudson (£35)
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It doesn’t quite have the air of a wedding picture. The couple sit, hands placed neatly in laps, glance fixed somewhere beyond the camera. Melancholy might be read in their expressions – her slightly furrowed brow, his wistful eyes. This is Cecil Beaton HonFRPS’s portrait of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, commissioned by Vogue, on the occasion of their marriage at the Château de Candé in June 1937. Anyone who knows 20th-century British history, or indeed has a Netflix subscription, will understand the full significance of what Beaton described as “the marriage that has involved so much”
and which none of the Duke’s family attended. The image reveals Beaton’s remarkable ability to capture complexity, to hold more than one, sometimes contradictory, element in the frame at once. Through not only the portraits but essays analysing their creation, the book gives a fascinating insight into the role of Beaton’s photography in constructing the British royal family’s image over the course of the 20th century, through both formal portraits and ‘behind the scenes’ or consciously domestic-feeling shots. Snippets from Beaton’s journal situate how his royal work shaped his career amid competition from other
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Simon Murphy Gomma Books (£39.99)
Govanhill is one of Glasgow’s most diverse areas, with residents from 52 countries. Simon Murphy won the 2022 Gomma Grant to turn this series of brooding black-and-white portraits into a publication, his debut monograph. Shot on the street, there’s a density to these pictures that captures a unique community spirit. 572
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photographers at the time. Touchpoints of historical paintings allude to the photographer’s inspirations, while other images seem boldly modern. One such image is another portrait of Wallace Simpson and Edward Duke of Windsor. Here, there is none of that earlier reticence. They sit, facing backwards, on a pair of matching chairs. This time their gaze is fixed firmly on one another, yet very much aware of the camera’s presence.
‘The Duke and Duchess of Windsor’s wedding sitting at the Château de Candé, 2 June 1937’ by Cecil Beaton HonFRPS
THE ROYAL PORTRAITS
Rachel Segal Hamilton
PATHWAYS
THE HUNTING HEART
G B Smith Glitterati Inc (£71)
Jacob and Sara Aue Sobol Dewi Lewis Publishing (£45)
An RPS member, G B Smith was born with colour blindness, and finds calm in pared back image-making. Originally from the UK but now based in the USA, Smith invites us in Pathways to focus on the textures, forms and patterns within his frames. Proceeds from the publication will go to the Breast Cancer Alliance charity.
“We are both hunting hearts in a constant search for presence” – the words of Sara and Jacob Aue Sobol. The photographers, a couple, have released this limited edition collection of 24 double-sided A6 photo cards. This collaborative work, exploring love and family life, is available in French, Danish and English editions.
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My place Tom Hicks
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Clockwise from top: ‘Pies (Tipton)’; ‘Tipton-on-Sea (Tipton)’; ‘Adult Shop (Cradley Heath)’; ‘Majestic Bingo (Cradley Heath)’ all by Tom Hicks
Exploring a post-industrial landscape bathed in colour Given its name during the 19th century thanks to the smoke from foundries and forges, the Black Country in the Midlands was among the heartlands of the industrial revolution. So it’s surprising that a book about this patch turns out to be a riot of colour. Black Country Type, by Tom Hicks, features subways, snooker halls and pie shops in a kaleidoscope of blues, reds and yellows. “This wasn’t a conscious decision,” says the artist, curator and writer based near Dudley. “The landscape is so diverse – in an afternoon you can move through city centres, industrial zones, canals, and arrive at the edge of the countryside. Large swathes of it appear neglected and derelict – abandoned really – yet among this are hi-tech companies and modern warehousing. It’s labyrinthine in nature
and this means it is constantly revealing new sights to me.” For the project, Hicks travelled the region by foot or bike. “I’m able to reach areas that are inaccessible by car,” he says. “I can change direction on a whim and move freely between buildings, cycle through alleyways or follow well-worn desire paths over waste ground.” The fellow ‘Yam Yams’ he has met have made as much of an impression on him as the buildings. “The humour can be dark and dry, but there’s also a real warmth to people,” Hicks says. “There’s a self-deprecating aspect to the region which means it has remained unshowy.” Black Country Type by Tom Hicks is published by The Modernist. blackcountrytype.com
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‘Sky drive’ by Patrick Smith, overall winner, World Sports Photography Awards 2023
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From the series Hands Master by Violeta Sofia
‘Vanilla in the kitchen’ by Ruaridh Fraser, recipient, MPB Scottish Portrait Award (Colour) 2023
Patrick Smith
Violeta Sofia
Ruaridh Fraser
Bénédicte Kurzen
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In the shot by Patrick Smith, the golfer Lee Westwood appears to be floating in the heavens. Taken at the LIV Golf Invitational in Miami in 2022, it was the overall winner in the World Sports Photography Awards 2023. patricksmithphotos.com worldsportsphotography awards.com 574
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Cameroon-born Violeta Sofia is to be awarded, along with Hanna Ali, the ‘professional’ category prize in the inaugural edition of 17:15:40 Project UK. The RPS-partnered initiative supports women, trans and non-binary people in the UK in photography and video. mpb.com/en-uk/701540 violetasofia.com
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An image of his brother’s early forays into drag has won Ruaridh Fraser first prize in the colour category of the MBP National Scottish Portrait Awards 2023. Albert Watson HonFRPS was guest selector, with David Gillanders winning the award for black and white. @ruaridhfraserphotography scottishportraitawards.com
Among three laureates selected by the 13th Carmignac Photojournalism Award, Bénédicte Kurzen has investigated the impact of electronic waste on life in Ghana. Her fellow laureates are Muntaka Chasant and Anas Aremeyaw Anas. fondationcarmignac.com/ en/photojournalism-award
PATRICK SMITH / LIV GOLF / GETTY IMAGES; BÉNÉDICTE KURZEN / FONDATION CARMIGNAC / NOOR; ROBIN MADDOCK
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FIVE HEAD TURNERS TO WATCH
Headturners, 1 ‘Ghana, Accra, Zongo Lane, spring 2023’ by Bénédicte Kurzen
‘Dandelion and pink spider’ by Peter Plottel, 1st place, Macro Art, IGPOTY Competition 17
Peter Plottel NATURE PHOTOGRAPHER
His focus-stacked image of a droplet-covered dandelion has won the International Garden Photographer of the Year Macro Art Competition. Melbourne-based Plottel, who took up photography on retiring, says the award will inspire him to continue exploring the macro world. igpoty.com NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2023
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Chobe National Park, Botswana, Africa, 2005, by Art Wolfe HonFRPS
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STRIKING SUBJECT “Quite simply, leopards are breathtakingly beautiful cats. While they are fairly habituated to the human presence in protected areas, they still can be elusive. Their spots are perfect camouflage in thickets and trees where sunlight is filtered. Resting up before a night of hunting, this leopard straddled the gnarled branch of an ancient thorn tree, completely unconcerned about our presence in a vehicle below.”
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Art Wolfe HonFRPS explains how he created an image showing the beauty and fragility of nature
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Perhaps more than any other genre, “wildlife photography is all about timing and serendipity.” So says Art Wolfe HonFRPS, whose image of an African leopard features in the book Remembering Leopards, published by the conservation collective Wildlife Photographers United. “We learn about the animal, find the best locations, head into the field when the light conditions will be at their peak,” says the American photographer. “But so often we are thwarted when the main characters decide not to show up. “This time everything came together.” Here, he explains how.
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THE RIGHT LIGHT “The bane of every photographer is bright light. I love photographing in the margins of the day when the light is soft and the colours rich. So often I have had to contend with beautiful subjects in harsh light or obscured subjects in great light. In this photograph, light, subject and habitat come together. Earlier in the day the entire composition would have been fractured by bright highlights and dark shadows, making the image confusing.”
Remembering Leopards by Wildlife Photographers United is published by Remembering Wildlife. rememberingwildlife.com artwolfe.com 576
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KIT CHOICE “This image was taken in 2005 and has held up beautifully. At that time I was using a Canon EOS 5D and the EF 70200mm f/2.8 L IS USM lens was my go-to lens. In 2023, I use a Canon EOS R5 camera and an RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM lens for wildlife photography.”
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IDEAL LOCATION “Botswana’s oldest national park, Chobe, is also its most varied. There are rivers, floodplains, woodlands, marshes and savannas, inhabited by a wide variety of wildlife. Woodlands are prime habitat for leopards as they catch their kills in trees away from lions and hyenas. The woodland environment makes this image busy, but there is so much interest here the eye continues to find areas other than the cat and the sun to focus on.”
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SENDING A MESSAGE “The Remembering Wildlife series has been remarkable in its ability to reach people. We are in danger of losing that which defines our planet’s wonderful diversity of life. It is not just preserving species, it is preserving the land they inhabit. We are a part of that diversity, and saving wild lands and wildlife is an act of saving ourselves. My goal is motivating people to care about conservation by showing them what is beautiful on the planet.”
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Images are how we understand ourselves, says Max Houghton, recipient of the RPS Award for Photography Education
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She is a curator and writer, but educating the next generation of photographers is what gives Max Houghton the biggest thrill. Course leader of MA Photojournalism and Documentary Photography at London College of Communication (LCC), she previously taught at Westminster University. Houghton is a former co-editor of Foto8 and the co-author, with Fiona Rogers, of Firecrackers: Female Photographers Now (Thames and Hudson). Here, she shares what she has learned along the way.
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Tell us about a photobook that inspires you.
The Sweet Flypaper of Life by Roy DeCarava and Langston Hughes. The images are gentle, made with love. The text is risky – Hughes takes on the narratorial voice of an older woman, Sister Mary Bradley. It pays off. It’s a tiny book so it can be read anywhere. It tells a story that was being lived but not told at the time, in pre-civil rights America. And as with W G Sebald or Theresa Hak Kyung Cha, the relationship between image and text raises questions about truth – where we seek it, where we find it.
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Which achievement makes you most proud?
For me, the Firecrackers moment was pretty special – the book Fiona Rogers invited me to co-author in 2017, in order to champion female photographers. But whenever my writing is published it 578
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From the book Anja Niemi: In Character, published by Thames and Hudson, 2019
feels like an achievement, as it does every time we exhibit the work of another brilliant cohort at LCC or, previously, at Westminster. The graduate show is such an exciting moment. So many former students are making such incredible, committed work all around the world – finding ways to be with photography as artists, educators, writers, photojournalists, picture editors. Their achievements are of course their own.
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You’ve penned essays on the work of many photographers, from Anja Niemi to Edmund Clark. Why is writing about photography important?
The photographic image is pretty much how we navigate the self and the world, so to be able to write with those
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Cover for Foam magazine ‘Talent’ issue
Cover of Firecrackers: Female Photographers Now by Fiona Rogers and Max Houghton, reissued by Thames and Hudson for 2024
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“Perhaps the writing can slow us down and help us find a way to stay with the image until it releases its power” images is a necessary task. I’ve never bought the ‘we’re drowning in images’ argument – there are a fair few words in the world and we’re still swimming – but I do think images can be consumed with exceptional speed. Perhaps the writing, or the reading of the writing, can slow us down and help us find
a way to stay with the image until it releases its power, its knowledge, its emotion.
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What do you learn from the students you teach?
Such a lot. The emotional labour of making a body of work about which a student is fully invested is a remarkable journey to witness. Students
Where will the next generation take photography?
increasingly want to teach, and many alumni are now colleagues. Their presence encourages me to keep on moving and thinking. And although many of our in-class discussions are serious, I’m reminded we need to enjoy what we do, and to make our day-to-day exchanges as joyful as possible.
To space and beyond. I hope they will use AI for more edifying purposes than deepfake. Times of the greatest change have led to some of the world’s most radical outbreaks of creativity. I’m sure people will still use photography to document injustice, to hold memories and to make pictures of the people they love.
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From the series The Garden by Siân Davey HonFRPS
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“If you’re going to do a project these days it has to have a certain amount of weight behind it”
“The thing that started the whole process for me was the absence of an image of Neil Armstrong on the moon”
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ANDY SAUNDERS
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“I had found an identity at the very lowest point of my existence”
“Perhaps I can admit at this stage that I am a feminist artist. I refused to admit that before”
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RALPH GIBSON HonFRPS
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“If there’s anything I’m not, it’s someone who takes a formula and just follows through with it”
“I was in the darkroom ... learning the technology. And I found myself fascinated by it”
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LORNA SIMPSON HonFRPS
“The vibration of nature is so much higher than that of a city” SIÂN DAVEY HonFRPS
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The 2023 Royal Photographic Society Awards
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Congratulations to this year’s recipients, listed below RPS CENTENARY MEDAL AND RPS HONORARY FELLOWSHIP
For a sustained, significant contribution to the art of photography Ralph Gibson
RPS PROGRESS MEDAL AND RPS HONORARY FELLOWSHIP
For scientific or technological advancement of photography Emeritus Professor Chris Dainty RPS EASTLAKE MEDAL AND RPS HONORARY FELLOWSHIP
For an outstanding contribution to the public appreciation, enjoyment or understanding of photography Side Gallery RPS HONORARY FELLOWSHIP
Awarded in recognition of a significant personal achievement and any of the three areas of: 582
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the art of photography and moving image; the science of photography and knowledge of photography which includes curatorship, education or publishing Lynsey Addario, Lisa Barnard, Siân Davey, Laura El-Tantawy, Noémie Goudal, Justine Kurland, Frida Orupabo, Lorna Simpson RPS AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN THE ART OF PHOTOGRAPHY
For a notable personal achievement in the art of photography Levon Biss
RPS AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN THE ART OF PHOTOGRAPHY (UNDER 35 YEARS)
For a notable personal achievement in the art of photography Marvel Harris
RPS AWARD FOR TECHNICAL CONTRIBUTION TO ART IN THE MOVING IMAGE
For sustained excellence or a notable achievement in the production and development of the moving image Hayao Miyazaki
RPS AWARD FOR CREATIVE CONTRIBUTION TO ART IN THE MOVING IMAGE
For sustained excellence or a notable achievement in visual artistry and creativity of the moving image Rhea Storr RPS AWARD FOR SCIENTIFIC IMAGING
For a body of scientific imaging which promotes public knowledge and understanding Andy Saunders
Roll call, 1 Clockwise from top left ‘Life on board Apollo 13’ by NASA/JSC/ASU/Andy Saunders Italian sailors with the Uraniam Navy Ship rescue 109 African migrants from Gambia, Mali, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Guinea and Nigeria, from a rubber boat in the sea between Italy and Libya, October 4, 2014 by Lynsey Addario HonFRPS Untitled by Chris Renk ‘Phasmid eggs’ by Levon Biss From the series The Garden by Siân Davey HonFRPS From the film Below the Deep South by Noémie Goudal HonFRPS
RPS COMBINED ROYAL COLLEGES MEDAL
For sustained excellence or a notable contribution to the advancement and/or application of medical photography or medical imaging Professor David Long, Dr Daniyal Jafree, Dr Claire Walsh RPS AWARD FOR ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY
For sustained excellence or a notable use of imaging that highlights or contributes to demonstrable improvement in public awareness of environmental issues Yan Wang Preston
RPS AWARD FOR SOCIAL IMPACT
For sustained excellence or a notable use of imaging that highlights or contributes to demonstrable improvement
in public awareness of social issues Raphaela Rosella RPS AWARD FOR PHOTOGRAPHY EDUCATION
RPS AWARD FOR PHOTOGRAPHY PUBLISHING
For outstanding achievement or sustained contribution in photographic education Max Houghton RPS AWARD FOR PHOTOGRAPHY CRITICISM OR RESEARCH
For sustained excellence or a notable achievement in the field of photography criticism or research Ariella Azoulay RPS AWARD FOR PHOTOGRAPHY CURATORSHIP
For excellence in the field of photographic curatorship Dr Niyatee Shinde
For major achievement in the field of photographic publishing in its broadest sense Elisa Medde RPS PRESIDENT’S MEDAL AND HONORARY LIFE MEMBERSHIP
For an outstanding contribution to the Society over a sustained period Paul Mitchell FRPS RPS FENTON MEDAL WITH HONORARY LIFE MEMBERSHIP
For an excellent or notable contribution to the work of the Society Dr Rolf Kraehenbuehl ARPS, Rajen Nandwana, Chris Renk, Vanessa Slawson FRPS NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2023
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‘Bird eggs’ by Levon Biss
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BEAUTY AND THE BEHOLDER
A master of macro, Levon Biss is to receive the first RPS Award for Achievement in Art Photography. He explains why he is enthralled by collections – and picks his fights in the crowded world of visual communication WORDS: CIARAN SNEDDON IMAGES: LEVON BISS
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It has been a busy year for Levon Biss. More than three million people have seen his exhibition for the American Museum of Natural History, Extinct and Endangered: Insects in Peril, since it opened in June 2022 to great acclaim. While some might be overwhelmed by such numbers, Biss is perfectly cool and collected. “You can only do your best at the time,” he says, speaking just over a year after the first visitors got a chance to see the show. “I mean, looking back now, there might be a few things I’d change. But at the end of the day, you work that project two years full time and then, with any project, there’s always limitations. You could work on the same project your whole life and you probably still wouldn’t think it’s perfect.” Extinct and Endangered, which featured in the RPS Journal last year, is formed of 40 large format prints, each an extreme macro portrait of a different imperilled species. All the specimens come from the New York museum’s own research collection. “You know, it’s a tricky thing,” says Biss. “These days, the phrase that’s used quite often is that the world is a noisy place. It’s very true – as visual communicators it’s getting
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“These days, the phrase that’s used quite often is that the world is a noisy place. It’s very true”
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‘Butterfly pupae’ by Levon Biss
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‘Mobile phones’ by Levon Biss
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“I’ve shot virtually every other genre of photography and it brings me back to macro again”
more and more difficult to have your voice heard, and so you have to pick your fights. If you’re going to do a project these days it has to have a certain amount of weight behind it. There’s no point in doing a project that takes you a couple of weeks or a month – you might as well just pick your projects and dedicate yourself to them slowly over a number of years, then the body of work will be that much stronger.” Slow and steady is certainly an apt descriptor for Biss’s body of work. Even as we discuss his current projects, there’s no set deadline nor necessarily a finish line in sight – just a suggestion of progress, exploration and discovery. “I’m still shooting extreme macro,” says Biss, explaining his recent projects. “It’s one of the things I enjoy. I moved away from it for a little bit, maybe a couple of months, but I’ve shot virtually every other genre of photography and it brings me back to macro again because the beauty of macro is that you see things for the first time, all the time.” If the format has remained the same, the subject matter certainly hasn’t. Gone are individual insects, here to stay are collector's items of all types.
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“It’s sort of about collections of collections, so to speak,” says Biss. “So you take a single subject matter, like recently, at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, I shot one species or a small section of the species of whites butterflies. You’re trying to show diversity in design and colour within a small section.” Among the collections Biss has collected so far are bird eggs, stick insect eggs, butterfly pupae, pollen and even old mobile phones. All are presented in neat layouts containing dozens, sometimes even hundreds, of individual examples. The beauty lies in the aesthetic simplicity and variety that coexist within a single, extreme macro frame. The pollen resembles gelatinous caviar or sweets that have melted ever so slightly in the heat, while the bird eggs look like the product of an AI generator asked to create as interesting a range of egg shapes, sizes and colours as possible. “With the stick insect eggs I shot about 76 species, and you bring those into a grid image that forms one image,” he says. “Instantaneously you can see the breadth of diversity of design within a single subject matter. It’s allowing you to appreciate that subject in quite a palatable way and celebrating design in nature.” Those wishing to see the full collection, though, will have to be patient. “It’s going to be quite a long project,” says Biss.
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“Instantaneously you can see the breadth of diversity of design within a single subject matter”
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‘Pollen’ by Levon Biss
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‘Whites butterflies’ by Levon Biss
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“Being able to shoot on this kind of scale magnification means I'm learning all the time”
“I imagine it will take me another four, maybe five, years to finish. But I like to have a number of different projects on the go and I’ll just keep chipping away at them. They’ll be ready whenever they’re ready. I like my personal projects because I’m not beholden to anyone and I can release them when I think they’re ready to be released.” This November, Biss is to receive the RPS Award for Achievement in the Art of Photography – a new category for 2023. Perhaps ironically, though, it’s not really art he thinks about when developing his work. “The art side of it doesn’t really come into my thought process at all,” he says. “I mean, how do you define art? I don’t know. As I look at things, I shoot things that I find stimulating and make me curious. It’s as simple as that. “I want to find out a little bit more about the world and being able to shoot on this kind of scale magnification means I’m learning all the time. I shoot images in a way that is aesthetically pleasing because I want to be able to look at an image and it be beautiful.” levonbiss.com
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‘IF MY EYES ARE OPEN I’M WORKING’ A Hollywood childhood and the work of Dorothea Lange inspired his love of pictures. Decades on, as Ralph Gibson is awarded the RPS Centenary Medal, he still has far more to create WORDS: TEDDY JAMIESON IMAGES: RALPH GIBSON HonFRPS
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Previous pages ‘Untitled’ from Light Strings, 2000 “I have done specifically erotic photographs. There is always that component there. But it’s one of the easiest things to produce when you’re photographing a nude. Getting a sexual charge is almost built in. It’s almost hard to get rid of the sexual charge when you’re photographing a nude. I’d always photographed my girlfriends and my wife, but I wanted to address the subject to see if I could transcend it formally.”
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Below ‘Untitled (Homage to Helmut)’, 2004 “I was good friends with Helmut Newton. We were close. I’m in his apartment with his widow, June, in Monte Carlo and the phone rings and it’s the New York Times saying, ‘We’re doing a new section and wondered if you would consider doing some fashion.’ I said, ‘Well, maybe I’ll do something as a homage to my friend Helmut.’ This is my friend Max Blagg, an English poet. He was wearing combat boots under the table. I like this picture a lot. Helmut would have loved it. It expressed my feeling for him, but it also shows my personal vision was not threatened any longer by shooting on assignment.”
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The problem is where to begin with Ralph Gibson. Should we start with his childhood in Hollywood, join him in the 1960s in love and debt in the Chelsea Hotel, his teenage years in the US Navy where he learned how to use a camera, or his time working with the photographer Dorothea Lange, famous for her shots of the Great Depression? Actually, no, none of that. Let’s go back to the 1980s when Gibson was in his forties and had a studio not far from where the great Hungarian-born photographer André Kertész had his. As a result, he would go and visit Kertész two or three times a week. “I went in there one time and he was photographing some little giraffes made out of blown glass,” Gibson recalls. “His wife had just died and he was shooting these little glass things and he said, ‘I see a new thing every day.’ He said, ‘A photographer must learn how to photograph everything.’ Well, when André Kertész tells you what you must do, you do it.” I’m still laughing when he picks up something off the table in front of him. “Here’s a little nail polisher,” he tells me, bringing it up to the Zoom lens. “If I perceive it clearly enough, I can make a major photograph out of that.” There’s the joy of talking to Gibson summed up in one short exchange. The moxy, the storytelling, the eye for detail and
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“The family collapsed. I was out of the house at 16 and into the United States Navy the morning I turned 17, with a shaved head”
Right ‘Homage to Morandi’, 2018 “It’s one of my favourite pictures. It gives me a great deal of satisfaction to look at it. I consider it to be very strong, very simple, but very iconographic at the same time. That particular photograph has a certain power. It has authority. It compels you to look at it. What you’re really looking at is a couple of cactuses and a pole. Why do those simple ingredients conspire to have such authority? It’s because of the transcending power of photography itself. That picture is a photograph about photography, about how photography works. There’s not a lot going on there, but it’s awful strong.”
the formal idea. All the ingredients he has brought together in his extraordinary decades-long career, one that will see him awarded the Centenary Medal and an Honorary Fellowship in this year’s RPS Awards. In conversation the 84-year-old is in some ways the opposite of his work. His images, even at their most surreal, are so crisp, so precise, so focused – technically and formally. And yet in person he is gloriously garrulous. Ask him for his backstory and you get a novel. “I was born in 1939 in Hollywood. My dad worked for Warner Bros. He shortly thereafter became assistant to Alfred Hitchcock on a bunch of films and it was a very glamorous Hollywood childhood. I was an extra in movies. I met a lot of movie stars. It was all very glitzy. In those days in the 1940s it was orthochromatic black and white film. They had catwalks around the edge of the walls and these huge arc lights blasting down just to get a decent exposure on this very slow film. So probably this contributed, tropistically, to my sense of contrast and bright light.
“Everything was glamorous and then by the time I was 14, due to the alcoholism of my parents, they divorced. The family collapsed. I was out of the house at 16 and into the United States Navy the morning I turned 17, with a shaved head. And I was like a 12-year-old kid today. I was not very sophisticated.” He’s just getting started, by the way. The navy sent him to photography school. He failed the first time. But after being made to clean the latrines for six weeks he was given another chance and sailed through the course. There’s another navy story he likes to tell that’s relevant. “I was standing watch on the ship crossing the Atlantic about three in the morning in a storm – thunder, hail, lightning, sleet. And I was just miserable. I had a chain around my waist to the rails so I wouldn’t get blown overboard. And I looked up to the sky and I shouted, ‘I’m going to be a photographer.’ “I never doubted from that instant that I had a vocation. I had found an identity at the very lowest point in my NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2023
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Right ‘MJ, Sardinia’, 1980 “I photograph my wife Mary Jane constantly. We had been in Sardinia. We’d had lunch so she wanted to take a nap on the beach and she was adjusting that hand towel from the hotel over her eye. And the minute she did that I said stop. I moved her arm a little bit so I could see the ocean. I took maybe six, seven frames. I had to burn in the shadow a little bit, but that’s pretty straight ahead. I could never previsualise a picture like that. I see what’s in front of my face.”
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Below ‘Untitled’ from The Somnambulist, 1970 ”I happened to arrive with this book [The Somnambulist], and Duane [Michals] came along with a book, Lee [Friedlander] came along with a book I helped make, and I caught a wave. The National Endowment came along giving small grants to art photographers – 2,000 bucks, 4,000 bucks. You could live for a year on 4,000 bucks in those days.”
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existence. It wasn’t a job – it was an identity. I did photography for three years, day and night. I advanced very quickly. By the time I was 20 I had 18 guys under me in the lab. “I came out just before I turned 21 in 1960 and went into art school. But I was fully formed technically. I was going to be a fashion photographer but my friend at the art school up in San Francisco said, ‘There’s a party this weekend. Come on up.’ It was a great party, I got lucky and I said, ‘I’m going to go to school here.’” He got lucky in another way too when Dorothea Lange called the art school looking for an assistant. Gibson was “miles ahead technically – only technically – of anybody else. So I got the job.” He has more to say about Lange. But hold that thought. He’s already moved on. “By 1967, I really wanted to be a photojournalist. So I went to New York and I was in Magnum at 27. But three months later I had met Robert Frank and I started working with him on his movies and I wasn’t satisfied being a photojournalist. I had worked for 10 years to be one. But it just wasn’t me. “I’m in love with a very beautiful woman and we’re in Robert’s car driving up Park Avenue and I say, ‘I don’t know, man, I just don’t have enough money for this woman.
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“I had met Robert Frank and I started working with him on his movies and I wasn’t satisfied being a photojournalist ... it just wasn’t me”
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‘San Francisco’, 1961 (above) and ‘Untitled’ from Deja-Vu, 1972 (opposite) “Those days I lived in a loft in West Broadway and Grand, Soho, and would walk up to 55th Street and back. I was shooting all day, every day. I came to the signal and saw that guy standing there with the stick. I knew that to hold the focus between the stick and the white line I had to go to f16, which pushed my exposure to about half a second. But when you’re shooting all day, every day, there’s no difference between that and a hundredth. It’s like shooting pool or playing tennis every day. It’s easy to do. In 1961 I took that picture of a white line in San Francisco. It’s exactly the same composition – the guy with the stick. It was only in 1972 when I was laying out that picture in my book Deja Vu that I remembered.”
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Best shots, 5 Left ‘Untitled’ from The Vertical Horizon, 2018 “I am extremely proud of that picture because I was almost 80 years old when I took that. And that’s with a 135mm and the guy is moving. And all I was trying to do was line up the shadow. But what I didn’t get was that the yellow cross turns orange in the shadow area, which is an anomaly of the digital sensor. I wasn’t messing with that in Photoshop. That was a complete surprise.” Right ‘Brian Clarke: afternoon of the artist’, 2010 “Brian had asked me to do a nude of his friend Chris … I knew I wanted to include Brian’s notebook in the image but did not anticipate opening it to the page with the image of the marble statue. I recall aligning the gutter of the book with the shadow of his buttocks. I consider this one of my most complex photographs.”
“She said, ‘I see your problem. You have no point of departure, Ralph’” I’m pawning my cameras to stay in the Chelsea Hotel.’ He said, ‘Now listen. You only have two choices. You can become a commercial photographer and probably succeed pretty fast. Or you could become an artist and become famous like me.’ “He turned around and said, ‘And you really only have one choice.’ “When somebody like Robert tells you something like that, that kind of helps get you through the night. “Now, let’s backtrack to Dorothea. She told me something once that was the key to my career. Whatever it is that got me sitting in front of you on Zoom I owe to Dorothea for this one idea, which is ‘point of departure’. “I was showing her my early street shooting stuff and she said, ‘I see your problem. You have no point of departure, Ralph.’ “I said, ‘Dorothea, what is a point of departure?’ She said, ‘If you’re going down to the drugstore to buy toothpaste and you have your camera, because you’re directed you might therefore encounter something. But if you just drift around the street, like 99% of most photographers this afternoon, the chances of encountering something are not good.” And so when he was working on his first book The Somnambulist – the one that would establish him as an
art photographer – with every picture Gibson asked himself, “Could this be part of my dream?” This was his point of departure, he says. “I was starting to recontextualise the image.” He has sent me a picture from the book – a photograph of a woman. “That’s Mary Ellen,” he tells me, “the girl I was in love with.” Hold on, I say. Mary Ellen? Mary Ellen Mark, the photographer? “Mary Ellen Mark,” he confirms. “She was going out with movie stars and everything. She was going out with Woody Allen and all these types. She was drop dead glamorous.” He pivots back to Magnum for a moment. “Bruce Davidson presented Mary Ellen, Danny Lyon and me to Magnum and I’m the one they took. They got that wrong,” he says, laughing. “So I did my book The Somnambulist and I went from starvation – I owed nine months’ back rental at the Chelsea and I had two of my three Leicas in pawn – and in three months I was established as an art photographer. It was 1970.” Are you all keeping up? This is the edited highlights of our conversation, one full of joyful digressions. But all of this is just context. Time and again he returns to what matters to him – the photographs. There’s one he took in NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2023
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‘Untitled’ from Mono, 2013 “In 2012 Leica approached me: ‘We want to bring out a Ralph Gibson model of a black and white digital camera.’ I said I’m not interested in digital. They said, ‘Well, let us send you the prototype.’ So, I went to Australia, did a lecture, went back to New York and there was this camera on my doorstep. I was going to see my shrink that morning. I showed her the camera. I said, ‘I’m 75 years old. I’ve been shooting black and white film all my life, 60 years. What am I going to do with this?’ I walked out of her office and I was looking at that manhole cover and a bicycle comes through. I took the picture and I looked at the display on the back of the camera and I said, ‘That looks like it could have been taken by me.’ And since that day I have not loaded a roll of film.”
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‘Untitled’ from Quadrants, 1975 “That picture of the priest. That’s as tight as the surface of a drum. If I show you the negative you’d see it’s just what I saw. I used to put a black line around it just to prove it, but it breaks the graphic tension.”
“I was going to see my shrink that morning. I showed her the digital camera. I said, ‘I’m 75 years old. I’ve been shooting black and white film all my life. What am I going to do with this?’” Mexico of birds on a wing that is especially Gibsonian in its simplicity and graphic punch. “Both those birds were flying,” he recalls. “I didn’t have time to really line things up. Those birds were in flight. I responded very quickly. But my eye told me when to release. It was my eye that was directing the finger, not my mind.” Gibson’s eye is a marvel. But his work is not purely instinctive. Gibson can discuss semiotic theory and phenomenology and colour with the best of them. “When people say do you prefer black and white or colour, I tell them I like to work in all three,” he says. “Here’s the way it really shakes out. You have the world in reality. It exists in 100% scale, three dimensions and full colour. If you take a colour photograph of it you’re reducing it in scale and you’re reducing it to two dimensions, so you’re only two steps away from reality. If you do it in black and white you’re three steps away from reality. “Now in that third step is a lot of drama.” Ralph Gibson knows all about drama. That should be clear. He has been taking photographs for the best part of 70 years now. He has no intention of stopping. “If my eyes are open, I’m working.”
PROFILE
RALPH GIBSON HonFRPS Born in Los-Angeles, California, in 1939, Ralph Gibson discovered photography after leaving home at 16 to enlist in the US Navy. After studying in the navy’s photography school, he left in 1960 to pursue a formal education. As an assistant to the greats Dorothea Lange and Robert Frank he found his inspiration, then quickly established his own formidable reputation. NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2023
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From the series The Garden by Siân Davey HonFRPS
THE CREATOR
Bringing a neglected garden to life and inviting the world in has given Siân Davey HonFRPS a startling new series. As she receives an Honorary Fellowship, she explains how a family chore became a crusade WORDS: RACHEL SEGAL HAMILTON IMAGES: SIÂN DAVEY HonFRPS
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From the series The Garden by Siân Davey HonFRPS
“He was making a garden according to what he thought it should feel like”
Just beyond a low wall, on a winding path that leads down to the River Dart, is a garden. It’s an idyllic place, crammed full of wildflowers – foxgloves, mullein, poppies, forget-me-nots, wild carrot and golden, clambering gourds. The floral-scented air hums with the sound of pollinators that alight now and then on scarlet, royal blue and golden petals. This contemporary Eden belongs to the documentary and editorial photographer Siân Davey, who is being recognised with an RPS Honorary Fellowship. In her latest work, The Garden, it is the setting for friends and family, neighbours and strangers to reconnect with nature, with each other and themselves. And yet, if you had come by three years ago, you would have been greeted by a rather different sight – a desolate, overgrown wasteland. For a decade Davey’s garden lay abandoned, unkempt and unloved. A shadow to her bustling home, it represented things left unsaid, struggles put aside, to be dealt with later. During an acutely difficult period for the family in early 2020, Davey’s eldest son, Luke, had the idea of renovating the neglected patch. Together, they cleared it. It was hard work but cathartic, an emotional coppicing. They read up on soil, compost, biodynamic planting and followed the cycles of the Moon. Most of all, though, they followed their instincts. “Luke was the main architect and the inspiration,” says Davey. “He wasn’t drawing on anyone else’s ideas of what a garden should look like – he was making a garden according to what he thought it should feel like.” Davey’s art has always been relational, intimately entwined with her life. When we speak for this interview, in late summer, she’s at home in her Devon kitchen and her children come and go in the background. It was her now sold-out 2015 book Looking for Alice, about her youngest, Alice, who has Down’s syndrome, that first brought Davey to public attention – the photographer was awarded the RPS Hood Medal in 2017. Her subsequent book Martha, published in 2018, focused on Davey’s then teenage stepdaughter. There was no determination to set out on this particular path, she insists: “I just got my camera and photographed where I was.” NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2023
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Throughout our conversation about her practice, Davey describes moments where she is steered in her choices by the flow of events and her intuition in dealing with them. Her route to photography is one such example. Following a 15-year career as a humanistic psychotherapist, she had a change of direction after seeing the 2007 Louise Bourgeois retrospective at Tate Modern, London, which featured the colossal spider sculpture ‘Maman’. She decided right then, she says, she “had to do something creative”. Creativity wasn’t entirely new to her – she gained her first degree, in Fine Art Painting, from Bath Academy of Fine Art in 1985. She attributes this early interest, though, to circumstance. “I basically went to art school to get away from my family.” Growing up in Brighton, she never quite fitted in. “I spent my whole childhood feeling like an outsider,” says Davey, whose upbringing was tough. “My parents were under-resourced, and struggling with mental health and long-term unemployment, so we repeatedly ended up in homeless accommodation. It was just really horrible. There was no creativity, no books. There was a huge amount of uncertainty and trauma.” She remembers wearing only secondhand clothes, her father refusing to get out of bed, her mother unable to claim benefits herself because, as a married woman in the 1970s, she would have needed her husband’s permission. Back in her hometown to study a second degree, in Social Policy at the University of Brighton, Davey threw herself into 1990s rave culture. The experience showed her how people could form chosen families, subcultural tribes and artistic collectives. “It was incredible,” she says. “The music was so alive and so new, and the whole community was very creative.” Through social policy, she learned to understand the structural causes of the “terrible poverty” that had blighted her early life. She encountered feminism and activism, and began to see the world through fresh eyes. By contract, her next move – training as a psychotherapist, which involved going into therapy – was about looking inwards, reflecting on her relationship with her family, 610
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‘After the swim’ from the series Martha by Siân Davey HonFRPS
“My own experience of being a teenager was the complete antithesis of Martha’s”
especially her father. “I had no idea about what was appropriate, about boundaries,” she says. “I had no idea about how to take care of myself.” How did she thrive through that, I ask. A pause. “I was always full of beans. I still am. I had a childlike vitality that kept me above water.” Psychotherapy, she says, provided a “route out of suffering”, a reset that helped her to begin “responding and not reacting”. This is an ongoing process and one that infuses her work. Asked why she picked up the camera in 2011, she is unsure. “I have no idea. I wish I did. I didn’t know a single photographer before I started my Master’s.” Once she began, it was all encompassing. On a short course in photography at a hip studio in Brighton, she was set the task of photographing ‘a journey’ and made Sunlight, a powerful, painful series about her father dying. Other students documented their walk to work. The workshop teacher was moved to tears. Alice was the final project for Davey’s 2016 MFA in Photography at the University of Plymouth. The images, shot on film in warm, natural light, show Alice at home looking out the window, watching her siblings, pottering in the garden. At times, Davey is invisible – the pictures feel like Alice’s perspective. At others, we sense Davey’s presence in Alice’s expression. The work is, explains Davey, “about her being Down’s syndrome, being marginalised, not being wanted. And the way that society overlooks anyone that’s different. I needed to understand this, I needed to look at it. I was using my camera as a portal into what wasn’t being acknowledged.” Through her photography, Davey is always learning, healing and growing. “My own experience of being a teenager was the complete antithesis of Martha’s,” she says. “[In this instance] I was using the camera to reinvent my childhood, something I only realised recently. It was a reparative project.” Whether photographing teenage couples for First Love, festival goers for Communion, or families sharing a meal for NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2023
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‘Garden gate’ from the series Looking for Alice by Siân Davey HonFRPS
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Together, a National Portrait Gallery commission, Davey considers how we forge a self and bond with others – how those bonds shape and make us more resilient. Working in rural Devon, where she has lived since 2010, the landscape is ever present. Her ongoing series River, made eight minutes down the road on the banks of the River Dart, represents the restorative potential of wild swimming, the new forms of community it provides. When Davey relocated from Brighton, she initially missed the familiar metropolitan soundtrack of sirens, an auditory comfort blanket. “The vibration of nature is so much higher than that of a city,” she says, but it was only here that she truly tuned into the world. During the past five years, Davey has run workshops alongside her photography practice. Instead of imparting techniques, the workshops focus on “embodied creativity”. A deep cleanse for the imagination, The Creative Body Process invites artists to join a group – of photographers, writers, painters, filmmakers, others – and spend five days exploring their imagination through collaborative work, discussions and immersion in nature. She had the idea when she was running a workshop on portraiture and thought to herself, what am I doing telling people how to take a picture? “It’s taking away people’s agency,” she says. The course restores it: “When they come in [they’re] compromised. When they leave, they’re straightened out, realigned to their purpose.” This is what The Garden also does in its own way. In her backyard, Davey found she had created a transformative space, “an immersive environment where people would lose their sense of self and who they thought they were or felt they had to be,” as she puts it. In the portraits, lovers’ bodies conjoin, a mother cradles her grown-up daughter, children play … Davey did not direct these sitters but quietly observed as they experienced the garden organically. Many – some of whom were on their way to or from a river swim – opted to pose nude. “It was extraordinary, the response, disarming at first and then sometimes quite liberating,” she recalls. Siân Davey makes beautiful photographs. Really beautiful. But the photograph is only ever part of the story. Her camera is a tool in a much bigger project – to help the viewer understand who they are and how to reconnect to their vision. siandavey.com 614
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‘Women of Tahrir’ from the series In the Shadow of the Pyramids (2005-2014) by Laura El-Tantawy HonFRPS
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The recipient of an RPS Honorary Fellowship, Laura El-Tantawy explores issues that touch her personally, from the Egyptian protests to life and death in Indian farming. She explains why, for her, emotion is the most important aspect of photography
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‘Last day of the year’ from the series Beyond Here Is Nothing (2012-2017) by Laura El-Tantawy HonFRPS
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‘Chandrabhan Zitheu Chaturkar’ from the series I’ll Die For You (2008-present) by Laura El-Tantawy HonFRPS
“The issues that really captivate me are ones that provoke an emotion,” says British-Egyptian photographer Laura El-Tantawy, explaining the catalyst for her work – and the key to engaging the viewer. “This is the beginning. If something does that to me, it means I’m going to follow through with it, I’m going to go on this journey. For me, emotion is the most important aspect of photography – the key to starting a conversation between the image and the audience.” El-Tantawy, who is to be awarded an RPS Honorary Fellowship, had a serendipitous route into photography. Born in England in 1980, she was educated between Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the US and the UK. It was while studying journalism and political science at the University of Georgia that she took a photography course out of curiosity and fell in love with it. She soon landed a role as a press photographer at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in Wisconsin and later, the Sarasota Herald-Tribune in Florida, and began covering a vast spectrum of assignments. Having to consistently produce was an exercise El-Tantawy credits as the best – and most intensive – training she could have had. “You can’t just come back without pictures,” she says. “I had to learn there is no situation where there is no picture possibility. There’s a picture everywhere. It’s about how you
see what’s in front of you and obviously, how you choose to articulate it visually.” Experimental from early on, El-Tantawy toyed with fresh perspectives and creative techniques that would later shape her distinctive impressionistic style. Within the confines of traditional news media, though, this was often discouraged and she soon felt constricted. In 2005, she went freelance and relocated to Egypt – a move prompted by the unexpected death of her maternal grandmother. “[My grandmother] was always the voice on the other end of the phone calling me back to Cairo,” she says. “After her death I felt I needed to return as a way of honouring her memory.” Instinctively, she turned to her camera as a way of navigating not just her own grief, but also the shifting dynamics of her family following the loss. As she puts it, photography became a way of both escaping and making sense of what was happening around her. Politically, too, things were changing. When she arrived in Egypt in 2005, El-Tantawy witnessed the first wave of political opposition protests against the authoritarian regime of thenpresident Hosni Mubarak. Besides press photographers, she was one of the few – and even fewer female photographers – documenting these movements in the beginning. NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2023
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“It was very scary, but it also felt like this was a moment that needed to be documented,” she says. In 2011 she joined the crowds of protesters at Cairo’s Tahrir Square, which became a focal point for the Egyptian protests. Her visceral images, which form part of her long-term project In the Shadow of the Pyramids (2005-2014), are among her best known. A dreamlike succession of photographs, they capture the emotional intensity and turmoil of a nation on the brink of change. The demonstrations not only marked a pivotal turning point for the Arab world, but also for storytelling, she reflects: “I think the explosion of photography in the region is very much tied to the Arab protests … [They] really changed the region and empowered people to tell their own stories and photography was very much the tool for that.” For El-Tantawy, who grew up admiring Egyptian cinema, blending the political with daily life and the poetic has always inspired her. These early influences are particularly strong in this work – the fiery, fluid movement of the protest photographs juxtaposing with the peaceful innocence of her own childhood photos. A combination of photography, prose, witness accounts and family photos, the resulting book is an integration of the 620
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political, social and artistic – the three spheres that dominate much of her work today. But above all it is a personal exploration, documenting a period of reconnecting with her Egyptian identity after being away for 10 years. In 2007, El-Tantawy moved to London and has been based between there and Cairo ever since. Having spent much of her life across countries and cultures, the search for belonging is a constant focus in her work. Beyond Here Is Nothing (2012-2017) explores “the unsettling feeling of rootlessness, the mental burden of aloneness and the constant search for belonging in unfamiliar places”. Weaving together images and words, the project is a reflection on home, capturing the overlooked beauty of everyday moments. El-Tantawy often works with multimedia, but writing remains central to her practice. “Writing is important to me,” she says. “It’s a different layer of allowing what I want to express to come out. Obviously, photography does that too. I think photography is deeply personal. It doesn’t matter if you’re shining a light on something that’s very general, we always gravitate towards something that is personal to us. But the layer of words brings out a different kind of vulnerability and authenticity – our own voice. So for me, the two complement each other.”
“Photography is deeply personal. It doesn’t matter if you’re shining a light on something that’s very general, we always gravitate towards something that is personal to us”
Left ‘Safeya’s tears’ from the series In the Shadow of the Pyramids (2005-2014) by Laura El-Tantawy HonFRPS Right ‘Nostalgic window’ from the series Beyond Here Is Nothing (2012-2017) by Laura El-Tantawy HonFRPS
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“It’s about listening to people. How do they look when telling you their story? Where are their eyes going? Are they looking sad?”
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As with most of her work, her award-winning project I’ll Die For You (2008-present) was also sparked by a personal link. Growing up, she would often hear stories of her paternal grandfather who was a farmer in Egypt. Although they never met, an enigmatic image of him remains etched in her memory. After returning from a trip to India in 2007, she was shocked to read an article about Indian farmers taking their own lives and decided to return to the country. “For me, this was a way to gain some insight into what my grandfather could have been like by meeting all these farmers,” she explains. “It’s a way to honour his legacy, too, because in a way his death was sparked by many of the challenges he was having around land … That was the access point, but obviously at the root of it was trying to understand why these suicides were happening.” Described as “a meditation on the bond between man and the land”, the project explores the social, economic and environmental aspects of life as a farmer today. In a country where agriculture forms the economic backbone, farmers in India face significant pressures including rising temperatures, water shortages and crippling debt. The latest statistics show more than 10,000 farmers and agricultural workers died by suicide in 2020. That number is expected to rise with global warming, according to research by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED). It wasn’t until she returned home that El-Tantawy realised the scale of the problems facing farmers today and she felt compelled to continue. Since India, she has travelled to places as diverse as Peru, Nepal, Palestine, Ireland and the US. While the unifying theme is climate change, she explains every location has its unique challenges – something that she tries to honour in her photographs. “If there’s anything that I’m not, it’s someone who takes a formula and just follows through with it,” she says. “I could’ve continued doing the same visual approach as my previous projects, but I find that doesn’t pay much respect to the actual issue. “If I just photograph in the same way, I’m not really applying something that is true to the spirit of that story. So it was very important to me that, in every country I went to, the approach changes slightly in a way that honours the particular story I’m covering.” Meeting the families of farmers who had died was not easy. She recalls countless times when people broke down in tears retelling their story and she felt that taking a photo would have been too intrusive or insensitive. This is where compassion and empathy are key – knowing when to put the camera down. Besides following her intuition, El-Tantawy worked with a translator she trusted, someone who could navigate these situations sensitively and ask the right questions. “It’s also about listening to people,” she says. “How do they look when they’re telling you their story? Where are their eyes going? Are they looking sad? And then it’s about me trying to articulate that in the picture, so it’s very much a collaborative process. It’s about what I bring, but it’s also what I’m receiving from my surroundings and what the people are telling me.” While most people were open to telling their stories, El-Tantawy explains there is often a misconception that by
Laura El-Tantawy, 4 ‘Ranjana Manoj Chaudhury’ from the series I’ll Die For You (2008-present) by Laura El-Tantawy HonFRPS
doing so they will be helped out of their situation somehow. Being honest from the outset is crucial, she says. Yet El-Tantawy admits the inner conflict never really goes away. “There’s always the challenge of what happens when you leave. The woman you’ve just spoken to whose husband died. What does she do now? Who sweeps up the mess after you’ve gone? These are really, really difficult aspects to deal with. And I just hope that by doing the work and bringing attention to these stories, somehow this is enough.” What happens once the image is out in the world is also a question of responsibility – and this is an answer she’s still
trying to figure out. “Images don’t change the world,” says El-Tantawy. “They just touch people and create some degree of impact and emotion. “What I’m really trying to cope with now and understand is how much the audience has a responsibility – how much is the audience going to do when they see the image? It has always been on the photographer putting the stories out, but we’re now in a moment in time when it’s also about the audience’s engagement and response.” lauraeltantawy.com NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2023
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A stitched panorama of eight images shows Charlie Duke, the lunar rover and the battered surface of the Moon during Apollo 16, April 1972
His painstaking work has brought some of the most historic moments in space exploration out of the shadows. As he receives the RPS Award for Scientific Imaging, Andy Saunders reveals the secret of his success – and why he will never visit space WORDS: GRAEME GREEN IMAGES: NASA/JSC/ASU/ANDY SAUNDERS
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Buzz Aldrin takes the world’s first selfie in space during his spacewalk on Gemini XII, November 1966
“I couldn’t bear to see the most important photographs ever taken in that state. It drove me nuts. I knew I could do something about it”
In space no one can hear you scream. Back on Earth, though, in the Cheshire office where Andy Saunders brought to life remarkable images from the Apollo space missions, there may have been more than a few exasperated groans during an exhaustive and exhausting three-year process. “It’s horrific,” Saunders says of his digital restoration work, for which he is to receive the RPS Award for Scientific Imaging. “It was a long project – two years, with about 10,000 hours of processing, because there was so much imagery and film to get through, including 35,000 stills. Then another year of research – working out who took the photos, what camera and lenses they used, chronological order … It was an absolute privilege. But to get an award like this – to get that recognition – is really special.” More than 400 images worked on by Saunders – many revealing historic moments for the first time – are collected in his book Apollo Remastered. Each photo represents between four hours and three days of labour. For almost 50 years, the original flight films from the Apollo missions had been hermetically sealed in a frozen vault at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. In 2008, NASA began removing the films from the vault, thawing, cleaning, and digitally scanning the analogue images, sharing around 35,000 photos, most of which had rarely been seen before. Before this, most images of the Apollo missions were low quality, often duplicates of duplicates, which led to a gradual degradation. Then NASA, which has an open-source policy, released the high resolution, high bit rate scans of the original flight film in their raw state on an online repository. Saunders seized the opportunity to go back to the source, applying modern digital processing to the film as well as a stacking technique to HD transfers of the 16mm movie film. Stacking frames together increased the key subject’s ‘signal’ while eliminating ‘noise’ to create clearer, more colourful, crisper images. The result is history as never before seen. “I’ve been an Apollo enthusiast since childhood and I’ve always had a passion for photography,” Saunders explains. “I’d long been frustrated at the quality of what we saw from the Apollo missions. It’s easy to think it’s because the images are 50 years old but that’s not an excuse. They used Hassleblad cameras, the best cameras, best lenses, best film, the best photo labs. I couldn’t bear to see the most important photographs ever taken in that state. It drove me nuts. I knew I could do something about it.” He continues, “The thing that started the whole process for me was the absence of an image of Neil Armstrong on the Moon. I wanted to see Neil Armstrong on the Moon, but we’ve not been able to because he was often holding the camera. Most pictures of an astronaut on the Moon are Buzz Aldrin – people don’t realise that. To not see one of the most important moments in human history has always been a big frustration. When the 16mm film had been transferred to HDCAM, there was an HD version of that film. I thought, ‘What about applying a stacking technique to that film?’ “For the Armstrong image, the camera had been locked off in the window, and Armstrong stayed still long enough to lift several frames that were almost identical. That was easy to stack. I was blown away by what I was looking at. I was editing it in the office at two in the morning like an NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2023
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archaeologist brushing the dust off some long-forgotten artefact. As it became clearer, I felt like I’d gone back in time to 1969 and I was witnessing this event live. No one, other than Buzz Aldrin who was behind the camera, had seen this moment of Neil Armstrong shortly after he stepped foot on the Moon in this detail before. Armstrong’s visor was up, you could clearly see his face. I was hooked on the process from then.” Saunders produced that first Armstrong image in 2010 but released it in July 2019 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11. “It ran in newspapers around the world, BBC News … A bit of a whirlwind.” From 2019 on, he painstakingly worked through all 35,000 photographs, curating and digitally remastering them. As well as scouring through the 70mm stills, he assessed 10 hours of 16mm ‘movie’ footage captured by astronauts during the Apollo missions, sometimes frame-by-frame. He developed a 628
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complex stacking technique, his major innovation, to allow him to produce images from sequences with a moving ‘movie’ camera, and even subjects moving within the scene. “Being able to do stacking with an entirely moving scene and with something like a fish-eye lens was incredibly helpful,” he explains. “The technique is taking account of all that movement to achieve panoramic shots of life inside the space capsules. Everything that landed on a piece of film through the entire Apollo programme I assessed, and I improved the best of them.” One of the most remarkable images, featured on the cover of his book, shows James McDivitt in March 1969, docking the lunar module to the command module on Apollo 9. The image exists because of Saunders’s obsessive character. “I am obsessive, and a bit of a perfectionist, which is why I took on 35,000 stills,” he tells me. “This wasn’t a project I
“Everything that landed on a piece of film through the entire Apollo programme I assessed, and I improved the best of them”
A stitched panorama of two images shows the last man on the Moon, Commander Gene Cernan, inside the lunar module after the final Moonwalk, December, 1972
could half do. What if I missed something? The raw shot of James McDivitt was a completely black frame – you could only see a little window. Once I enhanced it, I saw there was a person – that window was a reflection off his bubble helmet. We end up with this amazing portrait, the first ever docking in space. If I hadn’t looked into images like that, which looked like they had nothing of interest, we wouldn’t have historic, aesthetic images like this.” During the project, Saunders spoke with several Apollo astronauts – including Walter Cunningham (Apollo 7), Rusty Schweickart (Apollo 9), Fred Haise (Apollo 13) and Charlie Duke (Apollo 16) – who took the original photographs. He discussed light, colour and other details with them. Armstrong’s first steps on the Moon were momentous, a major evolutionary step for humankind. Saunders was keen, though, to highlight the other Apollo missions, too.
“Apollo 8 didn’t land but it orbited the Moon and came back. They’d given the crew a 50/50 chance of coming home. It was a bold mission. They had to beat the Russians and get to the Moon first. The whole programme is something I want people to learn more about, beyond Apollo 11.” By producing images from moving 16mm film, Saunders revealed unseen elements of the ill-fated Apollo 13 mission. “They had the presence of mind to film quite a lot onboard the spacecraft, not knowing if they’d get home or if the film would ever be seen,” he says. “Most of us have seen the movie Apollo 13 (1995) but this was an opportunity to ‘step onboard’, to see what the spacecraft and astronauts looked like. They seemed jovial occasionally. You could feel the camaraderie between the team who were in this dire situation.” NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2023
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He also managed to solve a few long-standing mysteries. In 1971, Alan Shepard, commander of Apollo 14, hit two golf balls on the Moon: one was ‘shanked’ into a nearby crater, but Shepard claimed the second ball travelled for “miles and miles and miles”. In 2021, Saunders found that missing second golf ball in high resolution scans from the original flight film and, using later high res images from a 2009 Moon mission, “pinpointed where Shepard hit the ball from, because I found his divot, and where the ball landed”. He managed to reveal exactly how far it had travelled – 40 yards. “I’d have been disappointed if he didn’t exaggerate,” Saunders laughs. Saunders’s restoration work and research also helped exonerate astronaut Gus Grissom by showing the most likely cause of the 1961 sinking of the Liberty Bell 7 spacecraft. A major embarrassment for NASA in the Cold War space race, this was most likely caused by electrostatic discharge created when a long pole used by someone on the rescue helicopter snipped the capsule’s antenna. Previously, many suggested Grissom had panicked and prematurely blown the hatch, which led to the capsule being lost to the ocean’s depths. Grissom was later killed in the Apollo 1 fire of January 1967, but Saunders’s correction of the Liberty Bell 7 story removes an unfair stain from his record. Born in 1974 in Appley Bridge, Wigan, five years after the Apollo 11 Moon landing, Saunders’s fascination with space began in childhood. It has been a zigzagging route, though, to the Apollo restorations. Having completed a degree in transport management at Loughborough University in 1996, he worked in logistics, finance and management consultancy. “I get bored quite quickly, so I moved onto developing properties. I liked taking something run down and old, and turning it into the best it had ever been. Restoring the Apollo images used a similar principle.” Now 49 and based in Cheshire with his family, Saunders thinks it unlikely he will ever go into space. “If I could go anywhere in the universe, I’d go to Tranquillity Base on the Moon, but I’m claustrophobic – I wouldn’t even be able to put the suit on.” Saunders believes humanity has lost the pioneering spirit of space exploration’s ‘golden era’, though he is looking forward to NASA’s Artemis II, the first crewed Moon mission for more than 50 years, scheduled to launch in November 2024. “They won’t land but they’ll escape Earth, and I think someone will take the next ‘The blue marble’ [the most reproduced and most viewed photo in history] on the way to the Moon. ‘The blue marble’ from Apollo 17 and ‘Earthrise’ by William Anders from Apollo 8 were a catalyst for the environmental movement. No doubt, 2024 will be an opportunity to look back at what has changed in the last 50 years and what needs to change.” Back on Earth, Saunders is now restoring images from Mercury and Gemini space missions – “our first journeys ever into space.” The processes he is using, though, have applications beyond space exploration. “They could be applied to any historic footage, anything on film – World War II, Everest expeditions, Antarctic expeditions” he says. “There are just not enough hours in the day.” Apollo Remastered by Andy Saunders is published by Penguin, £60. apolloremastered.com @andysaunders_1 630
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“I liked taking something run down and old, and turning it into the best it had ever been. Restoring the Apollo images used a similar principle”
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David Scott takes in the spectacular view of Earth from the command module of Apollo 9, March 1969
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‘Y32_3,100km from the river source’ from the series Mother River (2010-2014) by Yan Wang Preston
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‘To add a meter to an anonymous mountain, Shedden Clough, Burnley, Lancashire, UK, 2021’ from the series After (2021) by Yan Wang Preston
As she receives the inaugural RPS Award for Environmental Responsibility, Yan Wang Preston ponders her Chinese heritage and what it means to be an emigrant in the UK WORDS: GEMMA PADLEY IMAGES: YAN WANG PRESTON
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‘9 June 2020. No 43 out of 182 walks’ from the series With Love. From an Invader, Burnley, UK, 17 March 2020-16 March 2021 by Yan Wang Preston CLIENT
‘4 December 2020. No 130 out of 182 walks’ from the series With Love. From an Invader, Burnley, UK, 17 March 2020-16 March 2021 by Yan Wang Preston
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‘Y25_2,400km from the river source’ from the series Mother River (2010-2014) by Yan Wang Preston
“Rhododendrons have a long history in China and we generally like the plant”
Yan Wang Preston is feeling reflective. The British artist is visiting family in her birth country of China – the first time in four years – and musing on what the RPS Award for Environmental Responsibility means to her. It’s an opportunity to reflect on her work, she says, to consider what she is proud of and what she can “make better”. But also to figure out how her work fits with the term ‘environmental responsibility’. “I never really saw myself as an environmental photographer,” says Wang Preston, who lives in West Yorkshire. “I always thought my work deals with the intersection between our perception of the environment and our perception of identity.” Wang Preston is best known for her monumental series Mother River (2010-2014), for which she photographed the entire 6,211km length of the Yangtze River in China at exact 100m intervals, using a large-format plate camera. NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2023
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“It’s influenced by post-colonial science. Western science sees itself as the truth”
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“With this award I’ve been thinking less about my work in China and more about my work in the UK, produced during lockdown,” she continues. “I started by looking into the contested perception of introduced plants such as rhododendrons. I had a lot of questions about the plants as a ‘non-native invasive’ species. It hurts to hear that [language] as a foreigner, particularly because rhododendrons have a long history in China and we generally really like the plant.” Rhododendrons were first introduced to the UK by imperial botanists in the late 1700s, Wang Preston explains, and in the 19th century everybody wanted a rhododendron in their garden. Now the species is commonly considered ‘invasive’. Wang Preston, who emigrated to the UK in 2005, decided to explore further, intrigued by the language used to describe such plants – and the parallels with the critical way that migrants are sometimes talked about. She describes “a colonial hierarchy that persists, which often considers native species to be superior to non-native species”. In an area of wasteland close to her home on the outskirts of Burnley in Lancashire, she discovered a heart-shaped group of Rhododendron ponticum, which became “a metaphor for people like me”. Although the work she would make looks at what she calls “the politics of ecology”, the question was inspired by what she terms her “hybrid identity”.
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• ‘Winter-seed capsules, 1-11, 2020-2021’ by Yan Wang Preston
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‘Winter-seed capsules, 4-11, 2020-2021’ by Yan Wang Preston
‘Egongyan Park, Chongqing, China, 2017’ from the series Forest (2010-2017) by Yan Wang Preston
“The British landscape feels more like home because of these foreign plants, some of them from China,” she says. “They bring memories.” Every other day for a year, across 182 trips, Wang Preston diligently visited and photographed the “love heart” bush. In what she describes as a year of exploration and reflection, the artist also collected images of wildlife using infrared cameras. She collaborated with Monty Adkins, research professor of electronic music at the University of Huddersfield, to record sounds including birdsong and rain. The gathered materials were evidence of life, says Wang Preston. This wasn’t a desolate wasteland after all. The resulting artwork, With Love. From an Invader, is an immersive and emotive visual and audio documentation. It suggests Rhododendron ponticum have an important role to play in helping myriad life to thrive, challenging the widely accepted view that the plant is a non-native invasive species. “It’s really influenced by post-colonial science,” says Wang Preston. “Western science sees itself as the truth. This ‘non-
native invasive’ term is backed up by some – ‘because the scientists said’ – but I spoke with others who felt the term needed to be properly considered.” For her next project, Autumn Winter Spring Summer, created over several months beginning in autumn 2020, Wang Preston collected the leaves, seed capsules and ‘aborted’ flower buds, and fading flowers of a rhododendron shrub. Responding intuitively to the material, she made four pieces: a six-metre-long Chinese scroll printed on Chinese rice paper containing photographs of the leaves (‘Autumn – Leaves’); a series of 11 sequenced images showing seed capsules that the artist had arranged in her garden and set fire to (‘Winter – Seed Capsules’); a handmade artist book containing archival photographs of 75 dissected flower buds (‘Winter – Bud Blast’); and a photograph of fallen flowers sculpted into the shape of a vulva, presented as a life-size lightbox (‘Spring Summer – Flowers’). “The first piece was a botanical study with a Chinese aesthetic, but [the work is] influenced by conceptual art, NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2023
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“I grew up in a very patriarchal family, and society in China is run in a similar way”
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land art and photography all rolled in together,” she says. It ends with a “liberal image of a gendered reading of a plant”, says Wang Preston. In making the work, she came to understand “that our perception in the UK, and probably elsewhere towards ecology or to the environment more widely, is cultured and gendered”. It was also the first time, she adds, that she realised her life had been shaped by patriarchal societies. “It’s only through the rhododendron work with so much internal reflection that I realised, ‘yes, I am a strong woman’. I grew up in a very patriarchal family, and society here in China is run in a similar way – the way we sit, the way we smile. I’ve finally admitted, ‘Okay, I am a woman who has lived in and obeyed unsaid conventions in a patriarchal society’.” ‘Spring Summer – Flowers’, perhaps the boldest piece in the series, can be interpreted as a form of challenge to the patriarchal order that Wang Preston and countless others have experienced. In her current work, Wang Preston continues her exploration of identity, power and gender. The first part of her series After, made in 2021, saw the artist restage a famous Chinese artwork in which artists piled on top of each other. Calling for volunteers, Wang Preston created her own version in Lancashire, including herself in the skin-to-skin piece.
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‘Yuan-the origin. Drawing a red circle on a frozen headwater of the Yangtze River, 5340 m.a.s.l, Qinghai Province, China, 2011’ by Yan Wang Preston
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‘Yuan-the origin. A hand drawn circle on a frozen headwater of the Yangtze River, 5340 m.a.s.l, Qinghai Province, China, 2011’ by Yan Wang Preston
Having discussed ‘nature migration’ in the rhododendron works, she wanted to broach the subject of cultural migration, she explains, and to “respond to an unsaid hierarchy that Western art is the most advanced art”. A work in progress is ‘After Olympia, Manet, 1863’, made in response to the French artist’s painting depicting a nude woman lying on a bed and gazing at the viewer as she is brought flowers by a servant. In Wang Preston’s version, she takes the place of the servant while the nude woman is replaced by a man. “It obviously also took advantage of my position of being a non-white woman,” says Wang Preston. “How do you play with these power relationships between men and women, between white and non-white? Perhaps I can admit at this stage I am a feminist artist. I refused to admit that before.” It’s a shift, she adds, from being the one doing the looking to being looked at, although she has put herself in her work
before. “Performance has always been part of my work,” she says.” In ‘Hé-River together’, from early in Wang Preston’s career, we see the artist attempt to be ‘one’ with the Yangtze River, while she describes her series Mother River as “a bit performative anyhow”. In the UK, though, With Love. From an Invader was the first time she had made such an immersive multimedia work. At the time of writing, Wang Preston is preparing for an exhibition at Bath House Galleries, The University of Huddersfield, which will feature much of her work made since 2020. It will be a chance to reflect on what the work means to her on a personal level, she says, and within debates around perceptions of identity and ecology. “My intention,” she says, “is to talk about the environment with proper consideration. And to work with hope.” yanwangpreston.com NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2023
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Left ‘3 main characters’ by Lorna Simpson HonFRPS Opposite ‘Vanish’ by Lorna Simpson HonFRPS
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Lorna Simpson has pushed artistic boundaries for four decades, with photography just one device in an evolving toolbox. Now she is to receive an Honorary Fellowship
LORNA SIMPSON HonFRPS / HAUSER AND WIRTH / PHOTO CREDIT JAMES WANG
WORDS: RACHEL SEGAL HAMILTON IMAGES: LORNA SIMPSON HonFRPS
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“The plasticity of the medium is more interesting to me than my making of an image” Above First part of ‘Stars from dusk to dawn, 2021’ by Lorna Simpson HonFRPS Opposite ‘Stranger on a train, 2023’ by Lorna Simpson HonFRPS
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Lorna Simpson is a collector of images. Over decades she has amassed an archive containing “tonnes” of vintage magazines and vernacular photographs from the 20th century. Some sit piled up in boxes in her New York studio, others live digitally on her computer as scans stored up for future use. Rather than the end result, photography is source material for Simpson. Nowhere is this clearer than in her most recent series, which combine collage, painting, screenprinting and digital manipulation. During a Covid-19 lockdown Simpson whiled away long hours with a stack of her grandmother’s Ebony and Jet magazines she had discovered a few years back. Images of the models in the publications appear in her latest works – but transformed, reimagined into something else entirely. In Special Characters, multiple faces from beauty advertisements, spliced together in post-production, become layered portraits, screen printed then daubed in bright hues. In the triptych work ‘Stars from dusk to dawn’, she removes sections of women’s bodies from the found images and replaces them with astronomical charts. Simpson’s reinvention of symbols of 20th-century aspirational femininity – visually aligning them with the infinite universe – suggests boundless possibility. “I’ve always thought about photography conceptually,” she explains during a video call from New York. “The plasticity of the medium and the way it behaves is more interesting to me than my making of an image.” In the 1980s and 1990s, Simpson’s trailblazing approach to photography involved merging text with newly shot images to pose powerful questions about race, gender and sexuality. One of her key works from this period, ‘Guarded conditions, 1989’, shows a line of almost identically posed women in white nightdresses, backs to the camera and arms folded behind them. Underneath, the phrases ‘sex attack’ and ‘skin attack’ alternate. The set-up evokes hospital wards, slave auctions, situations where Black women have been objectified, exploited and abused. Over the past three decades, her practice has expanded to include film and video, sculpture, installation,
LORNA SIMPSON HonFRPS / HAUSER AND WIRTH / PHOTO CREDIT JAMES WANG
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collage, drawing and painting, but photography has always remained at its heart. Her best work happens, she says, when she is unsure exactly where she is going. An example of this is the project 1957-2009, inspired by a collection of staged pin-up-style photographs Simpson picked up on eBay. They portray an anonymous Black woman in the guise of a muse or lover performing for the camera. “Looking at them, I thought these are incredible, but what am I going to do with them?” she says. “It took time to unravel.” Simpson decided to insert herself into the archive, mimicking the woman’s gestures. Self-portraiture didn’t come naturally to her – she says she hates being in front of the camera. But displaying these images alongside the earlier ones confounded the viewer, highlighting the artifice of the originals in which, explains Simpson, “she is not presenting herself. She’s presenting a kind of fictional character.” Born in 1960, Simpson grew up in New York, attending a specialist creative high school before studying for a Bachelor of Fine Arts at the city’s School of Visual Arts. “This was the early 1980s so everything was analogue,” she says. “I was in the darkroom, processing and developing and printing, learning the technology. And I found myself fascinated by it.” Her training focused on a photojournalistic tradition with an emphasis on American and European practitioners. Initially she embraced street photography, with William Klein, Josef Koudelka and James Van Der Zee among her primary influences. Her education during that period also came from outside the university – from travel in Asia, Europe and North Africa, as well as from interning in the learning department of The Studio Museum in Harlem, through which she encountered Black artists in the institution’s orbit, many of whom were working in mixed media. This opened her eyes to the way photography could be used. By the time she graduated, she was wise to the conventions of how photography was edited, curated, written about – and determined to carve her own path. “I want to do something different,” she says, “to question the way we think about photography.” A Master of Fine
Opposite ‘Mind reader, 2019’ by Lorna Simpson HonFRPS Below Second part of ‘Stars from dusk to dawn, 2021’ by Lorna Simpson HonFRPS
“I want to do something different, to question the way we think about photography”
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Opposite ‘The best passage, 2019’ by Lorna Simpson HonFRPS
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Below Third part of ‘Stars from dusk to dawn, 2021’ by Lorna Simpson HonFRPS
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“Experimenting is important. The ideas have to gel into shape conceptually then I play with that” ART PRODUCTION CLIENT
Arts at the more conceptually driven University of California cemented a direction she has pioneered ever since, exploring the mechanisms of representation through repetition, juxtaposition and fragmentation. She has been prominent in the art world for some time, but the last decade has seen even greater recognition for her groundbreaking work. There have been major solo shows across the globe, from Jeu de Palmes in Paris to BALTIC Gateshead, a revised edition of her soldout Phaidon monograph, and several prestigious awards, most recently an Honorary Fellowship from the RPS. “When I was looking at the list of previous recipients, one name jumped out: Ingrid Pollard HonFRPS,” says Simpson. She recounts a visit to London in the 1990s during which she spent a glorious day with Pollard getting a tour of the city and surrounds, stopping for fish and chips on the way. “That gave me a different perspective of Black British life,” she says. “It’s such an honour and that feels like a very special connection.” Her ever-shifting output shows a constant engagement with the evolving cultural currents of our contemporary world. In 2021 she collaborated with the recording artist Rihanna on a set of exclusive collages commissioned by Essence magazine. In Simpson’s selfinitiated practice, meanwhile, she has been moving towards abstraction in a series that incorporates prints of glaciers and ice formations from the turn of the last century. Painted over, they have an ethereal, haunting feel. With climate change causing glacier loss on an unprecedented scale, they depict ghostly forms no longer in existence. “I have been really privileged – also with a lot of work and determination on my part – to make the kind of work that I want to,” she says. Although her medium is never fixed, her process follows a pattern. “Experimenting is important. The ideas have to gel into shape conceptually then I play with that. Play is an important part of what I do.” Where that spirit of experimentation and play takes her next is anyone’s guess – not least Simpson’s – but it’s sure to be uncharted territory. lsimpsonstudio.com
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GO TO YOUR HAPPY PLACE. DOES IT LOOK LIKE THIS? It does for landscape photographer Paul Mitchell FRPS, who returns to the same spot through the seasons. Ciaran Sneddon speaks to the 2023 President’s Medal recipient, and to this year’s Fenton Medallists
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Opposite ‘Spring’ by Paul Mitchell FRPS Below ‘Summer’ by Paul Mitchell FRPS
PAUL MITCHELL FRPS President’s Medal and Honorary Life Membership “Go to your happy place.” It’s an instruction that has become a cliché, but when accepted with open arms it can still evoke a scene of total calm. While it might take a little effort to initially identify such an area of serenity, once you know your happy place by heart it can be conjured on a whim. For Paul Mitchell FRPS, little effort is required – his happy place is displayed not once but four times in the entrance of his home, ensuring he sees it every day. Captured in all four seasons – and countless other images that haven’t quite made it on the wall – is a little clearing in Burnham Beeches, Buckinghamshire. This is the space that has allowed him to create compelling woodland photography for so many years.
Mitchell’s background is firmly in graphic design. Having studied the subject at Kingston upon Hull College of Art, he enjoyed some 45 years in the industry, most of which was spent running his own agency. A member of the RPS for more than two decades, Yorkshireborn Mitchell gained his Associate in 2007 and his Fellowship seven years later. If his name rings a bell, it may well be through his varied roles within the Distinctions process – he has served on the Visual Art and Landscape panels and on the Distinctions Committee. It is in the woods, though, that he is most at home. “I say my preferred specialism in landscape photography is woodlands,” he says from his home in Dorset. “Before I lived here, for many years I lived just west of London in Buckinghamshire. It was a fairly large village, sandwiched
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“I, like many other people, suffer from the same thing – you can’t see the wood for the trees”
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between Slough and Maidenhead, but we had a lot of countryside on our doorstep.” A big part of that countryside was Burnham Beeches – the leftover puddle of what was once an ocean of trees that likely stretched across much of southeast England. Other than the ancient beeches that give the woodland its name, it is an amalgam of wood pasture, grassland, heathland and wetlands. “I often say to people, ‘Always have something nearby that you can go to’, because you can react to a particular location quickly. So if there’s mist or fog predicted, you can just make sure you set your alarm clock early, or if there’s frost or snow you can just use it and go for a walk. Burnham Beeches was that go-to location for me.” Even so, it’s not as easy as just turning up and hoping for the best. To spot the best images requires patience and, to some extent, grounding.
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“I, like many other people, suffer from the same thing – you can’t see the wood for the trees,” says Mitchell. “In other words, you go into visual overload and you can’t really see pictures. What I tend to do is find a little clearing in the woodland, perhaps five to 10 minutes away from the car park so you’re not bothered with people walking past. Then, I’ll put my bag down, I’ll put my tripod down and I’ll just stand there in complete silence for five or 10 minutes. “Slowly but surely you begin to notice things. You’ll see a bird fluttering from branch-to-branch and, if you’re lucky, you might see a deer wandering off in the distance. You begin to attune yourself to your surroundings and, it’s a bit of a cliché to say, but you are putting yourself in a state of mindfulness. When you do that you begin to relax. And when you relax, you begin to see images.”
This demand for a slow approach forms the basis of Mitchell’s rallying call against what he calls the “machine gunning” of photographers rushing to capture as much as they can, in the expectation that gems will crop up in such a big game of numbers. Perhaps a hangover from the pre-digital days that Mitchell is clearly still passionate about, a self-enforced slowing down certainly seems to work for him. “I don’t have a darkroom anymore,” he says. “I send my films off to be processed but when they come back I still scan them in and print them up.” The four seasonal images of the clearing show exactly where Mitchell comes upon when first arriving in the woods – the place he calls his thinking spot.
“That is my little clearing and you can see how much joy that particular clearing brings,” he says with pride. “I’ve got [the four season images] printed up as a metre and a half long panels in the entrance to our home. I see them every time I leave the house, every time I come back home. They mean a lot to me, those images.” Mitchell’s love affair with Burnham Beeches isn’t over yet. “I’ve been there in the spring, summer, autumn and winter. Even though I’ve moved away from the area, it’s still special to me. In fact, I’m hoping to go back [soon] and spend a day there – just retracing the steps I’ve made over the years.” www.paulmitchellphotography.co.uk
Opposite ‘Autumn’ by Paul Mitchell FRPS Above ‘Winter’ by Paul Mitchell FRPS
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CHRIS RENK Fenton Medal
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Munich-based photographer Chris Renk is happy to make sacrifices for his art. In his interview he regularly references early mornings, bad weather, plenty of mistakes, and experimentation. All of this, he says, helps to turn the mundane into something extraordinary. He has a knack for serving up landscapes and street photography with a particular edge – whether through an unexpected angle, viewpoint or palette. None of this is accidental. As he explains, he has put in the work to make his imagery seem effortless, and the results are worth the hardships.
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Which of your photographs do you cherish most? As my favourite landscape picture, I chose an image I took almost 23 years ago. It is one of my first cityscape photographs featuring the rise of the sun over Munich’s Olympic Park and skyline. The image was taken at 5.30am on a cold April morning, around -3°C. I reached the location on the top of Olympic Hill, the highest point in the park, around 4.30am. After setting up the camera, I enjoyed watching the slow appearance of the sun behind the horizon, illuminating
step by step the skyline of Munich and its dominant buildings. I was entirely alone and had the whole scene for myself, which I had never seen like this before. Only after developing the image at home did I realise that two other persons were with me in the park, rushing through the scene, probably on their way to work. After showing the image to my friends, they were astonished by the beauty of the sunrise. Which image or series by another photographer have you been most drawn to? The image that dragged me into photography was Ansel Adams’s ‘Monolith, the face of Half Dome’, which he took in 1927, portraying landmarks of Yosemite National Park. In 1996, during a business trip to the United States of America, lucky as I am, I had the chance to visit an exhibition of Ansel Adams. I was fascinated by the unique qualities and technical mastery of his landscape photographs, which changed my view of nature. The way he used light, shadows and composition created a mood that could transport viewers to the locations he photographed. This emotional connection can be deeply moving for those who appreciate the power of visual storytelling. After this visit I decided to pursue photography as a hobby, which later became my passion.
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“Only after developing the image did I realise that two other persons were with me in the park”
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‘Olympic sunrise’ by Chris Renk
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‘Lake impression’ by Chris Renk
How did you find your unique take on landscapes? Finding my unique take on landscapes was a long learning process and involved a combination of creativity, observation and personal perspective. First, I started by researching and studying various landscape photography, paintings, and other artforms to discover what makes them unique. I mistakenly copied those examples instead of analysing the employed composition, lighting, colour palette, or the emotions they evoke, to turn them into my interpretation. After realising this, my landscape photographs improved dramatically, and I started to venture beyond the famous tourist spots and explore less known or unconventional locations. What has been the most surprisingly difficult or challenging place to photograph and why? Although I have been to many remote places in the world over the past 20 years, which has taken me to my physical and mental limits from time to time, it is always a more significant
challenge for me to photograph in big cities, whether it’s the enormous number of tourists who keep running into your picture, or the constant interruptions by the employees of municipal and private security companies who want to prohibit you from taking photographs in public spaces or on supposedly private grounds. What is the image that got away? I had planned to take a multi-row panorama of Cologne Cathedral at sunrise and travelled 700km on the night train from Munich to Cologne. When I arrived I went straight to the cathedral to set up my camera equipment and wait for the sunrise. At that time, I was the only one on the cathedral plateau. When sunrise came I was starting to take the top panorama photo series when suddenly, the entire area in front of the cathedral filled up with tourists that coaches had dropped off. From then on, I no longer had the opportunity to take pictures of the cathedral without tourists, and had to abandon the shoot and return home unfinished. NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2023
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RAJEN NANDWANA Fenton Medal
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Mumbai-based photographer Rajen Nandwana says his skills in image-making are self-taught. His passion stems from a desire to capture individual moments that tell big stories. He is more than just a photographer, though. Nandwana has built a name within the Indian photographic community as an educator and facilitator of spaces that allow fellow artists and hobbyists alike to connect and collaborate. He also chairs the RPS India Chapter and is a founding member of the RPS Nominations Committee. A varied portfolio includes at its centre a remarkable collection of landscapes and cityscapes, supported by some exceptional portraiture and wildlife. For someone who first immersed himself in photography as an adult, he has made up for lost time with his eye for detail.
of Mumbai and St Peter’s Church represent significant milestones in my photographic journey. Pictures from Hampi, Pink Floyd, Brit Floyd or Beyoncé music concerts, and the landscapes of Iceland and Norway, also hold a special place in my collection.
Which of your own photographs do you cherish most? I hold all of them dear. Each photograph holds significance, capturing a specific moment and place. Segregating them is quite challenging. However, certain images stand out due to the effort invested or their connection to personal interests, such as music. For instance, my panoramic shots
How did you approach finding a unique take with your scapes? My journey into photography began later in life yet my passion was boundless. I delved into the art of printing as well. While landscapes constitute a significant portion of my portfolio, I’ve also ventured into genres including architecture,
PRODUCTION CLIENT
‘Sea of ice’ by Rajen Nandwana
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Which image or series by another photographer have you been most drawn to? Apart from such renowned figures as Ansel Adams or Henri Cartier-Bresson from the past, I am captivated by the works of Sebastião Salgado, Reza Deghati and Michael Kenna, among others. The list extends further to encompass numerous inspiring artists and friends.
‘Glass pyramid’ by Rajen Nandwana
‘Morning glory’ by Rajen Nandwana
“One challenging time was my enforced stay in an empty London during lockdown”
portraiture and wedding photography. As of now, I haven’t identified a distinct forte. Nature’s beauty is eternally gratifying, and the key lies in the elements within the landscapes – an extra touch beyond just clicking the camera’s button. One challenging time was my enforced stay in an empty London during lockdown at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. What is the secret to a successful scape image? Attention to minute details is paramount. What is the image that got away? Recalling it pains me. During my trip to Iceland in 2013, I was eagerly anticipating witnessing the Aurora Borealis. Although I caught a glimpse of faint activity, the following day I learnt of a robust display. Regrettably, I was part of a group that wasn’t inclined to pursue it. The next morning, the news reported a massive display that could even be observed from the English coast. I have never been able to overcome this. NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2023
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DR ROLF KRAEHENBUEHL ARPS Fenton Medal
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A keen street photographer in the pre-pandemic days, Dr Rolf Kraehenbuehl ARPS now works largely in Wales, where he lives. Much of his current image-making revolves around the culture of built coastlines and seaside promenades, both as places of human leisure and as artificial constructions which transform the rugged landscape into easily accessible places for all. While seaside photography may conjure azure blue skies and golden sands, Kraehenbuehl’s work is distinctive in its flavour. He physically scratches the film negatives to reflect his state of mind while making work, imbuing the images with the ambiguity of his experience and the relationship between space and place in these coastal locations.
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Which of your photographs do you cherish most? This varies over time because of shifting interests and emphasis – what is personally important in terms of content and form continually changes. I am also conscious of the initial emotional attachment to an image because of the personal memory of its making or circumstances –
a memory which is not available to the audience. When I review photographs once I have detached myself from them, their personal ratings might change. Which image or series by another photographer have you been most drawn to? I continuously draw inspiration from a variety of resources and oeuvres by photographers and artists. Especially influential is the work, and the concepts underpinning the work, by Robert Adams, Lewis Baltz, Bernd and Hilla Becher, Frank Breuer, William Eggleston, Mitch Epstein, Frank Gohlke, Guido Guidi, Awoiska van der Molen, Cornelia Parker, John Pfahl, Gareth Phillips, Mark Power HonFRPS, Albert Renger-Patzsch, Simon Roberts HonFRPS, Ed Ruscha, Stephen Shore HonFRPS and Thomas Struth HonFRPS. How did find a unique take on seaside photography? Having grown up and lived for many years in a landlocked country, mainly holidaying in the Alps, I don’t have memories from childhood or adolescence of vacations by the seaside, and lack a biographical connection to the coast. This leads me to visually explore the built coastline in a detached, analytical and maybe even clinical way. I continuously seek to step out
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“Making work about the built environment allows a slower pace. I can premeditate the images”
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From the series Seaside by Dr Rolf Kraehenbuehn ARPS
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From the series Seaside by Dr Rolf Kraehenbuehn ARPS
of my comfort zone to explore alternative ways of making work, of seeing the subject matter and of representing place. When have you been most struck by the power of photography? When the work presents and conveys the subject matter, the idea and concept in an original, clear and unforgettable way, as with Ester Vonplon’s Gletscherfahrt (2013-2015) or Gareth Phillips’ installation Land Book in 12 Pages. What is the image that got away? The list is long, especially while making work as a street
photographer, where time and timing is of the essence. I missed many images because I was a split second too slow or did not have the experience and wit to anticipate an evolving opportunity and to get myself into a position which would have led to capturing a satisfactory image. My working methods have changed – making work about the built environment allows a slower pace. I can premeditate and plan the images much more before the actual image-making. Working locally permits repeat visits and I can iteratively develop my imagery and visual language within a specific project over time, and revise the concept, the message I want to convey and the reaction I want to elicit in the viewer. NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2023
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Untitled by Vanessa Slawson FRPS
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VANESSA SLAWSON FRPS Fenton Medal
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A documentary photographer whose work has included theatre, dance and landscapes, Vanessa Slawson FRPS may have become best known within the Society through her role as Licentiate Distinctions Panel Chair. Her Fellowship came from her work with the UK Global Rock Challenge. For the uninitiated, the challenge inspires young people to avoid drugs and crime, through the focus of a performing arts competition. Slawson’s photography, tapping into a wide range of performance styles, is informed by her own background in dance – a topic that crops up regularly in her portfolio. Which image or series by another photographer have you been most drawn to? The first photographic book I bought was Land by Fay Godwin, having visited the touring exhibition. Unconsciously I must have been drawn to her images as my first camera was also a square medium format. They were a great example of how to use light and how to compose in the viewfinder – with only 12 shots on every roll it was essential to get it right at the time of taking. Over the years I have photographed many lone trees, rock formations, and I cannot pass by a standing stone. I have also discovered another connection with Fay and the images in her book Forbidden Land. I love a good walk – especially if it offers a great photo opportunity as well. At the time of the RPS Exhibition in the Octagon, Bath, Fay was president of the Ramblers’ Association UK, and as a documentary photographer she used her images to highlight diminishing rights of way and access to land. I now work for the Ramblers, and the Freedom to Roam campaign is just as relevant today, over 40 years on. 658
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Untitled by Vanessa Slawson FRPS
“My personal work tends to be logical and thought out, often minimalist with a considered touch of the unusual”
‘Ensuite facilities’ by Vanessa Slawson FRPS
Which of your photographs do you cherish most? The image that always makes me smile is ‘Ensuite facilities’ (pictured above). Before people could review accommodation on websites, it was always a lottery when checking into a place you had not stayed at before. I was travelling around the UK and working in a variety of theatres in some unusual places. Hotels, however, over book, so if you arrived late, as I often did, you could be sent to an alternative hotel for the night. This image reminds me of the moment when you open the door to find exactly what they mean by ‘the sea view’ or ‘the ensuite facilities’. What was the catalyst for your dance photography? The reason I started taking photographs was all down to my father who processed and printed his own images – the magic of seeing a photograph appear in the developing tray has always stuck. This is where my love of monochrome photography stems from. When I ‘grew up’ I wanted to be a ballerina, having danced since the age of two. Although this didn’t materialise, my desire to be a photographer had taken over by the time I left college. When I started dance photography it was tricky. I was employed to photograph a live show – no dress rehearsal opportunities existed. Theatre lighting was still old technology,
and all shots were taken on Fuji Super G 800 film, which you could push to 1,600 ASA in processing. My knowledge of dance and drama from being a performer myself gave me the advantage of knowing where to be and when to click to capture the decisive moment. Thankfully theatre lighting and photographic technology have moved on to make this type of work much easier. What does your photography reveal about you? Technical quality and composition have always featured highly in my work as a professional photographer, but much of this is dictated by the client. Wedding customers would comment on their images being ‘clear’ (reference to the quality of camera being used) and ‘tidy’ (the time taken to remove distractions). Performers would not mind the odd blurred limb occasionally, if they could feel and hear the emotion of the performance in the shot. You quickly learn to adapt to what makes a client happy. My personal work tends to be logical and thought out, often minimalist with a considered touch of the unusual. I enjoy the storytelling you can achieve in a two-dimensional space. I like harmony and balance, I research and prepare everything, small details matter – this I believe is reflected in my photography. NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2023
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LEARN SOMETHING NEW RPS WORKSHOPS ONLINE, IN-PERSON AND ON-DEMAND Whether you’re diving into photography for the first time, or want to improve your creative or practical skills, we have online, in-person and on-demand workshops to help you achieve these goals.
MORE WAYS TO LEARN By being a member of the Society you have unique access to a discount on the costs of Falmouth University’s MA and BA flexible online photography courses.
Our groups are small and our tutors knowledgeable and generous, providing a personal approach to learning.
We’ve also partnered with the Open University and Open College of Arts to bring you four, 10-week courses aimed at developing an understanding of your own image-making and improving your photography skills.
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ONLY HUMAN: ANEESA DAWOOJEE Until 19 November, Thu-Sun, 10am-5pm This exhibition by South London portrait and documentary photographer Aneesa Dawojee FRPS celebrates resilience and strength through the lens of martial arts and combat sport athletes from her local area. Combining two of Dawojee’s separate projects, the result is a joyous celebration of multicultural Britain. RPS Gallery, Bristol
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QUARANTINE IN QUEENS Mon 20 November, 7pm Photographer and filmmaker Neil Kramer has received critical acclaim for his pandemic-era project Quarantine in Queens, documenting his experience of living with his mother and ex-wife. It examines caregiving, familial bonds and love during a time of crisis, and in this conversation he will unpick the project and how it came to be. Online, via Zoom
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‘Copper on blue’ by Julie Pigula FRPS
ACCESSIBLE IMAGE-MAKING
GO TO rps.org/whatson for the latest updates
The Disabled Photographers’ Society displays its members’ winning work at an exhibition in RPS House
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Some of the top work produced by the Disabled Photographers’ Society (DPS) is to show at RPS House this winter. On display will be 30 images produced by members of the nationwide charity, which has been organising an annual exhibition since 1989. Included in the line-up is ‘Copper on blue’ by Julie Pigula FRPS, named best open projected image and best image overall. Also receiving awards are Paul Grant, for best overall print, and Brian Adam, for best nature print and best nature projected image.
The DPS works to make photography more accessible to those living with disabilities. Run by volunteers, most of whom are disabled photographers themselves, the society offers events and webinars, as well as funds that can provide adaptations to photographic equipment. This year’s awards selector is Welsh photographer Margaret Salisbury FRPS. The Disabled Photographers’ Society exhibition launches with an awards ceremony at RPS House, Bristol, on 25 November, and runs until 19 December
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FROM MACRO TO MICRO: THE ART OF FUNGI PHOTOGRAPHY Sat 25 November, 4pm Extreme macro photographer Alison Pollock specialises in mushrooms and slime molds, and is largely driven by her desire to portray these weird and wonderful specimens in a way that showcases their natural beauty and diversity. In this online discussion, she will talk through her process, covering both studio and field work, and how she adapts her camera to meet the challenge of capturing such tiny details. Online via Zoom. Free to Nature and Digital Imaging group members, otherwise £3
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BATS IN FLIGHT BY ANDREW MCCARTHY FRPS Sat 2 December, 4.30pm In this talk, photographer Andrew McCarthy FRPS will focus on the tricky task of getting good shots of flying bats. Covering everything from technical set-ups to the creative solutions required to get sharp images of miniature mammals on the move, McCarthy will help improve your own night-time shoots. Online. Free for RPS members
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Generative-AI raises as many questions as it does potential opportunities – not least whether it poses a threat to the art and craft of photography. Why not look to history to find the answers? “To see and take pleasure in seeing”
SUBS SIMON HILL HonFRPS President and Chair of Trustees ART PRODUCTION CLIENT
In the 12 months that have passed since our AGM of last year, the world of photography has been rocked by the arrival of generative artificial intelligence (generative-AI) in which a photograph-like image can be generated simply by prompting a software application with a written instruction. The first suggestion of artificial intelligence (AI) appears to have been in 1950 when Alan Turing published Computing Machinery and Intelligence, his seminal paper on machine intelligence in which he proposed a test that he called ‘The Imitation Game’. Turing was a mathematician, computer scientist and cryptanalyst – incidentally, his life and enormous contribution to society is celebrated on the back of the current £50 bank note. Such was the speed at which AI was developing that in 1952, only two years after Turing’s paper, an American pioneer in the field of machine learning, Arthur Samuel, developed a program to play checkers, the first to ever learn the game independently. It is now some 70-plus years since Turing and Samuel opened the Pandora’s box of AI and since then we have seen the field of AI develop at an exponential rate and it appears to show no sign of slowing. Many photographers – myself included – had never really given AI a second thought until April this year when photographer Boris Eldagsen’s image ‘The electrician’ – from his series Pseudomnesia 2022 – took first place in the Creative category of the Sony World Photography Awards. The only problem with this – and the reason the world’s media picked up the story – was Eldagsen’s winning image wasn’t a photograph at all. It was an AI-generated image created using DALL-E 2, a text-to-image application that creates photo-realistic images from text prompts. Eldagsen rejected the award, describing himself as “a cheeky monkey” who only wanted to test whether the photography competition judges could differentiate between photography and AI-generated imagery. He really did prove his
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point and that sent shock waves through the world of photography. The Guardian, Scientific American, BBC, CBS, CNN, ABC, Business Insider, Huff Post and, of course, the RPS Journal, all ran the story. In fact, I can’t think of a media channel that didn’t. Eldagsen’s winning image brought AI into the consciousness of the photographic mainstream and catalysed at pace the grave concern of photographers. Photographers in every genre began to feel their art and craft was under a clear and present danger of, almost overnight, being rendered at best inadequate and at worst completely irrelevant. It is to the great credit of RPS volunteers in our Regions and Groups that they saw the significance of this technology. They responded – and continue to respond – at a truly incredible pace by arranging online events to educate and inform our members and the wider public. These events and the RPS international two-day conference on Photography and AI in October 2023 is a wonderful example of how our Society delivers on its public benefit charitable objective of “educating the public in the art and science of photography”. In the few months since Eldagsen’s winning image hit the news, much has been said and written about how generative-AI image-making will deprive photographers of their art and craft. But does generative-AI really pose a threat to how we, as photographers, practise our art and craft, and perhaps the more important question, does generative-AI pose a threat to why we take photographs? Of course, the risks of a generative-AI image being touted as an authentic photograph poses a substantial risk to society; but that is a discussion we can have another day. For purposes of this address, I’m going to restrict myself to the perceived risk of generative-AI to the art and craft of photography. Accepting that I may be holding myself a hostage to fortune, let me explain why I believe generative-AI doesn’t pose the threat to our art and craft that many commentators might have us believe. I will do this by deconstructing two statements – one associated with each of two celebrated photographers – and I’ll use this to explain how we use photography to fulfil our very personal need to be creative. Endre Friedmann was born on 22 October 1913 into a Jewish family living in Budapest. As a teenager Friedmann moved to Berlin and enrolled
ROBERT CAPA / INTERNATIONAL CENTER OF PHOTOGRAPHY / MAGNUM PHOTOS
in college but, as Adolf Hitler and the National Socialists rose to power, he moved again, to what was then the relative safety of Paris. Here he met his professional partner, Gerda Taro, and he shared a darkroom with Henri Cartier-Bresson HonFRPS. As Jews living and working in a continent through which the Nazis were making ideological and territorial gains, Endre and Gerda decided to work under aliases. Endre Friedmann became Robert Capa and it is under this alias that Picture Post magazine would later describe him as “the greatest war photographer in the world”. Capa covered five wars and was the only civilian photographer to land on Omaha Beach during D-Day. In recognition of his war photography during World War II, General (later President) Dwight D Eisenhower awarded Capa the United States Medal of Freedom. That was in 1947, the same year in which Capa, with Cartier Bresson, co-founded Magnum Photos in Paris. Capa famously said, “If your pictures aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough.” This simple statement encapsulates the essence of Capa’s approach to photography and his emphasis on capturing the raw and intimate moments of conflict. However, if we deconstruct this statement, we can gain greater insight into Capa’s approach to photography. What does he mean by pictures
being ‘good enough’ and how can pictures be better simply by being ‘close enough’. The ‘good enough’ phrase of Capa’s statement suggests that proximity alone is not sufficient. The quality of the photographs depends on the photographer’s ability to effectively convey the story, emotions and context of the situation through their images. The ‘close enough’ phrase is the part of Capa’s quote that I find most revealing and is perhaps the most useful to informing our own practice as photographers. This phrase suggests that being physically close to the action, the scene, or the subject allows the photographer to immerse themselves in the moment and capture the emotions, details and nuances that might be missed from a distance. In many situations it requires courage, empathy and a deep understanding of the situation to get ‘close enough’ such that the true essence of a scene or event can be captured. Capa’s quote emphasises the importance of proximity and emotional engagement in photography. It encourages us, as photographers, to go beyond superficial observation and strive for a deeper connection with their subject. I mentioned earlier that, while in Paris, Capa shared a darkroom with Cartier-Bresson and it is
‘American troops landing on Omaha Beach, D-Day, Normandy, France, 6 June 1944’ by Robert Capa
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highly likely that Capa and Cartier-Bresson were a significant influence one to the other. So, the second statement I want to consider will, I am sure, be incredibly familiar to every photographer, whatever their preferred genre. Cartier-Bresson is the renowned French humanist photographer often credited with being the pioneer of street photography. Early in the 1930s he became inspired by a photograph by Hungarian photojournalist Martin Munkácsi showing three naked young African boys, caught in near silhouette, running into the surf of Lake Tanganyika. The photograph captured the freedom, grace and spontaneity of the boys’ movement and it was this photograph that inspired Cartier-Bresson to take up photography as a serious pursuit. He explained: “I suddenly understood that a photograph could fix eternity in an instant.” Twenty years later, in 1952, Cartier-Bresson published a book of 126 photographs under the title Images à la sauvette, which had a cover design by his great friend Henri Matisse. The French title of the book translates as something like ‘images on the sly’ or ‘images on the run’. However, it was the title of the English-language edition that provided the phrase with which Cartier-Bresson has become most associated. The title is taken from Cartier-Bresson’s philosophical preface in which he quotes the 17th century Cardinal de Retz: “There is nothing in this world that does not have a decisive moment.” Cartier-Bresson applied the principle of ‘the decisive moment’ to his photographic style, which emphasised capturing a fleeting moment that conveyed the essence of a scene or subject. This became the central theme of his work and was expressed throughout his career as a photographer and in his writings on photography. In the same preface to his 1952 book, Cartier-Bresson explained why ‘the decisive moment’ was so important to him: “To me, photography is the simultaneous recognition, in a fraction of a second, of the significance of an event as well as of a precise organisation of forms which give that event its proper expression.” When applied to photography, ‘the decisive moment’ essentially means recognising and capturing those fleeting, remarkable moments that tell a story, evoke emotions, or convey a message through a single, well-composed photograph. It requires a keen eye, quick reflexes, and a deep understanding of the art and technique of photography. It’s about making a
SUBS ART PRODUCTION CLIENT
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very personal and conscious decision on when to seize that perfect moment when all the elements align, transforming an ordinary subject or scene into an extraordinary captured moment. To anticipate and capture the decisive moment is the challenge of so many genres of photography and it is the rise to this challenge that provides us with the excitement and unpredictability that draws us to our art and craft. So, to conclude, let me refer to the basic human need to be creative. This need is deeply ingrained in our nature and contributes to our personal growth, our wellbeing and ultimately to the advancement of society. As photographers, we take photographs because the art and craft of photography is the way we choose to express ourselves creatively. Capa’s quote, “If your pictures aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough”, implies a personal and intimate connection, a physical presence, of the photographer with the scene or their subject. Cartier-Bresson’s concept of ‘the decisive moment’ implies that the making of a photograph requires a conscious action by the photographer, a decision to press the shutter button at precisely the right moment. It is this personal connection and conscious action with the art and craft of photography that makes us a photographer. Replace either or both with an automated machine-learned action and the resulting image ceases to be the product of our life experiences and learning distilled into a single composition captured at a precise moment in time. It ceases to be our creation and it fails completely to fulfil our human need to be personally creative. As a student of photography in the early 1980s, I explored the history of the picture story and it was this research that convinced me that I wanted to be an editorial photographer, producing images for publication in magazines and newspapers, typically used alongside the written word and intended to convey a message, tell a story or enhance other content of a publication. The most creatively rewarding use of editorial photography is when a series of photographs or a picture story forms the main component of the creative brief. Picture Post and LIFE magazine were two of the most influential publications of the mid-20th century, known for their extensive coverage of news, culture, politics and society, and for their pioneering use of photography. The opening paragraph of LIFE magazine’s 1936 manifesto, written by its founder and publisher Henry Robinson Luce, still describes what is arguably the most inspiring ambition for the work of documentary photographers, photojournalists and editorial photographers: “To see life; to see the world; to eyewitness great events; to watch the faces of the poor and the gestures of the proud; to see strange things – machines, armies, multitudes,
Above ‘Kill the Bill protest, London, 3 April 2021’ by Simon Hill HonFRPS
FONDATION HENRI CARTIER-BRESSON / MAGNUM PHOTOS
Left ‘Saint Lazare station, Place de l’Europe, Paris, France, 1932’ by Henri CartierBresson HonFRPS
shadows in the jungle and on the moon … to see and to take pleasure in seeing; to see and be amazed; to see and be instructed …” No matter how amazing generative-AI becomes, the multiple degrees of separation between our creative ambition as photographers and the automated machine-learned operations of the AI system, mean that our intense creative ambitions and desires will never be adequately fulfilled by simply typing a text prompt into a machine. As photographers, we see in a unique and very personal way; our experience of photography is what gets us out of bed in the morning; we take pleasure in seeing, and we take pleasure in sharing the photographs that we create as evidence of our own very real experiences and of our personal interactions with people and places. Generative-AI – as clever as it undeniably is – will never deprive us of being able “to see and to take pleasure in seeing”. Delivered by Simon Hill HonFRPS to the Annual General Meeting of the Royal Photographic Society, held online on 23 September 2023
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Report of a meeting of the Board of Trustees 22 September 2023
SUBS ART
Present: Simon Hill (Chair), Gavin Bowyer, Sebah Chaudhry, Sophie Collins, Andy Golding, Mathew Lodge, Mervyn Mitchell, Peter Walmsley Apologies: Nicola Bolton, Charlotte Fraiberg Attending: Dan Jones (CEO), Lucinda Stewart (Director of Marketing and Membership), Nikki McCoy (Director of Finance and HR), John Slyne (Finance Consultant)
PRODUCTION CLIENT
The meeting was held online. The Board received and accepted the resignation of Nicola Bolton ARPS. Nicola was thanked for her contribution to the governance of the RPS over the past two years. The Board sent its best wishes to Charlotte Fraiberg who had given apologies to the meeting due to a medical emergency. The principal objective of this meeting was to receive and discuss the initial iteration of the transformation plan and of the financial model (the budget for 2024) to deliver the plan. Nikki McCoy and John Slyne presented the cashflow and management accounts with an indication of the expected outturn for the year. Dan Jones and John then provided a detailed presentation of the first iteration of the budget for 2024, together with an overview of the make-up of the financial proposals and identification of the high-level risks to delivery. Dan provided a summary of the income projections including the monthly membership targets to reverse the trend in net membership. The membership targets exclude membership acquisition in the intended professional offering. Expenditure lines included a higher spend on marketing, and Trustees noted this was targeted to specific operational initiatives
‘Forest-enchantment’ by students Doha, Evaline, Maia, Rufus and Serenity (aged 12-15 years) at the MAKE Saturday Art Club run by Carol Ballenger FRPS and Vivian House ARPS. This image was exhibited alongside the work of seven RPS Fellows at the MAKE Southwest exhibition Responding to Light curated by Susan Brown FRPS. including workshops and Distinctions. Dan described the intended approach to acquisition of professional members, and delivering services and benefits to the professional photography sector. Trustees scrutinised the proposals; Dan and John answered questions on how the reduction in cost base would be achieved. The executive team described how this reduction would be partially offset by targeted expenditure to support the transformation plan and an uplift in the acquisition of new members to agreed targets. While acknowledging the RPS Journal as a key component of the RPS visual arts output, an important member benefit, and playing a crucial role in qualifying the RPS for Gift Aid, the Board considered and supported Dan’s proposals to take the magazine to a quarterly publication and deploy additional editorial assets across the Society’s digital channels.
The Board approved a continuation of the relationship with Think, with whom the Journal has received numerous publishing industry awards for excellence. Dan introduced Lucinda Stewart, the recently appointed Director of Marketing and Membership. Lucinda presented her Marketing and Communication Framework that would support the transformation plans. The new brand proposition and its substantiation were described. Lead generation, member acquisition and member retention processes were presented. The executive team explained the assumptions made in creating its transformation plans and budget for 2024. The Board discussed KPIs and metrics that would signal success or failure in delivery of the plans, together with ‘course correction’ and contingency plans that would be deployed if necessary.
Trustees supported this first iteration of the transformation plan, budget 2024 and marketing strategy. A more refined iteration, incorporating Trustee recommendations, will be presented to the Board in October with the ambition of gaining Board sign-off for the final iteration in November. In the meantime, the CEO, Peter Walmsley and Sophie Collins will collaborate in preparing a substantive risk identification and mitigation plan for the transformation plan. The meeting concluded with a review and approval of the responses to member questions on the Annual Report and Accounts 2022. Committee Minutes were received and any actions were assigned. Due to time constraints, four general papers were carried over to the next meeting. Simon Hill HonFRPS President and Chair of Trustees
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2023
BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN
RPS JOURNAL
667
91RPSSEP23161.pgs 12.10.2023 10:27
AGM/Board reports, 1
SOCIETY
AGM/Board reports, 2
VERSION
Report of the Annual General Meeting
REPRO OP
23 September 2023
SUBS ART PRODUCTION CLIENT
The AGM 2023 was held as an online webinar with, at the start of the meeting, 158 members present and 76 members having previously nominated the President as their proxy (a total of 234 voting members represented). All votes were conducted as a webinar poll. The President, Simon Hill HonFRPS, welcomed all to the meeting, noting that UK and international members were attending. He informed the meeting that Charlotte Fraiberg, Honorary Treasurer, was unable to attend due to a medical emergency. The President introduced Dan Jones (CEO), John Slyne (Finance Consultant) and Adrian Leighton (Communications Consultant). The Minutes of the AGM 2022 held 24 September 2022 were made available to all members prior to the meeting. There were no errors or omissions notified and there were no matters arising. In the subsequent poll, 198 members (90% of those indicating a vote) voted to accept the Minutes as a true and accurate record of the meeting. In advance of the AGM, the Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 December 2022 were made available to all members. In a presentation, the President highlighted key data from the Annual Report including exhibitions, the RPS Awards, education, Distinctions and qualifications, and a breakdown of membership numbers across Groups, Regions and international. The current membership of the Society is 10,036 which is a fall of 2.1% over the previous 12 months. John Slyne presented the financial report on behalf of the Honorary Treasurer. There followed a question-and-answer session hosted by Adrian Leighton which is fully documented in the Minutes of the meeting.
668
RPS JOURNAL
In the subsequent poll, 200 members (88.9% of those indicating a vote) voted to approve and accept the Annual Report and Accounts 2022. The President then sought approval of the members for the appointment of Moore UK Accountants as the auditors for 2023. In the subsequent poll, 201 members (92.6% of those indicating a vote) voted to approve the appointment of Moore UK Accountants. The Chief Executive Officer (appointed February 2023) gave a report to the meeting. He began with a review of the budget history of the Society which highlighted year-onyear operating deficits (excluding donations and legacies) from at least 2007. The financial situation deteriorated further following investment in property (the purchase of RPS House in 2019) and in technology (a new CRM system procured in 2022). This review demonstrated that cultural changes to the delivery of RPS activities during the Covid-19 pandemic provided a positive effect on reducing the operating deficit. The CEO suggested this could represent a blueprint for the future evolution of RPS services. The CEO described the new brand proposition, ‘Everything you need for your journey in photography’, and gave a high-level overview of how this would manifest itself in the future delivery of services and member benefits. He described his ambitions to drive up membership, reduce the cost base of the Society through reorganisation and improvements in efficiency, and improve existing membership ‘pain points’ across the Society. In 2024 the staff team will have a major focus on the uptake of Distinctions which will include LRPS becoming an entirely digital workflow, and a more efficient application process across all Distinction levels. The RPS Journal will become a quarterly publication
An image from the cover of the 2022 AGM Report, taken from No Safety Net by Brian Morgan FRPS. The series, awarded an RPS Fellowship in 2022, focuses on the lives of circus performers and will feature in a book. (rather than bi-monthly) with greater use made of editorial material across our digital channels. The CEO then answered ‘live’ questions from the members, all of which are detailed in the Minutes of the meeting. The President provided a summary of Board appointments and resignations that had taken place during 2022-2023 and gave Notice of elections in 2024 (for four Elected Trustees and two Appointed Trustees) and the Presidential election in 2025. He outlined the process and timeline that will be managed by the RPS Nominations Committee. The President explained the situation concerning the Privy Council opinion on the legitimacy of the By-Laws and how the Board is working to resolve this.
There was one Motion put to the meeting, to approve changes to the 2021 By-Laws. In the subsequent poll, 190 members (88.4% of those indicating a vote) voted to support the Motion. Under By-Law 2021:28.10 it is necessary to gain at least a two-thirds majority to pass any Motion to amend the By-Laws. Consequently, the Motion was passed. The meeting concluded with thanks and the delivery of the President’s Address, “To see and take pleasure in seeing”, which is published in this edition of the RPS Journal (see page 662). Simon Hill HonFRPS President and Chair of Trustees
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2023
BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN
91RPSSEP23162.pgs 12.10.2023 10:27
VERSION REPRO OP SUBS
VISIT
ART
‘Portrait of Milka Ternina as Fidelio’, Munich, 11 August 1896, by Aterlier Elvira
The RPS Collection is at the V&A Photography Centre, London vam.ac.uk
PRODUCTION CLIENT
PORTRAITS AND PIONEERS
RPS COLLECTION / V&A MUSEUM, LONDON
Behind this image of a Croatian soprano is a story of 19th-century feminism, writes Sandy Jones
A strikingly contemporary portrait of Croatian soprano Milka Ternina, this image was taken in 1896 by Studio Elvira, Munich’s first incorporated business run by two unmarried women. Established in 1887 by Anita Augspurg (1845-1943) and Sophia Goudstikker (1865-1924), the studio was on the top floor of their Art Nouveau home, designed by architect August Endell. The house, known as the ‘dragon castle’ on account
of the seven-metre-high dragon bas-relief on its green façade, was an important meeting point for the city’s intellectual and artistic community, and embodied the progressive outlook and unconventional lifestyle of its inhabitants. In 1894, Augspurg and Goudstikker established the Society for the Promotion of Intellectual Interests of Women, while working in professions historically dominated by men.
Augspurg was Germany’s first qualified female lawyer and Goudstikker, the first businesswoman to be granted a royal licence, earning the studio the title ‘Hof-Atelier’. Elvira specialised in portraits of the artistic, political and professional communities, as well as members of the royal family. The production of cabinet cards was a lucrative way to participate in the emerging celebrity culture of late 19th-century Europe. In this
image, Ternina is depicted as Leonore from Beethoven’s opera, Fidelio. Disguised as the male prison guard Fidelio so she can effect the rescue of her imprisoned husband, Leonore wears masculine tailoring and grasps the silk bow at her throat. The slits in her sleeves reveal her shirt underneath, perhaps alluding to her hidden identity. Sandy Jones is curator of architecture and design, V&A Museum, London
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2023
BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN
RPS JOURNAL
669
91RPSSEP23163.pgs 11.10.2023 14:00
The collection, 1
THE COLLECTION
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Sigma 500mm F4 DG OS HSM Sport CAF/NAF available
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UsedCanon
CANON R MIRRORLESSUSEO R3 body box ______ £4799 RSbody box ______ £3299 R6 body box ______ £1799 £1399 RF14-35 F4 LIS USM....................... RF15-35 F2.8 LIS USM................... £1699 RF18-1SOF3.S/6.3ISSTM............... £ASK £639 RF24 Fl .8 STM macro ....................... RF24-105 F4 u,_ ____ £1149 RF35 Fl .815 STM box ........................ £469 RF50 Fl.2 L USM box ..................... £2199 RF70-200 F4 LIS_____ £1399 RF100 F2.8 L IS USM macro .........£1199 RF100-500 F4.S/7.1LIS USM.......£2699 RF600 Fl 1 IS STM_____ £599 RF800 F11 IS STM_____ £899 Mount ada EF-EOSR contol ring ...£199 £99 Mount adapter EF-EOSR.................... BG-RlOgrip,_______ £319
IVll<C>IV
FLJJI,
NIKON DSLRUSED DF body bo"- _____ £1199 DS body bo,~ ______ £ASK £1799/2399 D850 body Mint box ............ D810 body bo,~-----£999 D800 body bo,~-----£599 £1599 0780 body Mint box ....................... D750 body _______ £899 DSOObody bo,~ _____ £1399 D7200 body box _____ £649 D7100 body box _____ £449 D7000 body ______ £349 DS300 body ______ £229 D3400 body ______ £299 £99 D3100 body _______ D3200 body ______ £149 D80 body. _______ £149 MBD-1S (D7100/7200) ........................ £69 MBD-12 box (D800/810) ................... £199 MBD-10 grip (D300i-----f49 £49 MBD-200 grip,______ MBD-80 grip _______ £49
BRONICA,
FUJI,
BRONICA645 USED ETRSi+ AEII prism+ 7S Ell + speed grip+ 120 back................... £699 ETRSi+ 75 PE+ WLF + 120 .............. £749 ETRSibody. _______ £299 ETRSbody _______ £199 40 F4 PE............. £499 40 F4 E........... £299 SOF2.8 PE_______ £499 SOF2.8 MC _______ £199 135 F4________ £299 150 F3.SE........£149 150 F3.SPE...£199 180 F4.SP~------£399 250F5.6 ________ £199 200 F4.SPc_ ______ £199 2x extender--,---,-----£79 ETRSi120 back RWClate .................. £119 Polaroid back box_ ____ £29 AEIII prism .....£399 AEII prism ........£199
AUTO/MANUAL
CANONAF FILM BODIESUSED EOS3 body _______ £499 EOS5 body ________ £99 EOS600/650/SOEbody each............. £79 EOS500/30 body each ........................ £39 CANON FD USED A 1 World Cup 1982 body box .........£249 Al body ________ £199 AEl P silver body _____ £ 199 £99 T90 body ........£199 170 body ............ 28 F2.8________ £99 SOFl.8 ________ £79 SOF3.Sma<-------£149 70-210 F4_______ £99 100-300 FS.6.....£99 135 F3.S............ £69 500 F8________ f299 2x extender B______ £49 FD auto bellows box .......................... £149 LIGHTMETERSUSED Minolta Auto Meter IVFbox ............ £249 Minolta FlashmeterV ......................... £299
HASSELBLAD,
Ext tube E14 or E28each.................... £69 135N back ETRS_____ _.239 Speed grip E...£99 WLF.................... £199 Rotary prism E bo,"----~199 Plain prism E boX----~169 Lenshoods various _____ £40 BRONICA6x6 USED SQAi + 80 + WLF + 120 box ............. £999 SQAi bodY------~499 SQA body ______ _z299 SQBbody _______ i299 40 F4 P~------~499 50 F3.SPSbox _____ ~349 110 F4 mac..£299 150 F4 PS........... £299 1.4x conv PS______ _.249 £149 2x conv PS.....£199 2x conv S.......... SQAiwaist level finder ....................... £199 SQAi prism late______ £399
FOCUS
UsedCanon
CANON AF LENSESUSED 8-15 F4 L USM______ £899 10-1B F4.5/5.6IS STM......................... £199 10-22 F3.S/4.SUSM EFS.................... £299 14 F2.BUSM Lii ______ £999 15-BSF3.S/S.6EFS_____ £299 £1199 16-35 F2.8USM LIii .......................... 16-35 F4 USM IS L box ....................... £799 17-40 F4 L USM______ £399 17-55 F2.8IS USM box EFS............... £599 18-55 F3.S/5.6IS STM........................... £99 18-135 F3.S/S.6USM Nano .............. £399 18-135 F3.S/S.6IS USM ..................... £199 18-200 F3.S/S.6IS----~,299 24 F1.4 USM LIi bOX----~999 24 F3.STSEII box _____ fl 199 24 F3.STSEbox ______ £599 24-70 F2.8 USM LIi box ................... £1199 24-70 F4 IS USM ~----~799
800 FS.6IS USM L____ £5999 1.4x extender MKIII £349 2x extender MKIII £349 12mm ext tube II £59 25mm ext tube II £129 SIGMA CAF USED 8-16 F4.S/S.6HSM DC box ............... £299 10 F2.8 EXDC HSM----~.299 10-20 F3.SEX DC HSM....................... £279 12-24 F4.S/S.6II DG_,----i•499 15 F2.8 EXDG fisheye box ............... £299 17-50 F2.8 EX DC OS HSM................ £269 SOFl .4 DG HSM Ar'----i•499 50-500 F4.S/S.6DG HSM................... £799 1OSF2.8EX DG HSM OS box ........... £299 1SOF2.8EX DG OS HSM box ........... £499 150-600 FS/6.3DG OS sport. ........£1099 150-600 FS/6.3DG OS contem .......£749 500 F4 DG OS HSM Sport box .....£3499
CAMERAS
Minolta Flashmeter IVF..................... £199 Sekonic L308B______ £149 Sekonic L358=------f199 MINOLTAAF USED 9xi or 800Si body each ........................ £99 7Xi body--,--,------f69 500Si Super body _____ £39 505Si Super body _____ £39 VC700 grip Dynax 700Si/800Si.........£59 MINOLTAMD USED X700 body black ____ ~l 99 X300s body black _____ £79 X300 body blk/chrome ....................... £99 35-70 F3.S/4.5______ £69 SOFl.7 ________ £99 50--135F3.5______ _,149 70--210F4________ f99 75-200 F4.5_______ £99 300 F4.S-------~199 Kenko TelepIus macro conv ............... £69 Auto bellows 111-----~149
24-105 F4 IS USM L ____ £499 £1199 35 F1.4USM LIi box ......................... 50 F1.2L USM bo,~ ____ £999 SOFl.4 USM______ £199 SOFl .8 STM bo,~ _____ £99 55-250 F4/S.6IS,-----£199 £1699 70-200 F2.8 IS USM Llll. .................. 70-200 F2.BIS USM LIi .................... £1199 70-300 F4/5.6 IS USM II Nano.......... £499 70-300 F4/S.6IS USM......................... £249 75-300 F4.S/5.~ _____ £169 85 Fl .8 USM box _____ £299 £799 100 F2.8 IS USM L macro box.......... 100 F2.8 USM macro box .................. £399 100-400 F4.S/S.6L box ...................... £899 180 F3.5 L USM macro ....................... £599 300 F2.8 IS USM LIi........................... £3699 400 F4 DO IS II USM......................... £3999 500 F4 IS USM Lii _____ £5999
LEIVSES,
NIKONAF LENSESUSED 8-1S F3.S/4.SAFS_____ £997 10-20 F4.S/S.6AF-P DXVR ............... £239 10-24 F3.S/4.SAFS box...................... £399 14-24 F2.8AFS box ____ £799 16 F2.8AFO fisheye box.................... £399 16-35 F4 AFSVR box .......................... £599 16-80 F2.8/4VR DX ____ £599 16-85 F3.S/S.6AFSVR........................ £149 17-55 F2.8G DX AFS........................... £399 18-55 F3.S/S.6AF VR DX ..................... £99 18-1OSF3.S/5.6VR DX AFS............... £149 18-140 F3.S/S.6AFSVR...................... £199 18-200 F3.S/5.6VR DX MKll.............. £399 18-200 F3.S/5.6VR DX box ............... £279 18-300 F3.S/S.6VR DX ....................... £599 20 Fl .8 AFS box_ _____ £629 24 Fl .4 G AFSMin~----£997 24 F2.8AFD,_______ £249 24-70 F2.8AFSVR box .................... £1399 24-70 F2.8AFS______ f699 24-120 F4 AFSV,~ ____ £699
C>LYIVIPLJS,
18-55 F2.8/4 XF Mint- ........................ £449 23 Fl .4 XF M- bo~----£599 55-200 F3.S/4.8R box ........................ £499 60 F2.4 XF macro _____ £369 80 F2.8 XFWR macro mint ............... £749 1.4x XF converter _____ £299 Samyang 12 F2 man focus ............... £199 EF-42flash _______ £149 MINOLTAAF USED Dynax 9 body box _____ £499 20 F2.8......... £299 28-80 F3.S/S.6......£49 28-135 F4/4.5 box ___ -,-_£149 SOFl .7........... £99 70-210 F3.S/4.S....£99 75-300 F4.S/S.6______ £49 100 F2.8 macro ______ f299
More on website - www.mifsuds.com.
UsedCanon
CAIVIERAS,
IVIIIVC>LTA/SC>IVY,
GITZOTRIPODS/HEADSUSED GT3530S+ G2272M head ................ £549 GT3533LS_______ f679 GT3542________ f499 GTSS42LS_______ f849 GH37SOQRhead _____ £299 £279 GH3780QD head_____ GH5381SQD head _____ £299 GH5380SQRhead _____ £299 FUJIDIGITALUSED £299 X-Tl body Graphite____ X-H1 body_,_ _____ £549 10-24 F4 XF R bo,x_____ £499 16 F1.4WR bo,._ _____ £599 16-80 F4 ________ f599
35mm
CANON OSLRUSEO 7D MKII body bo~ ____ £699 6D MKII body ______ £999 6D body bo,~ ______ £599 SD MKIV body box ........................... £ 1997 SD MKIII body ______ £799 600D body _______ £249 BODbody. _______ £599 1300Dbody ______ £199 BG-E20grip .....£149 BG-E16grip ...£149 BG-E11grip .......£99 BG-EBgrip ........£79 BG-E7grip _______ £49 CANON M MIRRORLESSUSED MSObody box ....£469 M6 body ....£329 £319 EF-M 11-22 F4/S.6 ISSTM................. £99 EF-M 15-45 F3.S/6.3ISSTM............... EF-M22 F2 STM_____ f189 EF-M55-200 F4.5/6.3 ISSTM........... £249 EF-Madapter _______ £89
ALJTC>FC>CLJS
NIKON Z MIRRORLESSUSED Z9 body box_-, ____ £4699 Z7 MKII body Mint box ................... £2599 Z7 bodybox ______ £1599 Z6 MKII body box ____ £1799 Z6 body box ...£899 ZSObody ........£599 MB-N10 grip (2617)____ £149 14-24 F2.8S bo,x_ ____ f1999 14-30 F4 S box ______ £899 16-50 F3.5/6.3 SVR DX ...................... £249 24-50 F4/6.3 5 ______ £199 24-70 F2.8 S bo,x_ ____ £1799 £499 24-70 F4 S Mint bo,x_____ £879 24-200 F4/6.3VR box ......................... 35 F1.8 5________ £799 SOF1.2 S box ______ £1999 SOF1.8 5________ £529 50-250 F4.S/6.3S DX.......................... £339 70-200 F2.8VR S box ....................... £1997 85 Fl .8 Z bo~------£699 FTZadapter bo,~-----£199 W'MrW'.rnl.,suds.corn
ifsuds.corn
828 8126(Bam-Bpm)or01803 852400
100-300 F4.S/S.6_____ £79 100-400 F4.S/6.7 £499 SONYDIGITALUSED RX10MKIV box _____ fl 199 A9body £1699 A100 body £99 SONYA MOUNTLENSESUSED Sony A 18-70 F3.S/S.6.......................... £69 Sony 1.4x conv box_ ____ £299 OTHERSONYA MOUNTAF USED SIG 12-24 F4.S/5.6II HSM DG.......... £399 SIG50 Fl .4 DG Art box ...................... £399 SIG 1OSF2.8 EXDG OS...................... £269 TAM 16-300 F3.S/6.3Di II PZD........£349 TAM 28-75 XR Di box.......................... £199
IVIAIVIIYA, SQAi 120 back late _____ £199 SQA 120 back early ____ £149 Plain prism S,______ £249 Polaroid back......£29 WLF................ £199 SQAspeedgrip _____ £149 SQA macro bellow,_ ____ £ 199 Lenshoods various .......................... £20/50 BRONICAGS 6x7 USED 150 F4 PG_______ £299 AE prism________ £249 Speedgrip G bo~-----f 149 HASSELBLAD6x6 USED SOOCM+ 80 F2.8CF + A12 ..........£2399 135 FS.6CF+ bellows ........................ £999 150 F4 CF_______ f699 150 F4 Black"f" ______ f499 A12 black latest box ........................... £499 A 12 chrome _______ £299
& ACCESSORIES, Bellows IV bo·------f149 £49 Macro ext tube for 50 F3.5................. Auto ext tube se~-----£49 NIKON AF USED FSbody ______ f399/599 F90X body ___ --, ___ £149 F801 body ......... £99 F70 body ...........£79 NIKON MF USED Nikon F Photomic FTnApollo chrome body _ __, ____ £699 Nikon F Photomic plain prism Apollo chrome body ______ £699 F Photomic + 50mm F1.4F.............. £699 F3Tbody _______ £1199 F3HPbody _______ f799 F3 body ________ f499 F2 Photomic + DP-1 chrome ........... £499 F2A body black _____ £599 FM2n body Black_____ £499 FM2n bodyChrome_ ____ £499 FE2body chrome _____ £349
FLASI-I
ETC-
28 F2.8AFD_______ £169 28-300 F3.S/S.6VR box ...................... £699 35 Fl .8 AFSG DX_____ £129 35 Fl .8 AFSED..£37935 F2.8AFD....£299 SOFl .4 AFSG box _____ £299 SOF1.4AFD_______ f149 SOFl .8 AFS bo,~-----f169 SOF1.8AFD_______ £99 55-200 F4.5/5.6AFSVR box ............. £149 60 F2.8AFS_______ £399 60 F2.8 AFD_______ £299 70-200 F2.8EFL AFS box .............. £1599 70-200 F4VRIIAFS_____ £899 70-200 F4VR AFS_____ £599 70-300 F4.S/S.6E AF PVR................. £549 70-300 F4.S/S.6AFSVR box ............. £299 80-400 F4.S/S.6AFD........................... £499 85 Fl .4 G AFS______ £999 85 Fl .8 AFS bo,x_ _____ f299 105 F1.4 EAFS bo,x_ ____ f1399 1OSF2.8AFSv~-----£499 200 F4 macro ______ £1499
PAIVASC>IVIC
PENTAX
ETC.
CANON,
MINOLTA,
USEC> 1SOF2.8 EX DG OS HSM box ........... £499 150-600 FS/6.3 DG OS sport .........£1099 150-600 FS/6.3 DG OS contem .......£749 300-800 FS.6EX DG......................... £2999 500 F4 DG OS HSM Sport box .....£3499 TC-1401extender _____ f199 OTHERNAF USED TAM 16-300 F3.S/6.3II VC................. £399 TAM28-300F3.5/6.3Di VC PZD........£599 TAM 90 F2.8 macro ____ £ 199 TAM 180 F3.5Di macro ..................... £299 TAM 1.4x conv (150-600).................. £299 FLASH/ ACCESSORIES USED R1C1ringflash kit _____ £599 SB-600............. £99 SB-800box ........£149 SB-900........... £249 SB-910................. £299 £249 SU-800commander ........................... OR-6or OR-5angle finder each .....£139 £99 OR-4angle finder _____ £79 DR-3angle finder _____ MC-36A rem ....£89 MC-30A rem......£39 SC-17/SC-19/SC-28cable each.........£49
OLYMPUS,
LJSEC> 45-200 F4.S/S.6box ____ £199 100-300 F4/S.6MKll ____ £399 PENTAXDIGITALUSED KS body ......... £299 KX body ............. £199 K200D body _______ f149 16-45 F4 ED DA bo,x_____ fl 99 18-55 F3.S/S.6Ae- _____ £69 18-250 F3.5/6.3 DA ____ £249 35 F2.4 DA A,~ ______ £99 35-80 F4/S. £49 50 F1.8 DA_______ £119 50-200 F4/5.6 w~-,----£99 OTHER PENTAXAF USED Samyang 8 F3.5MF box .................... £149 SIG 70-300 F4/S.6 DG macro ........... £139
FORIVIAT
PENTAX645 AF USED 33-55 F4.Sf,,._ ______ £599 45-85 F4.Sf,,._ ______ £499 55 F2.8D FA box _____ f499 55-110 FS.6FA______ f599 120 F4 FAmacro _____ £599 150-300 FS.6FA ED box .................... £599 200 F4 FA........£399 300 FS.6FA.....£599 400 FS.6F~------£699 PENTAX645 MF USED 45 F2.8________ f299 55 F2.8________ £399 80-160 F4.5_______ £299 120 F4 mac.....£399 200 F4.............. £199 135 F4 leaf_______ £499 300 F4 green T* _____ £599 1.4x converter ______ f 199 2x converter ______ £199
NIKON,
F301 body £99 24 F2.8Al,_ ______ £299 28 F2.8Al,_ ______ £399 28F3.SAI £169 28 F4 shin-.._______ £399 28-85 F3.5/4.5Al ,._ ____ £299 35 F2.8shift ______ £399 35 F2 AIS_______ £329 35-70 F3.SAIS______ £99 35-105 F3.S/4.SAIS____ £149 SOF1.2 Al~------£499 50 F1.4Al~------£329 SOF1.4Al _______ £249 SOF1.8Al"-----~149/199 SOF2 Al ________ £99 50-135 F3.SAl;,_ _____ £199 55 F2.8AIS micro _____ f199 80-200 F4 AIS______ £249 100-300 FS.6AIS_____ £299 135 F2.8Al......£ 199 135 F3.SAl .......£99 180 F2.BEDAIS_____ £399
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C>IGITAL
12-45 F4 Pro box_ ____ £399 14-42 F3.S/S.6IIR_____ £149 24 F2.8________ f169 40-150 F4.S/S.6______ f149 60 F2.8 macro ______ £369 £399 75-300 F4.8/6.7MSCll........................ PANASONICDIGITALUSED G3 body,-,--,------£69 GX-7 body black box .......................... £299 LX100 box _______ £399 £499 7-14 F4 box _______ 8 F3.Sbox-,-- ______ £449 £299 12-60 F3.S/S.6______ 14-42 F3.S/S.6______ £99 14-45 F4/S.6....£149 25 Fl.7 ............ £119
IVIEDIUIVI
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Back story, 1
BACKSTORY VERSION REPRO OP
IT STARTED WITH A HUG Photojournalist Pamela Singh explains how a visual gesture by a group of villagers in the Indian Himalayas sparked a movement
SUBS ART PRODUCTION CLIENT
‘Chipko treehuggers of the Himalayas #4, 1994’ by Pamela Singh
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RPS JOURNAL
This 1994 photograph by Pamela Singh appears in RE/SISTERS, a Barbican exhibition exploring the link between women’s oppression and ecological destruction. “I was in the village that day and was invited to witness the demonstration,” says Singh, who spent five years travelling around India as a photojournalist. “When you primarily do reportage style work that’s the process every day. Pictures and events flow in your path.”
This story spoke to her professionally and personally, she says. “Movements at grassroot levels are highly significant and of great interest to me, especially ecological ones. I have been working in forests and tree planting since I was 13 years old, so the Chipko movement had a particularly important meaning for me.” Although Singh still regularly travels to the Himalayas, she has never witnessed anything else
quite like this. The Chipko women are an enduring inspiration to activists today. “Migration has happened and many people have left the area,” Singh says, “but the ideal is still there for those who worship the forest and the land.” RE/SISTERS: A Lens on Gender and Ecology, 5 October 2023 to 14 January 2024, Barbican Centre, London. barbican.org.uk
PAMELA SINGH / SEPIAEYE
‘Treehugger’ is a term you are probably familiar with. It’s used to describe – sometimes to dismiss – environmental campaigners. You may be less familiar with its origins. In the 1970s, a group of women villagers in the Indian Himalayas came together to protect forests threatened by commercial logging and the Chipko movement was born. Using their bodies as shields, the women literally hugged the trees, encircling them with their arms.
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2023
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91RPSSEP23164.pgs 11.10.2023 13:53
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