RPS Distinctions Workshop

The number of tickets for this workshop is limited to ensure all attendees get maximum value, please book early.

Please also book via the website, there is no 'pay on the door' facility, sorry.

This relaxed workshop is aimed at members and non members who would like to learn more about the RPS Distinctions Journey and could be for you if you are interested in finding out more about doing a Licentiate distinction or Associate distinction in Travel, Applied, Documentary, Fine Art or Conceptual and Contemporary.

In the morning there will initially be a series of short presentations by members who have been successful with their panels and then the majority of the day will be workshop based, looking and talking about attendees ideas for their own panels.

You will learn about criteria, writing statements and paneling and sequencing, all of which should help you on your own journey to success.

Timetable for the Day

Introduction

Stewart Wall MA ARPS is an RPS panel assessor and Distinctions Committee member and will introduce the day, describing its purpose and also how he sees, based on the RPS criteria, the progression of the three levels of distinctions

Documentary and Applied Distinctions

As well as talking about current aspects of distinctions he will talk about his first failed associate panel, which was based on his professional work and then his succesful panel where he documented his neighbour, the town's local stonemason and told the story of how many generations of the stonemason family had worked from the same 12ft square room since 1886.

The journey between distinction applications opened up a completely new approach to photography for him and led him to undertake a BA (hons) and an MA (both in contemporary documentary photography and he will discuss his future plans to do a fellowship and a PhD using the same).

WHAT DID DOING A DISTINCTION DO FOR US?

SPEAKERS

Associate Travel Distinction: Sue Hutton ARPS

Sue Hutton will talk about her journey from initially planning to do a visual art panel to ultimately being succesful with an associate travel panel, where the experience of failure enlightened her on how to succeed.

Conceptual and Contemporary: Robert Herringshaw ARPS

Robert Herringshaw eventually gained his ARPS in the Conceptual and Contemporary category in the spring 2019. During the workshop, he will explain how this was an emotional journey and one which necessitated him returning to Oradour sur Glane to reconfirm his work .

Robert will further explain the power and importance of the written statement not only in the preparation and the capture of the images but in the final adjudication by the panel of specialist assessors.

One of Robert’s photographs , he says, changed everything for him. ‘A river of tears, in a place that for just one day seemingly became devoid of all humanity.’

I am sure he will tell us, that as good as the end result undoubtedly is , it is the process that is important. How it has helped him develop as a photographer and returning to France was a reaffirmation

Licentiate: Wendy Meagher LRPS

Wendy Meagher enjoyed an early Christmas present in December 2019 when she was recommended for her licentiate, something she had been carefully planning for throughout the year.

Wendy, already an experienced visual art photographer, and member of the RPS Visual Art Group Committee will talk about how she carefully ensured she demonstrated her camera work skills, as well as her visual awareness and Communication skills in photography by creating an overall impression of a competent and skilled photographer. She did this through careful selection of images and a well designed panel layout.

In the image shown above the panel of assessors highlighted the clever placement of the person in blue which shows a 'thinking photographer'. Henri Cartier-Bresson, the French humanist photographer and who is considered by many as being a master of candid photography might have referred to Wendy as having 'captured a decisive moment'. 

Wendy attended a similar event to this one at Grimsby in 2019, as an applicant and is pleased to be helping others by talking about her experience a few months later.  

WORKSHOP

The workshop is the majority part of the day where you, as the attendee will have the opportunity to sit and talk to all the speakers, and each other about your own panels and thoughts in a relaxed atmosphere.

We will discuss the art of paneling your images to show them off to their best effect so you will have every opportunity to succeed

The event is ideal for anyone with an interest in doing a distinction, your work might be almost ready for submission, or you might be at the beginning of your journey and just want to find out more.

Please bring a Packed lunch as there are no shops near by

although coffee and tea will be provided on the day