RPS Digital Imaging

We run various projects and competitions for you to meet other members and see what people are doing:

• A digital image competition, with three classes and a final round to choose the winners.
• A print portfolio to select a showcase of the breadth of members' work, with printed copies for all entrants.
• A bi-monthly fun competition with winners selected by the membership.
• Talk-Walk-Talk (in association with the Landscape Group) - a themed talk, member-led walks and a round-up session to discuss results. Next round: 'Sites of Religious Significance'. Email twt@rps.org if you'd like to lead a walk.
• New projects for 2025: Alternative Reality and Mono, Handmade Books and Zines, and Finding your Style.
• One-off events like our World Photography Day challenge ↗ and a fun AI competition.

The DI Group offers you a number of opportunities to learn about photography, at various levels according to your needs:

• Online webinars ↗ with well-known photographers, on Saturday afternoons, plus occasional extra events. Click the link to book (or see below for an introduction).
• A wide range of workshops and tutorials from our expert tutors.
• Peer support groups run by members: online e-circle discussions and postal print circles.
• An LRPS support group to mentor you on your way to your first distinction.
• The DIGIT archive: charting the development of digital technology and techniques.
• Pulse: a monthly listing of What's On at DI, with links to join workshops etc.
• Online resources including our AI Hub and Youtube channel.

Communication is a two-way process. You can engage with the DI Group in various ways:

• Read and contribute articles to our publications: DIGIT magazine, DI Online newsletter, and Accolade magazine.
• Contact our volunteers with queries or suggestions.
• Volunteer to help the committee with defined tasks.
• Attend our annual AGM and day of events in February.
• Join our Facebook group for critique and chat.
• If you live nearby, we have a Southern Centre based in the Ringwood area. Visit their web page to find out more about the events they organise.
• Find out about photobooks and zines our members have produced, and perhaps buy copies.

Guy Tal is a professional writer and photographic artist living in Utah.

In this talk entitled 'Be Extraordinary-Individuality of Expression in Photography', Guy will review some of the ideas and advice he offers in his most recent book, Be Extraordinary, based in part (but not entirely) on existentialist ethics, as well as on various relevant scientific findings. Specifically, Guy will discuss the value of approaching your artistic work as a means of elevating and enriching your subjective, inner experiences.

He is the author of several books, a regular contributor to various periodicals, a blogger, and an educator. Guy’s work reflects his love of wild place and the experiences they afford, as well as his lifelong interest in science, philosophy, and art.

Greg Benz says that traditional monitors have been significantly less capable, resulting in photographs which fail to look like the original scene. Real-world light includes a wide dynamic range which is visible to both the human eye and digital cameras.

His presentation will show us that, by using new HDR ("high dynamic range") monitor technology, we finally have a way to unlock up to 6 additional stops of dynamic range and show images that much more accurately recreate the emotional impact of the original scene.

Greg is a professional landscape and cityscape photographer, Photoshop instructor, and software developer, the creator of the "Lumenzia" luminosity masking panel for Photoshop.

Cole Thompson says ‘For many years I was a Photographic Grazer. I photographed wherever the grass was greener and resisted working on projects. And while I created some wonderful "greatest hits" images, the images were not related in any way. But then something happened that changed how I viewed projects, and now I've gone project crazy!’

In this talk, you’ll hear about his fascination with portfolios from Melting Giants to Ceiling Lamps, and the secret to creating great ones:

‘There isn't one. But what I have learned is that all my portfolios have two ingredients in common: Vision and Passion. Find out how I create projects and why.’

Cole Thompson’s qualification to speak to us is ‘Just one…my images. Nothing else matters.’