I obtained my LRPS back in 1995. Following my retirement, I now had the opportunity to do something different with my photography and thought a Project of some description might provide the challenge I was looking for. Was it finally time to progress my distinctions with the RPS?
A trip to Namibia was organised for 2018 and this included a brief visit to the deserted Diamond Mining town of Kolmanskop, which was once owned and operated jointly by the Namibian Government and De Beers. Having worked for De Beers for thirty years it was with excitement that I visited Kolmanskop in April 2018. Here was a place I felt I had a personal connection with and that might provide an opportunity to take photographs with an Associateship in mind. The location did not disappoint, apart from the fact that I was there for less than two days.
I reviewed my proposed panel with a Fellow of the RPS, and it was clear that I did not have enough variety of images. This resulted in a return trip to Namibia being organised for April the following year. This time I had a definitive plan of what to take, how and at what time of day.
For my successful panel, four images survived from the 2018 visit, a further three were reshot in 2019 under different lighting conditions and the remaining eight were completely new from the second visit.
I found it invaluable attending several ARPS Advisory days prior to deciding on a subject and, once a proposed panel had been put together, obtaining the advice of a Fellow of the RPS.
Working towards an ARPS was an enjoyable, yet challenging, experience. To produce the final panel took no more than a month over a period of a year and a half from conception to Distinction.
John Dunn ARPS - Fine Art
Statement of Intent
