Documentary Awards Exhibition
The Opening of the Documentary Awards Exhibition 2024 on 8 May in the Nunnery Gallery, Bow Road, London. This is the first in a touring exhibition that takes the exhibition around the country, with local events taking place. The exhibition showcases 9 photographers - three Members, three Students and three Open Category, selected from over 3000 images.
The Opening evening was hosted by the Documentary Groups with Mark Phillips FRPS, Harry Hall FRPS and Nick Hodgson FRPS in attendance, RPS President Simon Hill Hon FPRS joined to open the event and exhibition. Our thanks also go to David and Judith Hicks, and Gordon Johnson from RPS London Region who helped with the installation.
Nature Group Events
We have run over 50 events from May 2023 to April 2024 including Zoom Talks, Advisory Days, Workshops, Day Field trips and Residential Events. We have a team of around 10 Members who organise the various events, which I coordinate into a programme for our Members. Attendance is variable, often because of the sensitive environmental status of areas we visit, the groups are small. All events are open to Members and non-Members and most are free unless the location has a charge.
East Anglia Region
Documentary
Over the last 12 months the RPS East Anglia Documentary Group has visited Newmarket as guests of The Jockey Club. On the first occasion to visit the gallops and stables and then to a race meeting.
We have organised Exhibitions of members prints at The Forum Norwich, made a major contribution to Slipstream 24 when families of USAF WW2 aircrew visited Norwich. RPS East Anglia Documentary Local Group Leader Richard Jefferies made a presentation during the wine reception. We have distributed a monthly Newsletter to every RPS Documentary member in the Region. In 2024 we have 8 events organised with 2 more being planned.
Contemporary
The East Anglia group of the SIG works to themes and publishes an on-line exhibition 1-2 times per year using the Artsteps platform. Our latest exhibition and access to high quality pdf of the show is here.
The Contemporary Group is very active at local/regional/internet levels along with the production of a high quality printed Contemporary Photography publication sent out several times per year.
Visual Arts Group
The real joy for Sally and I is meeting up with like-minded people who have become firm friends and gaining inspiration from the exchange of ideas.
Sally and I plan our VA-Group residential weekends which we hold twice a year. We plan to hold them in various places all over the U.K. in the past Brighton, Plymouth, Newcastle and more.
Our last venue was in Salford/Manchester and we had our best turnout yet with over 60 members attending. We normally plan in three workshops on Saturday and also Sunday. They're incredibly popular and are normally full within a few days of the broadcast and there is always a waiting list in case of anyone dropping out. Our next venue is in Cardiff this Autumn and there will be an initial send out in the next month.
Digital Imaging
Books and Zines Project
Spawned from the success of our colleagues in the Landscape group DI developed a year long project of free talks, paid for workshops with online supporting material, support from peer groups, a special Facebook group and tutor feedback sessions. The ethos is to provide a total learning package where members pick n’ mix the elements that make the experience bespoke to their needs. Ultimately the 187 registered participants should have the skills and enthusiasm to produce first class Books or Zines which we will share with each other. This project runs throughout 2024. More information can be found here.
Participants engaged in learning Affinity Publisher with tutor Joe Houghton.
"You have put so much effort into giving us enhanced interactive meetings both my enjoyment and my learning have increased."
From Seed to Bloom project
"This is a great initiative and all credit to those who have put this series together."
Continuing Digital Imaging’s collaboration with the RHS, in 2024 we launched a year long initiative, From Seed to Bloom, a new project encompassing, Plants, Flowers and Garden Photography. With talks, workshops and support, one aim is to encourage people to enter the RHS Portfolio Competition. Throughout the year, in optional workshops, each month an individual flower is highlighted, new processing techniques demonstrated. Other meetings demonstrate different techniques to ‘take and make’ successful images, even using your phone and apps. We hope to inspire and motivate people to capture flowers, plants and gardens with a fresh perspective. This project runs throughout 2024. More information can be found here.
Digital Imaging & Landscape Group
Talk-Walk-Talk
"Good way to provide context in a photography project. Diversity of opinion and perception is useful."
A project where the combined team deliver an online TALK on a theme (we have just completed Architecture & the Built Environment). Members book for one or more of the 40+ UK organised WALKs, with Internationals working in their own locality. 379 photographers registered to participate. The final TALK sessions are held locally for the walkers to meet up to discuss their images and select one image to represent their UK walk or discussion group. The ultimate out put is the eZine of each selected image. T-W-T is organised by 5 volunteers + the speaker. Autumn 2024 we will be organising T-W-T Woodlands.
Photographers on the specially organised Tamar Bridge walk, Plymouth
Benelux Chapter
We are an active Chapter, covering Belgium Netherlands and Luxembourg, but also France, Sweden and UK as members join our Zooms from anywhere.
Events:
May 2023 – Rotterdam Walk about organised by Jeroen Dorrestein LRPS had many members and guests join us in Rotterdam, walking around together.
June – October 2023 – International Photo Festival in Pelt, Belgium. A biannual event where we are Official Supporters, we provide a Jury member and we host a workshop weekend.
For Pelt we also had our Members’ Print Exposition with photos on the theme ‘Daily Life of Us’. The theme fit in with the Festival which is all about photos of people only.
Every month on the first Tuesday we host either a Zoom Study Group meeting or a physical meet up in Rotterdam that are quite well attended.
Twice a year we hold Photo Challenges, our Summer Challenge was of Nature, all photos were judged by ourselves (no vote on own photos) with 2023 winners being, Minke Groenewoud-Beerda, André Bergmans and Joaquim Capitao. Published online on our website pages and in our eJournal.
Our eJournal Editor is Katherine Maguire ARPS, she does a great job. English language proof reader is Sue Goldberg LRPS. You can view our latest version here.
Travel Group
The speakers were good but, more importantly, I was able to have conversations with those in attendance and offer thanks for such a friendly event
The recent “Travel Photography – the Future” event organised by the Travel Group brought together stimulating photography and discussion on what travel photography should seek to encapsulate – from sustainable travel to responsibility to tell a representative story of place, from seeking out places less well travelled to encouraging others to engage thoughtfully to ensure travel has a positive impact on local economies and communities.
Contemporary Group
Northern Local Volunteers
Barbara Pollar, a north contemporary member about the Members' Away Day Event to Yorkshire Sculpture Park:
Our day out was a fantastic opportunity to meet up with fellow contemporary photographers and share our ideas and approaches to photography in the context of an art-focused environment. I found it particularly interesting to learn how varied and creative people’s images were and to discuss with other members the techniques they were using and how the photographs they made reflected their individual perceptions and experiences of the day. It encouraged me to develop a new project - finding ambiguity in simple lines and shapes.
Another highlight was our support of the Yorkshire Region AGM and Members’ Day in March 2024. Six members participated to share and show the group’s diverse approach to photography. Much interest was generated.
Janet M Cook ARPS, a north contemporary member wrote some feedback about the group:
I have been a member of CN since its inauguration and it has played an essential role in developing my photographic experience. Without the group I would be somewhat isolated which can lead to frustration and a declining confidence in my work. Over the years, I have been encouraged and grown in confidence through the exchange of ideas with like-minded people, showing an incredibly wide variety of approaches and specific skills. We all learn from and are inspired by seeing other members’ work and listening to each other’s ideas. CN is an excellent mutual support group. The stunning images are so diverse they provoke lively discussion, constructive criticism and support and encouragement.
Contemporary photographers from all over Europe and beyond now join our zoom meetings which is fantastic as they bring with them fresh perspectives, projects etc. which further add to the diversity within the group to everyone’s benefit. CN also offers stability. It fulfils every commitment within its role in today’s world which can often be disappointing. Without our voluntary workers, I would have none of this and be much the poorer for it. CN enhances my life.