RPS Scotland

Stewart Wall MA ARPS NCTJ is a professional photographer, qualified educator, and long-standing contributor to the Royal Photographic Society. His career began in 1978 as a trainee photo-journalist at the Brentwood Gazette, where his first published image was a street photograph — schoolchildren caught in the energy of a snowball fight. That early assignment sparked a lifelong belief that the street is one of photography’s richest stages for documenting real life.

Trained through the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ), Stewart went on to work across regional and national press while developing a deep commitment to photographic storytelling, education, and book-making. Within the RPS he has played a significant leadership role: he authored the official criteria for the Photobook genre and served as Chair of Photobook Assessments for two years, helping to establish contemporary standards for narrative photography within the Society. He also chaired and assessed Licentiate applications.

Over the past decade Stewart has become widely recognised for leading collaborative street photography and place-based projects, most notably the long-running Streets in the Sky trilogy (2015–2025), created with photographers at Sheffield’s Park Hill estate. His projects explore the street as a document of lived experience, social memory, and everyday performance.

Today, Stewart’s practice focuses on guiding photographers towards creative street photography projects, from first ideas through to zines and photobooks, using his own methodology which blends emotional mapping, sense of place, and sequenced storytelling.

In this talk, Stewart will share practical strategies for developing meaningful street photography projects, approaches to sequencing and editing for zines and photobooks, and insights from a lifetime spent documenting life as it happens.

Karen Miller is a wildlife photographer based near Inverness in the Scottish Highlands. After a career in radio, she left BBC Radio Scotland in 2019 and moved from Glasgow to the Highlands to pursue her love of wildlife and photography — a decision she has never looked back from.

Karen describes herself as a wildlife lover first and a photographer second.

She believes it is a privilege to spend time in the company of our native birds and animals, observing them at ease in their natural environment and learning from their behaviour.

Her photography is guided by patience and respect, with an emphasis on capturing emotive, authentic moments that reflect the essence of the animal rather than staged or stressful encounters.

Mountain hares were one of the key reasons Karen moved to the Highlands, and her deep connection with them led to her being featured in the 2024 short film Finding Bo, which explores her relationship with a special mountain hare and her wider love of wildlife.

Through her work, Karen hopes to encourage a deeper appreciation of Scotland’s wildlife and the importance of ethical, compassionate photography.

Title: The Art of Choosing Paper

Subtitle: Understanding How Paper Influences the Final Print

Talk Description: Mark’s talk explores how paper choice hugely influences the final printed image and why it plays such an important role in the printing process.

Talk Purpose: By developing an understanding of how different papers behave - rather than relying on formulaic or habitual choices - you will be better equipped to select papers that support your creative intent and help your images translate more successfully from screen to print.

Mark’s Bio: Mark is a professional landscape photographer based in the north east of England. His passion for the subject comes from the love of travel and being outdoors in remote places.

Mark has been teaching landscape photography, post-processing and printing for over 20 years and runs photography workshops around the UK and abroad. Further details about Mark’s workshops can be found at www.markbanksphotography.com.

Nocturne Weekend – Night Sky Photography at Garvault House

Step away from the noise, slow the pace, and immerse yourself in darkness that truly glows.

Nocturne is an intimate weekend dedicated to night sky photography, hosted at the beautifully remote Garvault House Hotel in the Scottish Highlands. Led by Andrew Allan – Scotland’s Night Sky, this exclusive experience offers the rare opportunity to photograph under some of the darkest skies in the UK, with expert guidance throughout.

Across two carefully curated days and nights, you’ll have the chance to:

• Photograph the Milky Way beneath exceptionally dark Highland skies

• Experience the potential for Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) during your stay

• Receive hands-on night sky photography guidance in a relaxed, supportive setting

• Explore daytime photographic opportunities, including local landscapes, flora, fauna, and wildlife

With exclusive use of Garvault House for workshop attendees, numbers are intentionally limited to maintain a calm, immersive atmosphere and plenty of personal support. Comfortable accommodation, excellent food, and time to connect with fellow photographers are all part of the experience.

Whether you’re looking to deepen your night-sky practice or simply want time and space to create in extraordinary surroundings, Nocturne promises inspiration, connection, and unforgettable skies.

📩 For any further information, please message Sam at
scotlandevents@rps.org

Spaces are limited — early booking is strongly recommended.