The Committee

South West Regional Organiser

southwest@rps.org

I find photography a great way to engage and record real world events, at the same time being a rewarding activity. I am a member of both the Analogue Group and Nature Group. I enjoy both digital and analogue photography. Analogue photography, in particular, slows me down in my thinking of the final image and getting the exposure right. I also enjoy putting together photobooks and have created one on Iceland based on several recent visits and, in 2021, between gaps in lockdown, I created two street photography books focusing on the City of Birmingham

Secretary

southwestsecretary@rps.org

My father was an enthusiastic photographer and had a darkroom set up at home. As a small child I spent time with him developing the negatives and printing images. Though I doubt I was much help.

Since then I've had an on off relationship with the pastime and it is only over the last decade or so that I have become truly engaged with the art and process. Doing so has lead to me exploring the history of art as a way of developing my skill. I have over the years photographed aviation, landscapes, nature and the built environment. Lately my interest has turned to themed projects. A new one is an intention to document rural decay as changes in agricultural practice and population leave older structures redundant. I like to print and now instead of being in the dark room of my childhood, I spend my time in Lightroom, next to a rather big printer.

Finance Officer

southwesttreasurer@rps.org

I started doing photography when I was 11 years old with a box camera that my parents used for holidays.

I founded with a couple of friends the Tiverton Heathcoat Photographic Club some fifty four years ago and I have been there programme secretary, chairman and president.

I also look after the archives for the Western Counties Photographic Federation and I have been member of the RPS for several years and was Treasurer of the Western Centre which Sheila Haycox and myself ran up to the pandemic.

I am interested in all genres all photography but with a leaning to landscape photography, but I am turning my photographic leanings to Audio Visual.

During my working life I partnered a photographic business in Tiverton and was also a local councillor.

Webmaster

southwestweb@rps.org

Sheila lives in Exeter and  started her photography with slides in 1986,  and joined Exmouth Photo Group where she was Secretary for 18 years, Chairman for 3 and now the webmaster.  She joined the RPS in 2010 and gained her ARPS in both prints and audio visual. 

A keen photographer who enjoys all genres of photography and her main enjoyment is giving presentations with her prints and audio visuals to clubs and Associations far and wide.  Sheila has also had many years of judging experience.   At present Sheila has immersed herself into the Audio Visual World as she feels this is making the best use of all her photographs and a way of telling stories.

Sheila's Portfolio

A long time ago, in my twenties, I was a very keen photographer, developing and printing all my own mono work. At the time I was living on Tyneside I liked to capture ‘moments’ that I felt said something about the local area, which was undergoing momentous industrial and social changes at the time. 

After a break of 30+ years when my career didn’t allow the time I needed for ‘real’ photography (I became a ‘holiday snapper’), I have returned with renewed enthusiasm. I bought a digital camera as soon as I retired and during lockdown immersed myself in numerous online courses to refresh my skills. I remain a photographer wedded almost entirely to street and documentary work, and almost entirely to mono as well. I do, however, enjoy taking the occasional landscape photograph and will turn my hand to any genre on occasions - there are things to learn from all of them. I have three long-term projects on the go which will hopefully end with the production of zines, or possibly books, at some point.

I live in Falmouth, and I’m a member of the RPS Digital Imaging, Documentary and Contemporary specialist Groups.