The Committee

Regional Organiser

southwest@rps.org

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.

Regional Secretary

southwestsecretary@rps.org

Like many of my colleagues, I was introduced to film photography at a very tender age, following the usual path of developing and printing both black and white and colour work – and great fun it was! Apart from recreational photography during working years, I had no great urge to advance my knowledge and interest in the craft but with retirement approaching over ten years ago, my wife decided that she would give me an interest, so enrolled me into Falmouth Camera Club.

From the first visit I was hooked and began to enter all the competitions, including those from the CPA and WCPF and also run for the committee ending up as Secretary for about seven years until the Club folded a couple of years ago. Since then, I was pleased to join Truro Club which has set my photography on its next phase – I much prefer buildings, architecture, observing unusual parts of the town including everyday objects from a different viewpoint etc. I also enjoy composite work when it suits the images I have in mind.

I met Steve Fairman in Falmouth, where we both live, and he asked me to consider standing for Secretary of the RPS SW Region – so here I am; ready to serve!

Regional Treasurer

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

Like many people of “a certain age” I started with a Kodak Brownie 127 on my 8th birthday and was inspired by my keen photographer father. Many years of photography followed but I got much more serious when I retired in 2006. I joined the RPS in 2015 and obtained my ARPS during lockdown. Unusually, after a career of working in software engineering, I actually look forwards to getting on my computer and post-processing my photos in Lightroom. I’m a member of the Digital Imaging and Visual Arts groups.

SW Committee Member and RPS Digital Chair  

digchair@rps.org

Janet joined The RPS in 2003 and has been a volunteer in one capacity or another for around 20 years.  In 2023 this service was recognised when she was awarded the Fenton Medal.  A strong advocate of Distinctions, Janet believes that by going through the various levels is a journey of photographic improvement.  

Whilst Janet has had a camera since being a child, with a father who was a keen and successful amateur photographer, it was only when digital cameras arrived and she joined the RPS that she finally became serious about her photography.  Janet says ‘really I was a frustrated artist with little pencil and brush skills, but Photoshop and digital cameras opened up my creativity and gave me the opportunity to produce photo-art; a compilation of may layers culminating in a fantasy end image'.

Committee Member

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.

Committee Member

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.

Committee Member

I first got into photography in my late teens, mainly black and white film processing in the darkroom.  Once family came along my photography was limited to family snaps, but I acquired my first digital camera in 2004 and have continued since then.  I joined the RPS in January 2025, and am a member of the Digital Imaging and Visual Arts groups.  I set myself a challenge of attempting an L distinction, and was delighted to receive the news in January 2026 that I had been successful.

I am willing to have a go at most genres of photography, but with a distinct preference for being outdoors and not spending too much time sitting at a computer processing images.

Committee Member

I’m Tony, a photographer who swapped the chaos of muddy rugby pitches for the joy of the studio lights. I’ve been shooting for years, but the last decade and a half is where things really came into focus. Now I specialise in portraits, family sessions, and themed shoots — anything that lets me get creative and connect with people.

Committee Member

David now lives in Totnes after living some 25 or so years in Ivybridge in a house he and his wife built as an early retirement project. Before Ivybridge, David lived in Hampshire and was the Technical Director of an electronic engineering company designing cameras (yes, CCD sensors were around back then!) and pattern recognition systems for the security printing industry. 

He is a member of the Ivybridge & District Camera Club, and the RPS Digital Imaging Group. Has given camera club tuition and talks. Achieved distinctions at CPAGB, EFIAP, LRPS & ARPS. Has been a digital mirror-less camera user for some 25 years and is currently using a Panasonic Lumix GX8. 

David's photographic experiences started at around 10 years of age with a 'discovery' of discarded contact print frames, papers and chemicals. But after he'd exhausted the scant supply of negatives his parents had, he fell into other hobbies and so was married with a family before he used a camera and learnt how to use a darkroom and equipment. Inevitably, hobby photography took a peripheral role during his career years and indeed, photography as a serious hobby had to wait until his retirement project was finished.