The Shape and Light Challenge 21/10/20

The braver members of the club accepted the challenge presented by the Programme Secretary Sue to produce images reflecting their take on Shape and Light with the aid of folded paper: testing both their photographic and origami skills.

The results reflected our members skills and creative flair. Members had previously given access to two videos on the topic showing how to achieve the best results. A variety of techniques were used creating a wide range of abstract sometimes surreal imaginative images.

The critics on the night were Sue Gibson and Graham Sykes who had done their homework giving clear and incisive feedback on how the images came over to them.

Congratulations to the winners, whose work can be seen below, and to all those that took part in this project.

1st place - Sue Gibson - Paper And Light

2nd place - Alan Stopher - Triangular Roll

Joint 3rd place - Graham Sykes - Star Burst

Joint 3rd place - Richard Fulcher - Shape And Light

Just for the Record

With Covid restriction in full flow Sue Gibson handed over the chain of office of the Presidency to Tony Renshaw in a brief ceremony at the current Annual Exhibition venue in the Piazza in Huddersfield (open until 7th November). Few saw the event but the image below proves that it did happen! Tony thanked Sue for her stewardship over the last two years and hope he could achieve similar success.

Outgoing President Sue Gibson presents current President Tony Renshaw with the chain of office

RPS Talks with Iñaki Hernandez-Lasa FRPS and Will Cheung FRPS 14/10/20

Tonight’s evening, we were presented with something different. Videos of two talks where notable photographers were interviewed.

Peter Hayes FRPS, talked with Iñaki Hernandez-Lasa FRPS, who is an architectural photographer. Iñaki talked about his passion for architecture which started after using his father’s camera where he learnt his camera craft using film, starting with landscape photography, studio work, his long-standing passion remained architecture and the two Irish photographers who influenced him namely Gareth Byrne and Gerry O’Leary. Iñaki talked about how he carefully composes, uses light, reflection, curves, outlines of the building, if an image does not look right in camera, he will not take the image. Iñaki described his images and the stories behind them, leading to the minimalistic architecture that he is known for.

After the break, we had Peter Hayes FRPS taking with Will Cheung FRPS, a very different style of photographer. Will is a freelance journalist and photographer, who describes himself as an enthusiastic and passionate photographer who is an amateur at heart. Will started out at the age of 11 with a film camera which also made him disciplined in his camera craft. Photographers who influenced Will, were Bill Brandt, Irving Penn, which led to Will’s passion for black and white photography. Will talked but his style of photography which are namely projects that take up most of his time, starting out with friends and family, street photography, coastal photography down to his current project of the Docklands Light Railway.

Will emphasised that it is important to look, wait and to ask yourself ‘Have I got the shot that I wanted?’ if not then wait a bit longer. His advice is to always have your camera with you, switched on and be prepared to take pictures.

Will edits Photography News which goes out to some 500 camera clubs and is full of interesting articles.

Photographers' Question Time 07/10/20

Everyone learnt something this week when we held our own version of Question Time. Needless to say it was conducted in a much more friendly manner than its namesake.

Our panel of Barbara Sheldrake, James Gibson, Chris Rogers and Graham Sykes exhibited a wide breadth of knowledge and President, Tony Renshaw kept us in order from the chair.

Subjects varied from soft box diffusers to exposure values, sharpening to Intentional Camera Movement, how often should you calibrate your screen to what the panel thought were the two most useful lenses to acquire.

As the evening progressed we were given advice on cost effective post-processing software, recommended commercial printers and when to use curves and levels. We even found out about panel members’ favourite Youtube presenters and what projects they had in mind when Covid restrictions were lifted.