May 2026 - No. 28
WELCOME TO OUR NEWSLETTER
THIS ISSUE CELEBRATES THE UPCOMING CENTENARY OF THE STEPHEN H. TYNG FOUNDATION - IN THE CARE OF THE VISUAL ART GROUP
Next year, 2027, will mark the Centenary of The Stephen H Tyng Foundation.
In 1927, a wealthy New Yorker, Stephen Tyng,bequeathed£1000(over £50,000 in today’s money)to establish a Charitable Foundation. StephenTyng,a keen and able photographer and member of the RPS was a regular visitor to Great Britain. Tynghad been concerned about the apparent decline in interest in Pictorialist Photography. The purpose of his generous donation was to enable the purchase of outstanding examples of photographs to re-kindle that interestand generally encourage pictorialism in photography whilstrecognising that this could be interpreted in a number of different ways.
Eachyearaphotographwouldbechosenby a small group of Tyng Collections selectors, acquired and subsequently donated to the Royal Photographic Society to form part of theirPermanentCollection.Overtheyearsa wonderful collection of photographs was purchased and by 2017, when the RPS CollectionwassoldtotheVictoriaandAlbert Museum, some 221 photographs had been amassed in the Tyng Collection. These include portraits of Helen Keller and composer Jean Sibelius by Yousuf Karsh and later scenes by Tim Rudman, Joan Wakelin, Ian Berry and Tony Worobiec. Although not on open display,the Tyng pictures are available for all to see, upon written request and by appointment.
For many years, the Tyng Foundation was run by the late Alastair McGhee ARPS, who someofthemoreseniormembersamongus may well remember. In order to guide the selectors in their choice of prints, McGhee indicated ‘beauty of subject’, ‘tonality’ and ‘composition’as ideals.
Times and arrangements have changed and there is now a new Tyng Foundation, similar to the formerexcept thatnow any new
photographs acquired by the Tyng Foundation are donated directly to Royal Photographic Societyand not to the Victoria and Albert Museum. It is my sincere wish and the wish of my fellowTrustees that soon thenewTyng Foundation Collection will be freely available for all to see and enjoy. We believe thatwas Stephen Tyng’s original intention. To that end recent acquisitions have recently been shown at Visual Art Group weekends and also at ‘Rollright’.
After all their hard work,reconstituting ‘the Tyng’andhavingthetermsoftheTrustDeed legally changed in favour of the RPS, both Andrew Crawford ARPS and Paul Mitchell FRPS have both chosen to stand aside. Graduallya new group of VAG members have been invited to serve as Tyng Trustees and have been appointed. I feel greatly honoured to follow in the footsteps of a raft of distinguished photographers from the last 100 years, as Chair of the Tyng Foundation. I am ably supported by Samantha Ruth ARPS (Tyng Secretary),Sally Kitchingman LRPS and now more recently by Barry Barker FRPS, who was invited to be a Trustee and has taken on the role of Treasurer. Barrywill alsooversee the Foundation’s ethical investments, the fund that provides for the annual purchase of pictures.
At an early Trustees meeting, it was agreed that the selectors to be invited on an annual basis would be made up of a Tyng Trustee, a Visual Art Group Committee member and an invitedguest selectorfromthe VAG general membership. This year the selectors were Samantha RuthARPS (Tyng Trustee Secretary), Barry Barker FRPS, (VAG Treasurer and committee member), and Viveca Koh, FRPS, FIPF representing the VAG membership.
Robert Herringshaw ARPS, Tyng Founda�on Chair
FROM THE TYNG SECRETARY
For 2026, I had the pleasure of working alongside Barry Barker FRPS and Viveca Koh FRPS FIPF, each bringing their own perspective and depth of experience to the selection process. Through a series of discussions, we reviewed a wide range of potential acquisitions, guided by the ethos of the collection and a shared aim to select work with lasting impact. We were particularly drawn to work that showed:
�� a harmony of line and tone
�� a strong sense of mood and atmosphere
�� an interpretive approach
�� an engagement with impressionist ideas, where softness and subtle tonal transitions are important
�� printmaking as an integral part of the final image
Within the pictorial tradition, photography is used to convey emotional intent and to engage the viewer’s imagination. It is not simply about creating a picturesque image, nor about using composition or historic processes for their own sake. Rather, it
is about expressing an emotive idea through the medium of photography. This year’s acquisitions include a photograph by Jaume Llorens, selected by Viveca, and a cyanotype by Kate Bellis, chosen by Barry. In addition, Barry has generously donated a print by George Felton FRPS from his own collection, further enriching the Tyng Collection.
What follows are personal reflections from Barry and Viveca on their selections, offering insight into both the works themselves and the considerations behind their choices.
In 1948, Dr S D Jouhar FRPS, then HonorarySecretaryandChairmanofthe RPS Pictorial Group (now the Visual Art Group), described a pictorial photograph as “mainly an aesthetic symbolic record of a scene plus the artist’s personal comment and interpretation, capable of transmitting an emotional response to the mind of a receptive spectator.” He added that it should show originality, imagination and an enduring quality. These new acquisitions certainly reflect those ideals, and we are delighted to welcome them into the collection.
Samantha Ruth ARPS TYNG Secretary
THE SECOND TYNG SELECTION
I felt both honoured and delighted when I was invited to be a 2026 selector for the StephenH.Tyngcollection,althoughwith a measure of slight trepidation having never participated in anything like this before. However several in-person and online meetings with coordinator Sam and my fellow selector Barry helped to put my mind at ease.
I was aware of a number of photographers whose images may have been suitable additions for the collection, but I was particularly moved by the work of Jaume Llorens, a Catalan photographer whose images I first saw featured in the summer 2024 issue of the VA Magazine. I am very happy that we have had the opportunity to acquire the piece 'Díptic 70’ for the Tyng Collection, and Jaume himself was pleased to be included. What first drew me to Jaume’s photography was a sense of shared identity. As an introvert myself, I strongly identified with his love of silence and reverence for nature which is so selfevidentinhiswork.Hehassaidthatwhile he never appears in his own photographs, there is "a great deal of self-portraiture in them", a sentiment which encapsulates the soul of his practice. He describes immersing himself in a landscape, so his images are not simply documents of a place, but rather reflections of an inner world, or what he calls his "own emotional landscape", an idea I found both illuminating and perceptive.
He speaks of being contemplative, connected and receptive which enable him to capture impressions which might otherwise go unnoticed, seeking to be "fully present within his surroundings" beforereleasingtheshutter.Thispractice of contemplative photography is a recent discovery for me, and one which I'm trying to incorporate into my own photographic practice, so I very much resonated with Jaume's ethos and how this subsequently influenced his work.
He doesn't go out to take photographs with any specific idea in mind, he shoots what "speaks to him" and finds "hidden beauty in the most ordinary things". He makes visual connections between different elements, where there may be some similarity but not repetition e.g. round thistle heads viewed alongside the concentric circles raindrops make on water, with the idea of "creating a new reality, a harmonious whole". He enjoys thewaythesenewjuxtapositionsproduce an alternative story, with plenty of scope for varying interpretations by different viewers.
Personally, I find his work calming and meditative to view, there’s a gentle quietness to his images, fleeting moments in nature beautifully captured in rich deep monochrome or the subtle earthy colours of the natural world. Viewing his work engenders a sense of beauty and tranquility when the world feels as if it's all getting too much. It is a reminder of the peace that can be found in stillness and the profound beauty that surrounds us when we take a moment to truly see.
Viveca Koh FRPS FIPF
2026 No. 28
TYNG PURCHASE AND DONATION
Barry Barker FRPS
Last year, I was delighted to be invited to assist the Trustees of the Stephen Tyng Collection with the selection of a print to be added to the archive. The brief was broad, the emphasis ‘Pictorialism’. My initial reaction was to search among my many friends in the photographic world – but how to choose a single print from the many photographers whose work I admire?
In September my wife and I happened to take a short break in the Peak District and on a damp day, too wet for walking, we paid a visit the Museum of Making in the old Silk Mill in Derby. There was an exhibition ‘Earthbound’ in the upstairs gallery where one of the artists, Kate Bellis, was showing her photographs of the community around Wirksworth on the edge of the Peak District National Park. I was blown away by the power and sensitivity of the work, her incredible artistry and the techniques she used. Her prints were made from film, organically developed, cyanotypes, and toned with natural materials found in the location. I had not seen such techniques in my 60 plus years as a passionate photographer. The quality was stunning. I contacted Kate to enquire about one of the pictures. Sadly, my first choice was not available, but she was able to offer this beautiful picture of Sep Woolley, a farmer’s son with his favourite lamb. I was so pleased that theTrustees accepted my suggestion, the purchase was completed in February.
Sep Woolley, holding his number 19 lamb and ewe, lambing time,MoscarFarm, nearMonyash, Derbyshire Peak District. April 10th, 2022. Bedrock Geology: Carboniferous Limestone Hand printed cyanotype toned using oak galls and Longcliffe Quarry limestone dust.
To help me understand the objectives of the Tyng, I asked for a list of previous purchases. Many of the photographs acquired over the past few decades were by photographers whose names were familiar and many I knew personally. One omission that surprised me was the name of George Felton FRPS, a wonderful photographer and prolific exhibitor (the third in the UK to achieve the MFIAP distinction after Ian Platt and Tim Rudman). George was the best cibachrome printer I ever saw – despite being colour blind. He'd make a print, show it to his wife Ruth who would check for a colour cast and suggest corrections. Georgewouldreturntohisdarkroom, make the necessary adjustments, and with absolutely consistent processing produce the perfect print. I met George in 1978 when I joined Woking Photographic Society. We became good friends with his family and eventually neighbours. At his funeral in 2019, his sons organised an exhibition of his prints and invited us all to take our favourites. I got three, one of which I was pleased to offer to the Tyng trustees.
(continued...)
Wiltshire Field (1986) by George Felton FRPS
RPS SOUTH WEST VISUAL ART EVENT
SATURDAY, 20TH JUNE 2026
WOODBURY VILLAGE HALL
FLOWER STREET, WOODBURY, EX5 1LX
FEE : £10
The next RPS SW Visual Art Event will take place on Saturday,20th June 2026 at Woodbury Village Hall. I am delighted to announce that our guest speaker will be a local photographer,Juliette Mills. Juliette lives on Dartmoor where, together with her sculptor partner, Dominic Welch, sheruns a sculpture garden and gallery. Having worked in various fields, beginning as a wildlife and travel writer/ photographer working freelance for magazines, she later moved into family photography and portraiture. Juliette now specialises in fine art documentary work and portraiture. She has worked abroad on various projects, such as shadowing a homeless addict in Paris with her camera, winning several international awards over the years including ‘The Paris Photography Award’ in 2022 for her long-term project ‘Brothers’, 15 years in the making. She is known for her candid, poetic images, with a strong documentary feel and pull towards nature, in everything she does.
Barry Barker FRPS
May 2026 No. 28
Describing a thread throughout her work, Juliette says “I’m drawn to capture the interrelationship between people and animals and nature as well as the healing power of one over the other - tender moments, friendships, solace.” www.juliettemills.com
Juliette’s Talk
Juliette will give us an outline of her long-term projects that she is working on at present: Solace, My Moor and Brothers. Below are images from these projects.
The afternoon of our event will be, as usual, reserved for our participants to show their work. Cost will be £10 with refreshments (coffee/tea/biscuits) included. For more information about this event, contact Marija Lees visualartsouthwest@rps.org
Juliette with Maggie Magpie
May 2026 No. 28
SHEFFIELD VAG RESIDENTIAL WEEKEND
The weekend in Sheffield was the first one that James and I had arranged having taken over from the wonderfully experienced Mike and Sally Kitchingman. We would like to use this opportunity to thank them for their input in assisting us.
We were staying at the Mercure Kenwood Hall which was suitably placed to be accessible to the Peak District which influenced two of our workshop organisers. The weekend went smoothly and hopefully was enjoyed by all attendees.
We were very lucky to have Joe Cornish HonFRPS, Peter Defty and Brad Carr as our speakers and workshop leaders, each presenting their own work in three very different, and inspiring ways. Both Joe and Brad took us out into the Peak District to the Padley Gorge and Bolehill Quarry areas to lead workshops about trees, the natural world and personal quiet reflection.
Peter’s workshop required us to base ourselves in the hotel and experiment with coloured inks, glass plates, abstract art and macro photography. A day of fun, play and imaginative visual imagery- taking most of us out of our comfort zones and back into the realms of play, colour and experimentation- it
is amazing what different people see- birds, faces, animals…..
The challenge for the weekend was “Forks” which immediately provoked discussion of “Four candles” and memories of comedy. This I think probably summed up the weekend- a weekend of laughter and fun amongst friends!
Please consider joining us for the next weekend
Royal Tunbridge Wells- October 23rd-26th 2026. Speakers have been confirmed as Janina Wilde, Polina Plotnikova FRPS and MartinAnnand. Bookings will open shortly
Future dates:-
Chester Friday 23rd to Monday 26thApril 2027
Exeter - tbc Friday 15th to Monday 18th October 2027
Hazel Frost FRPS & James Frost FRPS
May 2026 No. 28
BEYOND THE LANDSCAPE
Inspired by the block colour artists and photographers of the early to mid twentieth century, I love to photograph the landscape in a manner that travels beyond the boundaries of reality.
I have learned that I can simplify the landscape to distill the visual narrative and because of this I can create a situation that the eye is not used to seeing in a minimalistic manner. In other words I can
photograph what I don’t see using bold definition to create images with an assertive identity. Whether it
is a view of a local landscape or some far away place, I make it my own, all that I want to see.
My interpretation of its contours, colours, contrasts and shapes at that moment in time making my photographs a piece of me and to draw you into my world of seeing. My vision then is to create an alternative world where the complex form of the natural landscape is reduced to a simpler combination of its basic elements of shape and colour.
That said, some realism must exist to provide a sense of the real world and an element of scale.
I was very pleased that honoured that this style is appreciated by the prestigious London Salon Exhibitions where the first image here won a London Salon medal.
Des King ARPS
WE NEED YOUTH ON OUR SIDE!!!
More than half of our Visual Art group is over 65 years old. The wealth of experience and skill these members bring to us all is without question. Many in the RPS category (the RPS usetheageprofileofover65,under65,under 25 and student) may not feel in our ‘older’ years or behave in whatever way we feel the stereotype expects and long may that continue. BUT the fact is that, if the Visual Art Group and for that matter RPS, are going to both survive and prosper over the coming decades, we need to ensure we are not just welcoming to our younger members but actively seek out those who may, albeit in time, join our group.
I have had the privilege of co-leading an initiative on behalf of the Group to work alongside young people with an intertest in photography. Our ‘strategy’is simple; we want toseekoutandtangiblysupportyoungpeople on their journey to become skilled and exciting photographers. We have started small and with limited expectations. Our first sortie into this world has been both a privilege and a joy which we hope to build on over the coming months and years. It cost the Group a minimal amount of money and not an onerous amount of time and provided us with a lot of learning to carry forward. This is what we did:
Many of you will know, in the UK at least, Bradford was celebrating its status as City of Culture 2025. Our local peers in the Yorkshire region RPS had already created links with some groups of young people who had shown an interest in photography both in colleges and in less formal environments to contribute to the city’s celebrations. In partnership with Mary Crowther ARPS, a VAG and Yorkshire region RPS member, we offered the opportunity for these young people to enter a special ‘youth’ category in our annual exhibition. This category would be judged separately and offer commendations and a
May 2026 No. 28
special award; it would not impinge of the main member exhibition but simply be added as a new category also open to VAG members under 30.
Not all groups contacted managed to submit images but we had a particularly good response from one community group supported by Bradford Football Club Community project where 9 young people entered images resulting from a locally led and funded introduction to photography course. Come the VAG judging day our fabulous judges and Tom Lee our exhibition co-Ordinator had been briefed regarding the new category and stepped up to the plate choosing 9 images, commendations and the special award winner.All these images will be in the printed version of the exhibition and online. On the 17th February Mary and I were joined by Simon Hill the President of the RPS, Ed Bylina Yorkshire Regional Chair and the local press to present the award and commendations.Itwasajoyousoccasionand clearly meant an enormous amount to the young people who had images accepted: For them, it was the first time they had had the opportunity to submit their work to an audience beyond their immediate community no doubt receiving a real boost to their confidence as photographers. Those attending talked enthusiastically about their images and accompanying statements hung on the wall of the small community hall at the football club. Several family members attended to cheer their children on. From our point of view the Visual Art Group played a small but vital part in offering these young people a platform for and recognition of their work. By doing that we raised our profile locally and, of course within the RPS. We also met the photographer instrumental in mentoringthegroupwithwhomwehopetobe working in the future, as she works around often more disadvantaged communities in the north of the UK.All this for a small outlay of an
award and certificates along with some time from Mary and myself.
We have learned a lot on the way. Those groups that did not manage to enter images needed a longer run in and more direct support on the ground (rarely have these young people entered any sort of exhibition before so even the administrative process is new to them). We had hoped (and still do) to offer ongoing support through some networking and mentoring opportunities; this will require a bit more organisation going forward. We would also like to explore ways in which we might help young people with little or no resources to join the RPS and hopefully our own VAG; we believe the current president will be very open to ideas!
Where next?
We would love to take the learning from this years’ experience and identify one or two more locations where we might continue to build our relationship with young photographer. This is where YOU may come in! If you are excited by this project and had existing links with young people either through a college/school or community group and are willing to work with us ‘on the ground’ to take this project forward then please get in touch with me so we can talk further. Our young photographers are not only needed but can be an inspiration to us all!
Val Glenny ARPS
VAG Membership Secretary
May 2026 No. 28
VAG - ROLLRIGHT EVENT
Many apologies but we have had to change the date of the next planned meeting originally scheduled for the 16th of May to the 6th of June.
Revised dates for the Diary now are:
Saturday June 6th 2026 Cyanotype Demonstration day by C Binns
Saturday August 22nd 2026 Members Show and Tell
Saturday November 22nd 2026 Speakers TBC
Email me for more informationcharles.binns@btinternet.com
Thank you to all of you who participated in our AGM. I can confirm yhat the following are your committee members for the next year.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS
The following members make up your VAG committee for 2026/7:
Chair
Mark Deutsch LRPS
Secretary Carol PaesARPS
Treasurer Barry Barker FRPS
Membership
Val GlennyARPS
Exhibitions Coordinator
Tom Lee FRPS
Magazines Coordinator
Samantha RuthARPS
Social Media Coordinator
Steven GalvinARPS
Exhibitions Member
Martyn Pearse
Web Editor
Michael Butterworth LRPS
Circles Coordinator
Gill DishartARPS
Residential weekends
Hazel Frost FRPS
James Frost FRPS
Committee Member
Paul Bullock LRPS
Committee Member
Mike KitchingmanARPS
There are also three sub-group organisers and one VisualArt Group representative for the Tyng Collection. They are:
Visual Art Rollright (S. Midlands)
Charles Binns
Visual Art Southwest
Marija Lees LRPS
Visual Art London
Linda Wevill FRPS
Tyng Co-ordinator
Robert HerringshawARPS
