RPS Contemporary Group North Showcase January 2026

Members Showcase

A Contemporary Group North Activity

Members’ Showcase

provides a platform for contributors to our monthly meetings to display the work they have shared. Contributors have curated their own images and provided the accompanying text making this a collaborative group venture.

31st January 2026—Meeting in person at Clements Hall, York

Chaired by Patricia Ruddle

Contributors:

Patricia Ruddle

Barbara Pollard

Morris Gregory

Ian Sayce

Andrew Hersom

Harry Silcock

Lawrence Burrow

Alistair How

Lyn Newton

Celine Alexander Brown

Neil Wittmann

David Kershaw

Christopher Houghton

Patricia Ruddle ARPS …..Poppleton Road Allotment

On a beautiful sunny and crisp afternoon, fellow North member Barbara Pollard and I, walked down to the local allotment. It’s my go-to place for a walk, to take photos, no matter what time of year. Today it was still autumn, with so much to photograph whether rotting fruit, abandoned greenhouses, or the earth getting ready to lie dormant during winter.

Notice Board

Greenhouse Spring Alert

Barbara Pollard ….. Finding the hidden beauty in allotments

Allotments in summer can be very colourful and interesting places, with lots of fruit, vegetables and flowers being cultivated. However, it being December when I visited, I expected something of a challenge to find suitable subjects, and anticipated lots of empty plots and dull surroundings. Instead I was met with a plethora of beautiful shapes, patterns, colours and textures, and a lovely soft winter light. Using intentional camera movement (ICM) and multiple exposures I hope to have captured some of the hidden beauty of the dormant plots.

Wilderness in Cultivation

Morris Gregory ….. Norfolk Shoreline

A November trip to Bacton, Norfolk, provided the ideal opportunity to experiment with some long exposure photography of the shoreline. My main aim was to produce minimalistic shots that gave a sense of openness and tranquillity but I was also open to any other opportunities that presented themselves. The early evening proved to be the best time for shooting as I could start with neutral density filters fitted to the camera but soon dispense with them as the light faded. The open space, soft lighting and almost people free beaches added to the sense of peaceful solitude, an atmosphere that I hoped to capture in my photographs.

Ian Sayce LRPS ….. Doors

Whilst In Sienna I found some of the doors very Interesting and it became a project. Some of the buildings were beautiful but then had rotting doors. I have left in everything as it was!

In these images I was attempting street photography and playing with shadows and movement.

Andrew Hersom APSA EPSA EFIAP/b

These are images of a building which is part of Hull's fishing heritage, sadly now defunct. The building has been abandoned, vandalised and covered with graffiti for about 45 years, despite being in a conservation area.

Lawrence Burrow ….. Halifax

I shot these images in Halifax in July of 2025. The shoot was filmed by Stephen Dean as a project for a club presentation on how to shoot street photography. In total I shot around 100 images whilst been filmed over a period of around 3 hours on the day.

Alistair How ….. The Challenge

Every year after Christmas I venture to a new location I've not been to. My challenge is to find whatever is there regardless of the weather. This year I travelled to Norfolk from Essex in search of windmills. Along the way I found an interesting collection of thatched boat houses on one of the broads. I also discovered petrified trees amongst the reeds and the remains of wartime submarine nets and harbour protection buoys. In one area the sea defences I hoped to capture had sunk beneath the sands but I found some more in another location.

Having a bit of pressure to deliver helps focus the mind. It also prompts you not to give up, but become imaginative. In the case of the windmills two were being repaired so I had to find a location where this couldn't be seen in the final image .

Lyn Newton ARPS

Over the last few months I have been looking at the work of photographers like Ray Metzker, Giacomo Brunelli, Daido Moriyama and the Provoke group. It has been a new venture for me losing the colour but still trying to imbue into my images the essence of my own individual approach.

Experimenting with pushing the sliders, introducing grain, exploring extreme blacks and whites has taken me on another intriguing journey, helped greatly by looking at the work of some of the masters in this field.

Celine Alexander Brown LRPS

These images were taken on a bright, sunny day in October 2025, after I had not used my camera for many months. It was a light-bulb moment—I was drawn to the beauty and rich autumnal colours of the water’s reflections, and to the sense of looking deep within.

Neil Wittmann

Take care Neil Triffid on the move.

Found wand’rin’ all over Leeds.

Travel at light speed, The cavern extends for me. Looping path of time.

Gallery viewing, An old / favourite pastime. Hiding from the rain.

An invocation…

Gathering of mindfulness

Through the mists of time.

David Kershaw ….. Sharing images from my book

Christopher Houghton

Minor White said "One should not only photograph things for what they are but for what else they are."

As this is the philosophy behind the Contemporary Photography SIG, this was the reason I joined, as many of my own photographs aligned with this idea. These are the photographs I showed at the first meeting I attended.

Do not touch the sculpture