Yorkshire News
Newsletter for Photographers in the Yorkshire Region February 2018 YORKSHIRE
Notes from your RO
Due to the altered timing and frequency of the Regional Newsletters, I would like to wish everyone a belated healthy and prosperous 2018. The first part of the year’s SelfHelp/Café Sessions, Advisory Days and other events are planned - see the details on the website, and ‘What not to miss’ on Page 4 of this newsletter. These sessions have been extended to incorporate the same relaxed environment and social aspects, with the aim of giving support for those who are preparing for an Advisory Day, again very informal, but more about your work. They’re also helpful for newer members to attend if they just want to find out what RPS Yorkshire is all about. We have moved the Leeds sessions to the Tetley Gallery in Leeds, with ample car parking [at a cost], but great coffee. A summary of my recently distributed letter is given alongside, along with more details of things which members are doing in and around Yorkshire. Hope to see you soon
in this issue Contacts - who’s who in Yorkshire: P.1 Note from your RO P.1 More from the RO & get involved P.1 Got any news? P.2 Sheffield PS Annual Exhibition P.2 Victoria Baths, Manchester P.3 New members and successes P.4 What not to miss in Yorkshire P.4 YPU Annual Exhibition - Sheffield P.4 Don Valley Festival 2018 P.4 Yorkshire Showcased. P.4 Photographic Interest Groups P.4
Yorkshire Region contacts Regional Organiser: Mary P Crowther ARPS E: photobox50@gmail.com T: 07921 237962 Regional Treasurer: Robert Helliwell ARPS E: bobhelliwell@clara.co.uk T: 07802 413570 Newsletter Editor: Brian Crossland LRPS E: RPS.Yorkshire.News@gmail.com T: 07540 824112 Regional Secretary and Webmaster: David B Hall
More from the Regional Organiser… By now, many of you will have experienced the ‘winter wonderland’ which Yorkshire can become and captured some ‘not too cold and wet’ images. Meanwhile, behind the scenes, working to keep making things happen for all our members, there are a few changes across the following representative committees, all acting on the behalf of members. Confirmed Representatives Committee members, for reference: Awards Standing Committee Chair – Cheryl Newman Distinctions Standing Committee Chair – Ray Spence Education Standing Committee Chair – TBC Finance Standing Committee Chair – Derek Trendell Overseas member representative - TBC Science Standing Committee Chair – Mark Richardson Special Interest Group Standing Committee Co-Chairs – Janine Freeston (Historical Group) & Rod Fry (Contemporary Group) Regions Standing Committee Chair – Mary Crowther (Yorkshire Region) & TBC PAGB representative – Roy Thomas RPS Volunteer Support Manager – Nicola Young How does this affect the Region? – Well as your Regional Organiser and as you can see, I am taking on a little more within the Society. We are looking for more people to come on board the regional committee with a view to taking on specific or joint responsibilities to some of the current roles, including the RO, and Treasurer. Robert Helliwell ARPS, Regional Treasurer, has communicated that he would like to stand down in April 2018 at our AGM, although he is willing to continue for a reasonable time to help the new Treasurer by sharing his knowledge and understanding of the requirements of the role - helping to ensure a lengthy and successful transition period, so leaving the books in good hands. GET INVOLVED - Please consider volunteering for a role, part of a role, or just offering to help out occasionally - to fit in with your current busy life. For more info, please contact the RO (details given above)
Mary Crowther ARPS
Page 1 of 4
Email the Yorkshire Region Newsletter: RPS.YORKSHIRE.NEWS@GMAIL.COM
Got any news? Many RPS members and other readers of this Newsletter, are also members of a range of Photographic Societies and Clubs, so why not use this Newsletter to share your news of members’ activities and achievements, v i s i t s , h i s t o r y, p r o b l e m s , developments, etc. If we can squeeze it in, we will.
Sheffield Photographic Society - Annual Exhibition
The Society’s showcase for the best recent members’ work is a prints only Exhibition. Being held again, at Sheffield Cathedral from Friday 9th to Sunday 18th March 2018, with official opening performed by Professor Vanessa Toulmin, Director of City and Cultural Engagement, Sheffield University. Entry is free and visitors are asked to be respectful of any services or other activities taking place in the Cathedral. Classifications:1. Open (inc. Pictorial, Altered Reality, Portrait, Photojournalism, Monochrome). 2. Beginners. 3. Junior. 4. Photo Essay. 5. Record. 6. Natural History with Nature and Wildlife sections. 7. Sheffield - its Life and Environs. 8. Small Prints. Entries are being judged by Bob Dennis CPAGB APAGB AFIAP BEP4 of Bebbington Photographic Society on Saturday 10th February 2018 at St Peter’s Church Hall. 9.30am to 1.00pm. Bob Dennis will also present Sheffield Photographic Society’s Yearly Exhibition lecture “Going up in the World” on Friday 9th February 2018 at Greenhill Methodist Church, 7.45pm for 8.00pm. Visitors welcome. £4. Shown below are some of last year’s exhibits (kindly submitted by John Gorman of SPS). Terence Chambers. Village Gunsmith (beginners).
Mike Newman. Blists Hill Iron Casting (photo-essay)
Got something interesting happening? Please let us know and we’ll try to include it in a future Newsletter, or write your own report and email it in.
Know of any photography exhibitions near you? Please let us have venues, dates, websites, contact details, etc and we’ll try to visit and report back in the Newsletter.
Page 2 of 4
Mike Smith. Bison Yellowstone National Park. Wildlife.
John Gorman. The River Don at Lady’s Bridge, Sheffield.
Victoria Baths Today
Photo-visit - September 2017
When Manchester City Council decided it had to close Victoria Baths in 1993, the local community were in uproar. The baths were a valued local amenity; a beautiful building which encompassed not only swimming, but the Aeratone and Turkish baths as well. Following its closure, virtually no maintenance was carried out at the Victoria Baths, and as several years passed, so the building deteriorated rapidly. A friends of and Trust group for the Victoria Baths were set up with the aim of fully restoring the building and bringing back life to the amenities. To date Victoria Baths has been partially restored, thanks to £5m in total which has been raised from a number of sources, by far the biggest being a grant from Heritage Lottery Fund which came to Victoria Baths as a result of winning BBC's Restoration programme in 2003. The building operates as a heritage visitor attraction and events venue with around 30,000 visitors each year. But this is just the start of the restoration journey. The Trust’s vision is to fully restore the building, bringing public leisure facilities back into use. The long-term aim is to have public swimming at Victoria Baths. Today it can just do this on one-off occasions. Early in September 2017, a group of RPS Yorkshire members were invited to a private opening with access to the facilities which are on view to all visitors and behind the scenes where access by the generally public is restricted. Beginning with a comprehensive escorted tour of many areas, learning details of the building’s history, the visitors then had sufficient time to do what they do best – take photographs. As well as viewing the swimming baths, Turkish baths and Aeratone [used to treat medical ailments], the visitors investigated and photographed the dilapidated private quarters, the aesthetically beautiful plumbing systems of the baths themselves. The building, which is awash with green tiles, immediately impacts a viewer’s senses. The tiling is still original in most places, having come from the great Manchester kilns of Pilkingtons. Since the start of the restoration, the Baths have also attracted film makers for a variety of scenes; one of the walkways still contained evidence of being filmed as an old prison, particularly with the windows and bars. Anyone who has seen the latest episodes of Cold Feet, watch out for the Book Publishers promotional dinner, all filmed on location at Victoria Baths. The Victoria Baths run exclusive days open for viewing and tours, or open for special swimming days. If you get the chance to go it is a wonderful building and is being kept in the style it was always intended. details and images, below, kindly submitted on behalf of the visiting group.
ALL IMAGES IN THIS NEWSLETTER ARE COPYRIGHT THE OWNERS PLEASE DO NOT REPRODUCE WITHOUT THE OWNER’S PERMISSION
Page 3 of 4
The Yorkshire Region continues to grow… Welcome to our new members: Sydney James Clamp Mark Heslington John Smith Andrew Fitzgibbon Kenneth Simmester A Datta Laurie Parmenter Ali Parmenter Dr Chris Goodacre Mike Huggon ARPS Rhonda Huggon Prof Jose Closs Colin Welby LRPS Leanne Sharp Fleur Olby Paul Mayes Colin Harding Jack Rose Pamela Maunsell Darren Sanderson Julie Kirrane Joy Rimmington Jill North Keith Chadwick Timothy Rigg Peng Yan Dean Corbett Richard Moore Melissa Peakman LRPS Neville Nicholson Stephen Allen Emily Allen Charlotte Graham Robyn Drinkwater
Congratulations on receiving your Distinction: Dave Richardson LRPS Robert Steemson LRPS Mellissa Peakman LRPS
What not to miss - please check the dates, times, venue and website updates before setting off • 9th February 7:45pm, Greenhill Methodist Church. Sheffield PS Yearly Lecture by Bob Dennis CPAGB APAGB AFIAP BPE4. (see page 2) • 24th February 2018 - CLOSING DATE for entries - Don Valley Festival Photography Competition. www.donvalleyfestival.org.uk for more details • 9th March to 18th March, Sheffield Photographic Society Annual Exhibition. Sheffield Cathedral, free admission. (see page 2) • 17th March, 13:30 to 17:00 - Contemporary Group North East, Central Buildings, Floors3, Suite 4, 13 Bull Ring, Wakefield, WF1 1HA. • 31st March, 10:30 to 16:30 - Advisory Day - New Brookhouse Club, 221 Barnsley Rd, Wakefield WF1 5NU • 21st April 10:30 - Regional Members’ Day - New Brookhouse Club. • 28th April to 9th June, The Civic, Barnsley. RPS 160th International Photography Exhibition. • 5th to 18th May. YPU Annual Exhibition - Channing Hall, 45 Surrey St, Sheffield, S1 2LG. also see www.ypu.org.uk/EVENTS.aspx for times, etc. • 19th May. VJ’s Art Bar, York. Self Help Group. • 23rd June. Advisory Day L & A panels (all categories). New Brookhouse Club. • 28th July. Tetley Galleries, Leeds. Café session, self-help. • 13th October. VJ’s. Café session. • 27th Oct. Advisory Day L & A panels (all categories). New Brookhouse Club.
Geoffrey Smith ARPS Lorraine Spittle LRPS
2018 YPU Annual Assembly and Exhibition - Sheffield Assembly: 2pm to 4pm, 5th May. The Diamond Building, S3 7RD. Exhibition: Channing Hall. S1 2LG. (see under ‘what not to miss’) www.sheffield-photographer.org.uk - for times & more details
Don Valley Festival 2018. Photography Competition. Under 13s. 1 or 2 prints. 8”x6” (A5), mounted on card. £1 per print. 13-17s. 10”x8” (A4) or larger, mounted on card. £1 per print. 3 categories - Colour, Monochrome, Digital Art Prints. Adults. (A4) or larger, mounted on 40x50cm card. £2 per print. 3 categories - Colour, Monochrome, Digital Art Prints. See www.donvalleyfestival.org.uk for details and much more.
Yorkshire Showcased at Hull. RPS Yorkshire Region, supported by “Welcome to Yorkshire”
Throughout January to March 2017, all photographers in Yorkshire, whether members of the Royal Photographic Society or not, were invited to enter a free competition, from which the best Yorkshire images would be selected for printing and displaying at a range of exhibitions, starting with the HIP Gallery in Hull, as part of their City of Culture activities. The only requirement was that entrants had to be residents of Yorkshire. Following the outcomes of the selection committee, mounted prints were requested from the successful entrants. These were then framed and prepared for the Exhibition, as well as being collated for use on relevant RPS and ‘Welcome to Yorkshire’ websites, etc. Following the official opening by the [then] RPS President, Walter Benzie Hon FRPS, the Showcasing Yorkshire Exhibition ran from 28th July 2017 to 24th August 2017. Attendance was high and everyone was complimentary about the venue, the images and the overall event. Thanks are extended to all the members and friends who volunteered their time to represent the RPS and the Region during all opening hours. The daily attendance to the exhibition averaged numbers in excess of 70, with some days having more than 150 footfalls, which made it a successful event.
The 37th Frame
Sharing your photographic interests gets easier. • Alongside our RPS and RPS Yorkshire organised events, members in the Yorkshire Region are very lucky to have a growing range of active SIGs (Special Interest Groups) in, or very close to, our region. • For example - Contemporary NE, Digital Imaging Yorkshire [DIY - newly formed], Landscape, Historical. • As well as all the RPS events, don’t forget the YPU and local organisations; clubs and groups also have full calendars. A great mix across all genres of photography. Contact details can be found on their website, and most of them have contact details listed on the YPU website. • You may also be aware that we have some social media presence – RPS Yorkshire [Face book group] - and this generates RPS information and events as well as any other photographic branches we can share.
• Yorkshire Monochrome Group – Just a taster of some of the speakers at the YMG in 2018 • • • •
Colin Westgate FRPS MFIAP APAGB Chrissie Westgate FRPS, Mark Gillingham FBIPP LRPS and Tom Dodd FRPS FIPF DPAGB If you have a photographic interest or project which you’d like to share, there may be other members waiting hear about it. Please send brief details, initially, to the editor (contact given above) and we’ll give it a mention - possibly leading to a new group or venture.
Page 4 of 4
The last bit, squeezed in at the end. When using 36 exposure films, it was expected that a Yorkshireman would manage to get at least one more frame out of the film.