December/January 2025 / 2026
NEWSLETTER Professor Paul Fowler FRPS Golden Hour looking towards Bridge of Gaur. Loch Ranch Cairngorms. Image on RPS Scotland Group Facebook page
Dear Members So here we are at the start of 2026 and the team are lining up a comprehensive series of photographic activities for RPS Scotland. In December we had the launch of our book project ‘From Land’ at Annandale distillery which has now gone ‘live’. We had two Trustees lined up to attend the launch, unfortunately only one was able to make it, but this shows the level of support we are now getting. We also had another in our series of on-line talks by Shahbaz Majeed where he discussed his career in photography and some of his experiences whilst working with the BBC. The weather was fairly kind to the members who ventured out to do some astrophotography under the guidance of Andrew Allan, and we are hoping to have a repeat session this year. You will all have seen the news regarding the rollout of the new Distinctions Framework, and now that we have some more definite timescales we shall be arranging an Advisory Day for members who are thinking of submitting in the second half of the year. Also in the pipeline will be the annual Celebration of Distinctions and Exhibition Selection event in the not too distant future. The Exhibition is currently on view at Eden Court in Inverness until the 24th, and will then be moving to Aberdeen.
We are social! On Facebook as RPS Scotland Group, you will need your membership number to join!
Region Events News Contd...
I would like to thank the RPS Scotland Team for all their hard work in organising the wide ranging events during 2025, especially Sam who has plenty more ideas for us to offer in the way of photographic activities in 2026. Next up this month is the first online talk by Jennifer Charlton on Portraiture in just over a weeks time - as with all our talks this is free to RPS members so do sign up and maybe pick up some new techniques and ideas to kick-start your photography year. And coming up in March we have our next Photoforum - also in Aberdeen. I wish everyone a Happy and Prosperous New Year and look forward to meeting many of you at some of our forthcoming events!
Peter
Loxley Colour Have generously given a 10% discount code for Photographic and Fine Art Prints specifically for RPS Scotland members, single use code LOXLEYRPS10 Please note that other Print companies are available and Loxley is not endorsed by The Royal Photographic Society.
AI GENERATED - NOT ME
EVENTS & ENGAGEMENT Hi everyone, I wanted to give a quick January update — mainly to say that after confidently announcing I’d have everything online in the first week… I do not. This is entirely my fault, and I apologise. I also apologise for this being a shorter-than-planned newsletter — though given recent events, it’s a minor miracle anything has been written at all. Some of our Facebook followers may already know that I’ve been particularly unwell over the Christmas period, starting with flu, followed by a chest infection, and helpfully rounded off by travelling around Europe for the festivities — because rest is overrated. Although I was working, several of the people and companies I contacted were very much not, which means a few things remain stubbornly unconfirmed. And just to really lean into 2026 with enthusiasm… yesterday I managed to slip getting out of the car, whack my head hard enough to warrant a lengthy visit to A&E, and injure my back on the way down. I am pleased to report that a brain was found and confirmed to be present — always reassuring news. So, as 2026 begins, I’m currently bent double, sporting a rather impressive bruise, nursing a cracking headache, and still coughing like an extra in a Victorian drama. I keep telling myself that things can only get better… surely? Looking ahead (because optimism has returned), I will be away overseas for an extended period April–May, however we will have a guest hosting Camera & Coffee — more details will follow in February. I will also be away again in June and July, because at this point consistency feels important. I will do my best to knuckle down whilst hovering over a chair to get some events confirmed.
Sam
Thank you, as always, for your patience, good humour, and support — normal service will resume just as soon as my body agrees with the plan.
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EVENTS & ENGAGEMENT
The From Land project is now live!! From Land is first and foremost a photographic coffee-table book, where images lead the conversation and visual storytelling is central. The ethos of the book can act as a source of inspiration rather than instruction, encouraging a slower, more thoughtful engagement with the landscape. It invites photographers to look closely at familiar places and local ground, where quiet moments and subtle details often reveal the strongest images. Seasonal conditions — particularly winter, snow, and reduced light — can offer opportunities for simplicity, atmosphere, and restraint. Changing weather can shape mood and approach, but it’s important to work within your limits, choosing locations and conditions that feel comfortable and safe. Inspiration should never come at the expense of wellbeing: avoid putting yourself in difficult or risky positions, especially during adverse weather, and let good judgement guide your decisions. Rather than chasing dramatic conditions, there’s value in responding to what the land offers on the day, close to home and at a pace that feels right. Above all, the book gently encourages time spent out on the land making photographs, allowing images to grow from experience, awareness, and respect for both place and personal safety. In keeping with the spirit of From Land, photographs should be new work made this year, encouraging a fresh response to current conditions, seasons, and personal experience rather than revisiting archive images.
Submissions online from February 2026 Information about the project can be found online on the RPS Scotland Homepage, or email Sam at scotlandevents@rps.org
MONTHLY COMPETITION
January 2026 Competition 1 January - 23 January Entries to scotlandweb@rps.org
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Happy New Year everyone! Thank you once again for the outstanding images submitted for December’s competition. The standard just keeps getting higher, and it’s a real pleasure to see the creativity and passion coming through in every entry. Please keep an eye out for the upcoming email, for December and Januarys images with voting link, allowing you to view the images and cast your votes towards the end of the month. Your votes really do matter and help shape the direction and energy of our competitions. January’s theme is all about contrast — think vivid, bold use of colour — with the subject “Something Uniquely Scottish.” January is, of course, the month when we celebrate Rabbie Burns, but Scotland is so much more than tartan and shortbread. From striking landscapes and urban details to traditions, people, and unexpected moments, this is your chance to show what uniquely Scottish means to you. Head out with fresh eyes, take creative risks, and let your imagination run riot. We’re excited to see how you interpret the theme — and we hope you’ll continue to look forward to the newsletter each month as your reminder to shoot, submit, vote, and be inspired. Good luck, and happy shooting!
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With best wishes, Neil Hutton Scotland Web Officer- Volunteer
Y H P A R G O PHOT
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**LIVE **
1 January - Rules apply
SOMETHING UNIQUELY SCOTTISH VIVID/BOLD COLOURS
To provide constructive feedback on portfolios of work during a relaxed and informal day, this is NOT a formal advisory day.
ABERDEEN PHOTOFORUM SUNDAY 22 March 2026 Conference Room at the Aberdeen Arts Centre,33 King St.
Meet at 10.00am to start promptly at 10.30am There will be a break for lunch and the event will finish around 4pm This event is open to all RPS Members and Non-Members RPS members £12.00 and guests/non members £15.00 * Please advise the organiser if you are bringing work. The number of available slots to present work will be limited by the duration of the event. We will endeavour to show and discuss work by all who indicate that they will be bringing images, however if we do need to limit the available slots then they will be allocated in order of bookings. Prints. Preferably card mounted, ideally no larger than 50cm x 40cm. Digital images sRGB colour space, on USB stick (may be sent digitally beforehand if necessary - please contact organiser to arrange).
Email Sam at Scotlandevents@rps.org
Further Details and to Book
NEW YEAR, NEW CHALLENGE?
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SECRETARY Interested in being part of a growing and vibrant region, much is planned for 2026. Flexible volunteer role with a friendly, supportive committee Build skills, make connections, and help shape photography in Scotland Curious? Let’s have a chat
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2026 PROGRAMME Jennifer Charlton - Portraiture - Wednesday 14 January 2026 7PM
Jennifer Charlton graduated from Robert Gordon University/ Edinburgh College with a BA in Professional Photography in 2023 and went on to be awarded a first-class honours degree through Kingston University and Edinburgh College in 2024. In September she made history becoming the first female and first digital photographer to win the Scottish Portrait Award (Colour) with a portrait of John from her mental health project ‘A Hidden Community’. This ongoing personal project was also placed in the finals of the prestigious AOP student awards and runner up at the Photo North Student Photography competition and garnered attention from ITV, the BBC and Broadsheets. She was awarded an “Outstanding Achievement in Photography” award at her graduation at Edinburgh College is currently Artist in Residence there and has just had her solo exhibition in Stirling. The most recent recognitions came from The Royal Photographic Society when the single mum of three was awarded Associate Photographer and Chartered Photographer status which is the terminal qualification in photography. Jennifer has experienced four generations of her family being affected by mental health issues and has recently been diagnosed with FND as well as suffering from long covid since 2019. Working as a photographer is, however, essential for her mental health and she is determined to navigate these new challenges and continue to earn a living with her work. Light Through The Shadows: A life In Focus Jennifer will share her journey as a photographer, talk about her award-winning project ‘A Hidden Community’ and share her top ten tips she wished someone had told her when she was starting out.
ZOOM David Gilliver - Lightpainting 24 February 2026 7PM
THE MAGICAL ART OF LIGHT PAINTING Prepare to enter a world where surreal light-sculptures inhabit familiar landscapes. David's colourful imagination will be on full display during this presentation. He will be discussing in detail both his inspirations and the technical considerations he makes when creating this style of work. Over the last 15 years David has amassed one of the largest collections of Light Painting tools on the planet and he will be discussing what camera settings he uses, as well as covering what tools can be used for creating different effects on different shoots. Forget photoshop and the editing process in general for the night – this is all about what a photographer can accomplish through the magic of long exposure photography when combined with a sprinkling of imagination (and a little patience). I graduated from the Glasgow School of Art in 2001 with a BA (Hons) in Fine Art Photography and have been building my career as a professional photographer and artist ever since. Early on I became captivated by macro photography, inspired by the work of David Levinthal, and spent several years of my degree creating images of toys and figurines—a body of work that earned me a reputation as one of the school’s most prolific students. After graduating, I moved to Guernsey for work in offshore finance but stayed creatively active, eventually becoming deeply immersed in long-exposure and light-painting photography. From 2008–2014 I produced a vast nocturnal portfolio and amassed one of the world’s largest collections of Light Painting tools. When my daughter was born in 2014, I shifted my focus back to macro photography, finding ways to create whenever time allowed. Returning to Scotland in 2015 with my wife Melissa and daughter Lea marked a turning point, and in 2018 I made the leap to becoming a full-time artist. Since then my work has gained international attention through exhibitions, workshops, and commissions for clients such as John Lewis, Sony, Adobe, Samsung, Lexus, Honda, ThreeUK, the Noor Riyadh Festival of Light, and AIDA Cruises. Alongside creating bespoke artworks—my greatest passion—I now regularly teach Creative Photography Workshops across the UK, present to schools, colleges, universities, and camera clubs, and continue to share the magical techniques of Light Painting and Macro Photography. Despite the ups and downs, being a full-time artist feels entirely natural, and I’m continually grateful for every opportunity that comes my way.
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STEWART WALL - PHOTOBOOKS AND ZINES WEDNESDAY MARCH 4TH 7PM
Stewart Wall MA NCTJ ARPS – Street Photography Projects for Zines and Photobooks Stewart Wall MA ARPS NCTJ is a professional photographer, qualified educator, and long-standing contributor to the Royal Photographic Society. His career began in 1978 as a trainee photo-journalist at the Brentwood Gazette, where his first published image was a street photograph — schoolchildren caught in the energy of a snowball fight. That early assignment sparked a lifelong belief that the street is one of photography’s richest stages for documenting real life. Trained through the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ), Stewart went on to work across regional and national press while developing a deep commitment to photographic storytelling, education, and book-making. Within the RPS he has played a significant leadership role: he authored the official criteria for the Photobook genre and served as Chair of Photobook Assessments for two years, helping to establish contemporary standards for narrative photography within the Society. He also chaired and assessed Licentiate applications. Over the past decade Stewart has become widely recognised for leading collaborative street photography and place-based projects, most notably the long-running Streets in the Sky trilogy (2015–2025), created with photographers at Sheffield’s Park Hill estate. His projects explore the street as a document of lived experience, social memory, and everyday performance. Today, Stewart’s practice focuses on guiding photographers towards creative street photography projects, from first ideas through to zines and photobooks, using his own methodology which blends emotional mapping, sense of place, and sequenced storytelling. In this talk, Stewart will share practical strategies for developing meaningful street photography projects, approaches to sequencing and editing for zines and photobooks, and insights from a lifetime spent documenting life as it happens.
CAMERA & COFFEE
☕📸 Meet. Shoot. Sip. – Camera & Coffee! NOW BOOKABLE ONLINE AT RPS SCOTLAND EVENTS BUT NOT ESSENTIAL It’s a relaxed, informal, and a short event all about connecting with fellow photographers One meet-up per month (weather permitting!) Weekends and weekdays available Suggestions welcome! – If you’d like us to bring Camera & Coffee to your area, get in touch. Even better, volunteer to host one!
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📍 Kelso – Friday 30 January 10am - 1pm meet at The Knowes Car Park, The Butts Kelso TD5 7BH w3w initiated.skinning.handyman
📍 Glasgow Riverside Transport Museum – Friday 20 February 2026 10am - 1pm Why join us? Meet fellow members and enthusiasts in a relaxed setting Share stories, ideas, and inspiration Explore new areas with your camera in hand Enjoy coffee, food, and a welcoming atmosphere We’d love your suggestions!
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Email Sam at scotlandevents@rps.org if you’d like Camera & Coffee to come to your area, or if you’re happy to help host.
Travelling Print Exhibition
A Walk in the Woods by Pat Ness LRPS
The Scotland Region of the Royal Photographic Society will be presenting an exhibition of photographic prints that show the variety of work undertaken by members. It includes images of wildlife, landscapes, people and places taken both in Scotland and around the world and demonstrates a range of photographic techniques to present these subjects.
Eden Court Gallery - Inverness January 2026 Aberdeen Art Centre - Aberdeen February 2026
Royal Photographic Society Landscape Group Members’ Exhibition 2025/26
See the Exhibition
The RPS Landscape Group is holding its second exhibition of members’ work across 8+ locations, starting in May 2025 at Southwark Cathedral, before moving to Bristol Central Library, eventually ending in Scotland in Spring 2026. 80 beautiful prints; from London to Antarctica; land & sea; rural & urban; from big scenes to intimate abstracts. All venues are outdoors, open 24/7 WASPS, Inverness 2 - 17 May 2026 Peter Stott ARPS
More 2026 dates to be announced
Phillip Dove LRPS
Mark Sims ARPS
Morag Forbes LRPS
Lesley Peatfield ARPS
Rosemary Wilman HonFRPS
Lindsay Southgate ARPS
Howard Klein LRPS
Sue Searle LRPS
Founded in 1853, current patron HRH The Princess of Wales, the RPS mission is to bring inspiration, creativity and connection through photography to people of all ages and backgrounds. The Landscape Group has 1200 members and is one of 16 special interest groups . Website: https://rps.org/Landscape-EXPO25/ Instagram: rpslandscape X/Twitter: @RPSLandscapeExh Contact: landscapeexhibitionmemberevents@rps.org
The last word......
If you would like something included please email Peter or Sam before the 20th of each month.
Coming soon ...... Zoom Talks with Stewart Wall - Photobook and Zines Wednesday 4 March 2026 Karen Miller - Wildlife - Wednesday 25 March 2026 Mark Banks - Printing and Paper Choices Thursday 9 April 2026
Adventures......... David Gilliver 2026 - After lightpainting zoom, date to be confirmed There are other things in the pipline stay tuned!
If you want Sam to look at any other in person events drop her a message. scotlandevents@rps.org