SW Region News June 2026

South West Region news - June 2026

From the Steve Fairman

It is with a heavy heart that I write to you today to tell you that I have sadly resigned my position as RO for the SW Region of the RPS after only 4 months in post.

My resignation is largely because I have found that the role has been harder to manage alongside my other commitments than I had expected.

I was also hugely disappointed by the recent decision to pause the Distinctions process. I am personally affected by this decision as I had completed an application for an ARPS, booked an assessment and completed an Advisory 1-1 when the decision was announced. I have found this disappointment difficult to manage alongside my responsibilities as RO.

However, I want to stress that my resignation will have no impact on the Regional programme with the Sense of Place project, the upcoming studio session and many other exciting initiatives going ahead. The Regional Committee remains in place and will continue under new leadership. I am sure someone will be in touch shortly about arrangements moving forward.

Finally, I want you to know that I am not resigning as an RPS member and will continue to take part in regional projects, including SoP, and offer to lead future TWTs locally, etc. I look forward to meeting many of you in person in future.

Best regards, and happy photography!

Steve

The South West Region Committee wish to thank Steve most sincerely for his work during his time on the committee and taking on the Regional Organiser role. He pulled together a great programme for 2026 and established a new and energetic committee. Things seeemd to be going so well. However we respect his decision, but regret that we have lost a great RO.

The Committee would also like to thank Dennis Knowles who resigned a couple of months ago as the Finance Officer. Over many years Dennis has fulfilled the role of Treasurer when the Digital Imaging group ran a Centre near Taunton. More latterly Dennis took over as the Finance Officer for the SW Region.

We wish both good health, happiness and time to enjoy their photography.

A project designed for every SW Region member to be able to participate

We seem to be making good progress on the Sense of Place project given what we are seeing on both the SoP Facebook page and at the recent progress meeting on Zoom. If you missed that meeting and wish to watch the recording then go HERE

There has also been some interesting and good information from members posts on the Facebook page. Hudson posted this really good YouTube on how to prepare and think about a project. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2r-Zw16564&t=221s

Two members showed really early promising starts to their projects, which might inspire you.

Our next meeting is on Tuesday 11 August at 14.00. Everyone registered for the project will be sent the Zoom link nearer the time.

If you failed to register and now wished you had done so it isn’t too late. Contact janet.haines@me.com and we will get you registerred and you can soon catch up.

This is not an event organised by the RPS but some of you may remember that Andrew McCarthy FRPS presented some fantastic work at our AGM earlier this year.

Given Andrew is one of our Regional members and also an RPS Assessor, he is offering us the opportunity to go along to his private workshops near Chard, so it felt like a good opportunity to promote to you two of his July insect workshops. Sounds like a great day out even if you didn’t come back with some stunning photos.

We would not normally promote nonRPS events here but Andrew is both a SW Region member, a recent presenter, and the event is in our Region too.

For more information go to Andrew’s web site HERE

If you go on any of these workshops and come back with great photos then do please share them on our SW Region Facebook page

Sites of Religious Significance

Final feedback TALK session Wednesday 22 July at 10.30

If you were a walker or a walk leader at one of the recent WALKs we hope to see you at Saltash Railway Station. We will view 3 images from each attending member from each walk, choosing the WALK image to represent the WALK for the final national eZine.

Teas and coffees will be served

Parking in local streets nearby

Map below for your convenience

No prior booking required.

There is a little spare space so even if you didn’t do a WALK and you would like to come along you would be welcome.

The next RPS SW Visual Art Event will be held on Saturday, 14 November 2026 at Woodbury Village Hall. The event will be dedicated to participants showing their work (digital & prints). One of the presentations will be by David Elford which is entitled "Using Collage and Photomontage in Our Photography".

Ticket will be available online - Cost £5.

Marija Lees RPS SW Visual Art Organiser

SW Visual Arts Group 14.11.26

Using collage and photomontage in our photography

From Victorian times to the 21st century. Differing genres – including landscape, portraiture, and the more abstract.

My own work embracing history, art, and photography; and the creation of a photobook.

2026-27 South West Programme Dates – v7

SW Regional Admin. dates SIGs

exhibitions

Regional Project Talk-Walk-Talk Competitions Advisory Day Presentation Workshops DATE

2026/27

17 February RPS SW AGM Tuesday

5 March Landscape SIG walk 09.30-13.00 Godrevy Cornwall

Bovey Tracey

Contact Landscape SIG

6 RPS SW Advisory Day – Du Buisson Room 09.30 – 16.00 Woodbury Hall, Flower Street, Woodbury, Devon EX5 1LX

7 Viveca Koh FRPS FIPF ‘ A Collection of Moments’

7 Nature SIG John Bupitt – Macro Nature 16.30

10 Women in Photography SIG – Show and Tell 10.30

11 TWT Walks leaders meeting 16.00

18 Documentary SIG Engagement Talk Jesse Alexander 18.45

Marija Lees VA Organiser at visualartssw@rps.org Woodbury

Zoom Contact Nature SIG

Zoom. Contact WiP SIG

Zoom

Zoom Contact Documentary SIG

19 Earth Photo Exhibition Haldon Forest Park, Deveon

19 Deadline for CPA (Cornwall Photographic Alliance) Annual Competition On-line entry via CPA

19 Contemporary & Documentary SIGs – Book Night

Zoom 19.30 Contact Contemporary or Documentary SIGs

11 WCPF (Western Counties Photographic Federation) Judging Seminar Woodbury Hall, Nr Topsham

11 Digital Imaging SIG – What are we going to do about AI?

Christine Widdall 16.00-17.30

15 RPS SW Committee Mtg 19.00

Zoom contact DI SIG

Zoom

18 Harry Penhaul – Life in West Cornwall in the 1950s Penlee Gallery, Penzance

18 Landscape SIG walk 10.00-16.00 Topsham and the Exe estauary Contact Landscape SIG

18 AV SIG Western Counties PF AV Competition Woodbury contact AV SIG

28 Sense of Place Launch with Joe Houghton 10.00-12.00

Zoom TWT Bookings - Sites of Religious Significance

6 April Open for on-line bookings

18 May TWT – Talk – Julian Elliott 19.30

19 May - 30 June for walks

1 – Buckfast Abbey - Thursday

2 – St. Pancras Church, Widecombe in the Moor

3 – Loughwood meeting House & Wolford Chapel,

4 – Killerton House, Broadclyst, Exeter

5 – St.Just-in-Roseland Parish Church, St. Mawes,

6 – Gwennap Pit, Bosveal, Redruth, Cornwall

23 Digital Imaging SIG – Conception to Crumpets - Janey Devine 16.00-17.30

23-24 AV SIG Jurassic Coast AV Salon UK

3 June Landscape SIG TWT Bath Railway Station

Website talkwalktalk@rps.org

Zoom

1 – Anne Whitley 18th June

2 – Janet Haines 4th June

3 – Lois Wakeman

4 – Nigel Dutt

5 – Steve Fairman 12th June

6 – Michael Harris 29th May

Zoom contact DI SIG

Zoom Contact AV SIG

Contact Landscape SIG

13 AV SIG Jurassic Coast AV Salon International Woodbury contact AV SIG

16 Sense of

Nr. Chard info@andrewmccarthyphotography.co.uk

22 TWT – Talk (final) and selection of images– 10.30am Isambard House Saltash Rlwy Stn

August Sense of Place session 14.00-16.00

Meeting places

In an attempt to give better access to our meetings for members your committee have now found a meeting place at Saltash Station. This offers us the facilities we need in a more central location within the Region, which officially comprises of Cornwall and Devon, but we do appreciate we have some members living in Somerset too. The advantage is that it does mean members can use rail or road to get to the meetings. We hope this will prove to be a popular new location for our face to face meetings.

Our web pages are now being kept up to date and should become your ‘first stop’ when you wish to engage with that which the Region has to offer. Do book mark this page to be able to return to it in the future. https://rps.org/regions/south-west/

SW

Region committee

Regional Officer southwest@rps.org

Hon Secretary Michael Harris southwestsecretary@rps.org

HonTreasurer

Web content Nigel Dutt southwestweb@rps.org

Sheila Haycox,Kane Clements,Sue Bishop,David Rayner,Tony Berry, Janet Haines,Bill Pitcher

This is an appeal to any SW Region RPS member who might be willing to join us as either the Regional Organiser (RO) or the Regional Finance Officer. We are happy to discuss the role with you and to fully support you as you get up to speed.

contact janet.haines@me.com

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