276 DISTINCTION STEVE SMITH FRPS DISTINCTIONS. Call Centre THE RPS JOURNAL / JUNE 2014 / VOL 154

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1 276 DISTINCTION STEVE SMITH FRPS DISTINCTIONS Call Centre THE RPS JOURNAL / JUNE 2014 / VOL 154

XX SUPPORTED BY XX DISTINCTION 277 INSPIRATION ON EVERY CORNER Steve Smith FRPS found his muse during repeated trips to Cuba Name Steve Smith About A draftsman, Steve has spent

He says that capturing everyday events, occurrences, and people is the both the challenge and the reward in his photography.

Each picture comes with its own narrative and, as Aristotle, once said: The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

2 XX SUPPORTED BY XX DISTINCTION 277 INSPIRATION ON EVERY CORNER Steve Smith FRPS found his muse during repeated trips to Cuba Name Steve Smith About A draftsman, Steve has spent most of his working life in design. His passion for photography started in He says that capturing everyday events, occurrences, and people is the both the challenge and the reward in his photography. My portfolio shows the citizens and the environments of Cuba, capturing the ambience of the towns and cities along with its inhabitants. Each picture comes with its own narrative and, as Aristotle, once said: The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. When I first visited Cuba back in 2006 I fell in love with the country and its people, and I found inspiration on virtually every street corner. I returned in 2008 knowing how I wanted to approach Cuba and was successful in gaining my Fellowship in the Visual Art category. In 2012 I visited Cuba for the fourth time, giving myself a brief to work towards a Travel Fellowship with the Master VOL 154 / JUNE 2014 / THE RPS JOURNAL

278 DISTINCTION STEVE SMITH FRPS important proviso of meeting the criteria specified by distinction guidelines.

However, there are a few that are a little different from what I normally take which I think work well, and this is something to take forward into my future projects.

I used a Leica MP with an M 35mm f/1.4 Summilux lens. Two of the images were shot using a Pentax 67MK11 using a 45mm f/4 lens and 120 FP4 film.

3 278 DISTINCTION STEVE SMITH FRPS important proviso of meeting the criteria specified by distinction guidelines. I am consciously looking for something that s just a little bit special, that extra per cent but that is the thing that can be the most difficult. I am pleased with all the images. However, there are a few that are a little different from what I normally take which I think work well, and this is something to take forward into my future projects. From a technical point of view, 75 per cent of this panel was shot on black and white 35mm film (Ilford FP4 125 ASA or Kodak Tri-X 400 ASA), over a three-week period in Cuba during I used a Leica MP with an M 35mm f/1.4 Summilux lens. Two of the images were shot using a Pentax 67MK11 using a 45mm f/4 lens and 120 FP4 film. Five of the images were taken digitally, on a previous trip in 2009, with a Canon 1DS MKIII and a 24-70mm f/2.8 L and a 14-40mm f/4 L lenses. All the post-production was carried out in Photoshop CS5 using channel mixers and curves no plug-in filters were used. The film images were scanned using an Epson V700 flatbed scanner and a Nikon Coolscan V 35mm film scanner. I CONSCIOUSLY LOOK FOR SOMETHING THAT S JUST A LITTLE BIT SPECIAL, THAT EXTRA PER CENT Lift-off Party Girl THE RPS JOURNAL / JUNE 2014 / VOL 154

XX SUPPORTED BY XX DISTINCTION 279 Decorators Commuters ASSESSOR S VIEW Leo Palmer FRPS The first requirement for a Fellowship submission is a statement of intent that clearly defines what it is that

4 XX SUPPORTED BY XX DISTINCTION 279 Decorators Commuters ASSESSOR S VIEW Leo Palmer FRPS The first requirement for a Fellowship submission is a statement of intent that clearly defines what it is that the candidate intends to capture and show the panel of assessors. In his statement, Steve painted a picture of his Cuba experience. The final sentence The intention with this panel of photographs is to capture the ambience of the towns and cities of Cuba along with its inhabitants and to record what I have seen on my travels, a snapshot in time left no-one in any doubt as to his objectives for the panel. The importance of originality is often mentioned where the FRPS distinction is concerned. We are looking for evidence of an individual approach, and the images in this panel displayed that quality. VOL 154 / JUNE 2014 / THE RPS JOURNAL

5 280 DISTINCTION STEVE SMITH FRPS Beauty in Decay [4] THE RPS JOURNAL / JUNE 2014 / VOL 154

XX SUPPORTED BY XX DISTINCTION 281 They were all considered compositions, showing strong image design. Monochrome printing is and always was a fine-art medium.

6 XX SUPPORTED BY XX DISTINCTION 281 They were all considered compositions, showing strong image design. Monochrome printing is and always was a fine-art medium. It requires accurate exposure and sensitive post-processing in order to achieve prints that sparkle with a full tonal range from highlights to shadows. It matters not if this result is achieved by darkroom or digital processes, but they are definitely not just images with their colour removed. A great monochrome print has the wow factor; all the prints in this panel had this quality. Overall, Steve s panel showed the necessary vision and interpretation, with exceptional print quality, and told a very personal story of his Cuba experience as defined in his statement of intent. MONOCHROME PRINTING REQUIRES ACCURATE EXPOSURE AND SENSITIVE POST-PROCESSING IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE PRINTS THAT SPARKLE VOL 154 / JUNE 2014 / THE RPS JOURNAL

Valerie Elliot 98 FEBRUARY

Valerie Elliot 98 FEBRUARY 98 FEBRUARY WHAT ARE DISTINCTIONS? Distinctions are standards of achievement recognised throughout the world LRPS Applicants need to show good photographic competence in five key areas ARPS Evidence of