Welcome back to the 2018/2019 season of the Club. I hope you all enjoyed the hottest summer on record and took some great pictures for our competitions.
What’s on at the Club
Our first night back is tomorrow, Thursday 13 September, and is the Summer Project presentations on the theme of “Transport in London”. Betty, Jeff and Paul will be the panel of judges who will give comments before those members who had not taken part in the project will vote on their favourite. It is also hand-in for PDIs Round 1.
On Saturday 15 September an outing to Chatham Dockyard – Salute to the 40s has been organised. We will be using our own transport and if you would like to attend you would be more than welcome.
Next week (20 September) is the PDI Competition, round 1 to be judged by Ian Brash.
Programme for 2018/2019
Please see attached.
What’s on Soon
The Great British Seaside – starts today until Tuesday 18 September
National Maritime Museum, Romney Road, SE10 9NF. The Great British Seaside celebrates six decades of our love affair with the beach.
See iconic work from some of Britain’s most popular photographers, featuring Martin Parr, Tony Ray-Jones, David Hurn and Simon Roberts. The exhibition will also feature 20 brand new works by Martin Parr, arguably Britain’s favourite photographer, focusing on the thriving and diverse resorts of London’s ‘local beaches’. So, whatever the weather, take a trip to the seaside to revel in the quintessentially British experience of beach huts, umbrellas, sandcastles and fish & chips.
London Design Festival – 15 to 23 September.
This multi-event, multi-venue, nine-day festival takes place across the capital to bring remarkable design both old and new to a vast London audience. This year the V&A celebrates 10 years as the festival’s hub, with a range of special displays and installations across the museum, plus a huge programme of events, tours, and workshops from Global Design Forum. Ten ‘Design Districts’ and two ‘Design Routes’ will also offer their own line-up of events and exhibits, which showcase local artists and creative industries. Highlights include: Kellenberger-White’s series of alphabet chairs, Scholten & Baijings’ contemporary tea installation in Fortnum & Mason’s flagship store in Piccadilly where visitors can immerse themselves in a daily tea party and MultiPly, an interactive maze installation in the V&A’s Sackler Courtyard.
Pearly Kings and Queens Harvest Festival – Sunday 16 September
It’s easy to spot a Pearly: they wear suits and hats covered in hundreds of shiny buttons! The origins of this 125-year-old tradition is rooted in charity, each Pearly King and Queen fundraise all year round. As September rolls around, it’s time for Guildhall Yard to welcome the cockney masses for a shindig Dick van Dyke would give his right arm to muscle in on. The annual event features traditional English entertainment including maypole dancing, Morris dancers and a marching band – be prepared to declare your London pride by shouting along to ‘Maybe It’s Because I’m a Londoner’ – before embarking on a parade around the City of London to St Mary-le-Bow Church for the 3pm service. The event is free but harvest festival offerings (typically of non-perishable goods and toiletries) are welcome and will be donated to the Whitechapel Mission. If you fancy becoming a Pearly, you’ll have to marry into one of the original families, it’s a hereditary title, much like the Royal Family. The majority of traditional cockneys may have been priced out of London but events like this are a brilliant opportunity to enjoy a proper East End knees up.
The Art Car Boot Fair – Granary Square, King’s Cross – Sunday 16 September
The Art Car Boot Fair is celebrating fifteen fun years with the launch of an additional event called the Art Cycle Basket Fair, which will see artists such as Sir Peter Blake, and Gavin Turk bringing everything they need for the day by bicycle, cargo bike or electric bike. Artists lined up for the main fair include Billy Childish, Juno Calypso, Pam Hogg, Polly Morgan, Mat Collishaw, and Mr Bingo who’ll be pitching up and selling original artworks at one-day only prices from the back of their cars.
Sky Birds of Prey Display Team – Friday 21 September – Daytime: 1:30pm–4:00pm, or Twilight: 4.30pm–7:00pm – £40 per person
The September weather forecast is looking good! Come and join the Sky Birds of Prey Display Team to photograph a variety of their beautiful birds of prey in a superb natural setting at Honnington Farm in Southborough, near Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
Whether you are a highly experienced photographer, or a complete beginner, you will have the opportunity to get some spectacular shots of amazing hawks, falcons and owls as they fly in a stunning location. Friendly photographic advice from photographer Paul Turner is on hand for anyone who wants a little instruction, so come along and get some great free-flying pictures and close up portraits. For more information, and to book, go to Sky Birds of Prey Display Team on Facebook or on their website. Places are limited and fill up quickly, so book early to avoid disappointment!
https://www.skybirdsofprey.co.uk/product/photography-experience/ 01322 408365
info@skybirdsofprey.co.uk
Open House Weekend – Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 September
The annual chance to visit a bazillion of different buildings for free. More info on their website openhouselondon.org.uk
On Sunday 23 September, the RPS South East Region will hold a special event at the Weald of Kent Grammar School, Tonbridge, Kent TN9 2JP featuring: Harry Borden Hon FRPS – one of the UK’s finest portrait photographers whose work has featured in many of the world’s foremost publications and won prizes at the World Press Photo Awards. The National Portrait Gallery currently hold 116 examples of Harry’s work in their permanent collection. His book ‘Survivor: A Portrait of the Survivors of the Holocaust’ was judged as one of the 10 best photography books of 2017.
Denis Pellerin – photo historian and curator of Dr. Brian May’s collection of Victorian photographs, has been researching the history of stereo photography for over 30 years and has written several articles and books on the subject. Denis will present his lecture ‘The Historian and the Stereoscope’ to take us on a stereoscopic journey with images of events, people and places that were specially taken for Charles Wheatstone’s and David Brewster’s “magical instrument”.
Catherine Troiano – Curator of Photographs at the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) London. The V&A began acquiring photographs in 1852, and its collection is now one of the largest and most important in the world comprising of over 300,000 images dating from 1839, including the RPS collection. The V&A Photography Centre, due to open on 12 October, will more than double the space dedicated to photography. Catherine will present her lecture ‘The V&A Photography Centre: A New Space for the National Collection’.
Paul Ryan – Director, Cafe Art (UK) will talk about the work of Café Art and its collaboration with the Royal Photographic Society in the My London and My Brighton & Hove calendar initiatives.
Mike Taylor – Chief Operating Officer, Royal Photographic Society. Mike will talk about his initial impressions since joining the RPS in June, what his role entails and the planned move of RPS HQ from Bath to Bristol. Tickets cost £10 for RPS members and £15 for non-members. There is no fee for RPS SE Region members, but registration must be made in advance via the RPS website.
Some Gardens to enjoy before the weather changes
Towards the tail end of Kensington High Street is the sweet sanctuary of Holland Park. Fifty-four glorious acres of land previously belonging to Jacobean mansion Cope Castle, it’s a prime spot for joggers, but visitors can also indulge in a spot of tennis, cricket, netball, football or golf. The park’s star attraction, however, is Kyoto Gardens.
Donated by Kyoto’s Chamber of Commerce in 1991 to commemorate a long friendship between Japan and Great Britain, the garden has just been voted one of the UK’s top hidden gems. It’s easy to see why. Meticulously designed with a mix of tiered waterfalls, koi carp-filled ponds, vibrant Japanese maple and sakura (cherry blossom trees), the outdoor space was designed as a calming ‘kaiyushiki’, or stroll garden.
PAGB e-News Nos. 213, 213 extra, 214 and 214 extra .To read the latest issues, please click on this link www.pagbnews.co.uk