A. R. P. S.
A S S O C I A T E S H I P O F T H E
R O Y A L P H O T O G R A P H I C S O C I E T Y
The fifteen images on this page were the basis of my submission for my ARPS (Associateship
of the Royal Photographic Society) which I gained in October 2006.
My "Statement of Intent" read:
A R P S S U B M I S S I O N ( V I S U A L A R T S )
"In June 2006 I came across three rotting fishing vessels on the foreshore at Newburgh in Fife. I was
struck by the strong shapes and patterns that they exhibited. The range of colours and textures of their rotting timbers,
peeling paint and rusting metalwork also appealed to me. I returned over several days to capture these datils, sometimes in
extreme close-up and sometimes in a wider view. In concentrating on the patterns, colours and textures of these boats I deliberately
restricted myself to exploring a limited subject in a tiny geographic area. I also restricted myself to days when the sunlight
was bright and somewhat unforgiving. (All the images were taken between 11 am and 2 pm). I felt however that on this occasion
the harsh June light was particularly useful in accentuating the colours and textures that I saw".
T H E I M A G E S:
D I S P L A Y A R R A N G E M E N T:
The plan I supplied to the RPS for displaying the photographs in three rows, each of five images, is
shown below. The photographs were all window-mounted in 40 x 50 cm "snow white" mounts, each with a 33 x 22 cm aperture. They
were printed on Epson Premium Glossy photographic paper. I chose this paper because I wanted to maximise the colours
in the images without over-saturating them.
P O S T A R P S I M A G E S:
Two further images of the same boats were taken when I was passing through Newburgh again in mid-October.
I particularly like the abstract landscape reflections of the image on the left. These were not among the images submitted
for my ARPS, but I kind of wish they were.
Since I took all these pictures, two of my three boats have been broken up. An act of photographic vandalism
or just tidying up an eyesore?
T H E E N D:
These boats are now no more! One was broken up, and another (shown below) was burned on 18th
August 2007 as part of the Newburgh Festival celebrations. The last was dragged from the water and burned on 5th November
2007. All that remained was a few rusty nails after the boats were burnt. Some of these may yet form another image!
E N D N O T E:
Looking back at these images more than 18 months after the portfolio was submitted I find myself wondering
whether, if I had to do it all again, I would choose the same topic and same photographs. I must also admit to a certain vague
dissatisfaction with them now, but perhaps this is simply because I have just become too familiar with them and
my photography has also moved on to other interests. This is exactly as it should be! Who was it that said that their favourite
photograph was always their last one?
Click on a thumbnail to see a larger image
"I didn't go to kindergarten, so I missed 'show and
tell' when I was young. I'm making up for it now! I look for essence of the subject and try to show it in a different way,
whether it's Antarctica or a monarch butterfly..".
- George Lepp
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