iJourneys

John Gough Photography

Master of Photography: Sky Arts

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Master of Photography
Master of Photography, Sky Arts

Fantastic news. Sky Arts, the Sky channel, is now available on Freeview, Channel 11. The channel started broadcasting this week, which means that we can all now get to see one of their most popular programmes: Master of Photography. A photography competition, in which contestants compete with one another to gain the coveted title and 150,000 euros.

I watched the first episode this week, on Friday at 2pm. This was a repeat from the first series broadcast in 2016. I imagine the series is shown across the schedule. However, you will need to trawl through endless repeats of Tales of the Unexpected to find it.

The format is similar to The Apprentice, Masterchef and Bake Off. Twelve contestants battle it out each week, until one is eliminated. The judges are eminent photographers and there is a guest photographer to give advice. The series has been running for four seasons, and hopefully, they will all be repeated for Freeview viewers.

Master of Photography Season 1 Episode 1

The contestants chosen from the ‘thousands’ that applied. In this episode, spent six hours shooting on the streets of Rome. Not all the candidates were familiar with street photography, so it was fascinating to watch their different styles. No doubt they were good photographers to win through and get a place in the competition, but the judges were ‘underwhelmed’ with the results.

It may have been the difficulty of street photography. Alex Webb the Magnum street and travel photographer was on hand to give advice. Street photography is 99.8% disappointment he said.

The best bit of advice, however, was kept until the end.

Shoot for yourselves, not what you think the judges are looking for.

Winner: RPS Monthly Competition May 2019

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It was this Big! /John Gough / Canon EOS M

This picture was one of the winners of the RPS Monthly Competition in May 2019. It will appear in the RPS Journal in July. I was asked to write a few comments:

I live close to Bedford and originally started taking pictures of people in the town to participate in an exhibition a few years ago. I have continued this theme as a project.

These three ladies were chatting away, waiting for a bus. I just loved their expressions and can only guess at what they were talking about.

I used a Canon EOS M3 which is a small and inconspicuous camera. The flip out screen and wide angle lens meant that I could get in close and shoot at their level.

Lake District Photography Locations

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Lake District Photography Locations

Pooley Bridge Pier / John Gough / Canon 6D

I have been in the Lake District for a few days, and instead of darting from one location to the next, I did what many landscape photographers recommend which is to work the location. Usually, I don’t have the time for this, trying to pack in as much as I can. However, I have accumulated hundreds of pictures of the Lakes over the past few years, so I decided to follow their advice.

Lake District Photography: Wastwater

I started in Wastwater and worked the view looking towards Wasdale Head and Skafell Pike.

The landscape experts tell you to make the most of the weather you have been given. Well, at least it was not that insipid clear blue sky, you see on postcards of Lakeland scenes. The sky instead was overcast, the rain was spitting, and the breeze created a slight swell on the water. All in all, this created quite a moody scene.

Lakedistrict Photography

Wastwater in March / John Gough / Canon 6D

 

 

Lake District Photography: Buttermere

The next day I went in search of a photography icon, the lone tree on the shoreline of Buttermere Lake. Hundreds of photographers have got there before me. Indeed there was one there as I arrived, self consciously moving a tripod around while his wife looked on impatiently. Fortunately, I had neither encumbrance.

Head for the Fish Inn CA13 9XA. There is a public carpark. Walk past the pub and onto the path around the lake. When you reach the banks of the lake turn left and follow the path.

Lake District Photography

The Lone Tree / John Gough / Canon 6D

It is a misnomer the tree is not on its own, there are other trees along the bank. However, none have captured the imagination of artists and photographers quite like this one.

 Lake District Photography: Ullswater


I went to Pooley Bridge on Ullswater to find another iconic location, the Duke of Portland Boathouse. The best vantage point is from the wall just past the junction of the A592 and the B5320. It was, however, overcast, pouring with rain, and the lake was a murky grey. The boathouse is really only worth shooting as the sun comes up and illuminates it from the front.

I walked back to the pier for Ullswater steamers, by now it was raining hard, but as pier pictures seem very much in vogue, I captured the image at the top of the page. I took several but the rest were ruined by rain spots. By now I was cold and wet, so I decided it was time for a bacon butty.

 

 

I have added links to the books I use to find locations. These are affiliate links so I do get a very small payment if you purchase.

 

I used my Canon 6D on this trip with the magic 16-135 lens ideal for landscapes. I buy my gear from Wex because I have experienced their fantastic customer service personally.

 

Five Tips for the LRPS

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The LRPS or Licentiate of The Royal Photographic Society is an internationally recognised photography qualification. The RPS has three levels of distinction: Licentiate, Associate and Fellow, and although the LRPS is the entry level qualification it is not easy to achieve and to quote the RPS, “requires images of a high standard of photographic execution”.

You will need to put ten images together, which are different and technically excellent. Different not necessarily in subject matter but in approach, showing different techniques e.g landscape, macro, movement, shallow depth of field etc.

When the ten images are ready, send or take them either as PDIs or prints to an assessment day, where they will be judged by a panel of top photographers. All the details are on the RPS site

Here are five top tips for success:

1 LRPS Advisory Day

Go to a LRPS Advisory Day where the ten images can be critiqued by the judges that actually do the assessments. It may be daunting to have your work discussed in front of an audience, but what is blindingly obvious to them, you may not have noticed or thought it important. Whether it be sharpness, blown highlights, lack of detail in shadows etc they will spot it. You will get good advice on whether your panel of images is ready for submission to be assessed, or what work you have to do to achieve that.

2 Technical Excellence is the LRPS Secret

The judges are not looking for beautiful outstanding photographs, they are looking for technically perfect images. Yes, the composition must be reasonable, and there should be no lamp posts growing out of people’s heads. Have a look at the LRPS distinction successes online for the level of technical competence required.

3 Print or PDI

I am told on good authority that more people pass with prints than with PDI’s (screen images). This is because the judging panel can view the images as a whole rather than individually. When the images are judged, the prints will usually be arranged in two rows of five prints. It is up to you to number your prints and provide a hanging plan showing how the prints are to be arranged.

4 Hanging Plan Tricks

Put your best images in the centre of the rows at positions 3 and 8. Then try to balance 2&4 and 7&9. At the end of the row the image should stop the eye and bring the gaze back to the panel of images. Judges maintain that the images hung together like this make up the 11th image. See my effort here. 

5 Your Favourite Pics

You may have a fantastic image of New York at night, but unless it is flawless technically try to resist the urge to include your favourite images in the panel. Try to avoid any technical issue, a picture of a bike shed that is in focus and processed correctly is going to tick the box better than a fuzzy but stunning shot of crocodiles attacking wildebeest on the Masai Mara. My advice is to setup a project to take technically supreme pictures. They must be interesting, show a varied approach and have no technical flaws. When you have twenty try to arrange into a hanging plan. If it looks right then it probably is right, and time to book that advisory day.

Where to Buy Your Equipment

I buy my equipment from Wex because of their exceptional customer service. I once returned a camera after 30 days, and the next day they called to return my money to my account. Their prices are always competitive and they offer good prices on the trade in of your used gear