RAY HEMS ARPS DPAGB, a long-standing member of Newbury Photography Club, is joining the Southern Counties Photographic Federation (SCPF) council. He is taking over the PAGB Awards Officer role from Leo Rich. Leo will continue as a SCPF PAGB advisor for the PAGB Awards for Photographic Merit (APM).
Here are Ray's comments from the SCPF Newsletter:
"My photography journey began aged 15 when I used my paper round income to buy an Ilford Sportsman with a smart leather case for 11 shillings a week on HP. This then began a lifelong history of capturing social events and family holidays over the subsequent decades.
The quality of these snaps moved up a gear with my first SLR, a Pentax ME Super with a selection of prime lenses. This resulted in a vast number of negatives to fill scores of 6 x 4 inch photo albums, followed by transparencies to bore family gatherings at Christmas with slide shows.
The quality of my photography further improved when I joined Newbury Camera Club (now Newbury Photography Club) in the late 1980’s. Critique of my slides in annual competitions and advice from the gurus within the club encouraged me to consider an RPS Distinction, and I achieved my LRPS in 2002 with a slide submission.
The advent of digital with a Nikon D70 in 2004 dramatically changed both the quality and quantity of my images. I began travelling more widely on family holidays and dedicated photography workshops. No longer inhibited to my self-imposed restriction of one film a day, I could explore in much more depth the locations visited, occasionally with fellow photographers who understood the time needed to make an image with impact.
Once I retired, I began to travel long-haul to more exotic destination which helped to create an eclectic portfolio of wildlife, landscape and travel images. These did well in local competitions, but I wanted a wider recognition of my work, so applied for the PAGB Awards of Photographic merit, achieving CPAGB in 2019.
Once lockdown arrived in March 2020, I decided it was time to do something with my extensive back catalogue of images languishing unseen on the hard drive. The many years of negatives and slides were digitised, and photobooks created of the various holidays. I also began entering National and International Exhibitions. Encouraged by the results, I submitted images to the PAGB once again, and was awarded DPAGB in 2021 .
After nearly 20 years of procrastination, I also finally looked again at RPS Distinctions and was very pleased to be awarded ARPS also in 2021.
I enjoy all genres of photography, though predominately wildlife, travel/street and landscape, but I also attempt macro, still life and, recently, sport which is particularly fun and challenging to capture ‘the decisive moment’.
I am excited about joining the council and looking forward to helping many members to achieve their awards."
Congratulations on your appointment, Ray!