Black White Photography 201302

BIRMINGHAM NEC 3-6 MARCH 2013Visitor registration: 01489 882 800 | Online registration via website or Focus App Non trade youre welcome! Only 10 on site (8 if pre-paid on-line)Tel: 020 8681 2619 - Fax: 020 8667 1590 - Email: info@focus-on-imaging.co.uk Image House, Coombe Avenue, Croydon CR0 5SD UK www.focus-on-imaging.co.uk SHARE THE PASSION Tim Clinch EDITORS LETTER B+W147 FERUARY 2013 Welcome to BLACK WHITEPHOTOGRAPHYThe bond between the man and the woman is tangible but understated. Ive had this print on my desk for months; I look at it every morning. I dont know the photographer, but I have been in email correspondence with him and we will be featuring his work later this year including this print which is part of a series. But today something happened. I realised that I had to possess this image, I had to take it home and look at it every day. I will never tire of it and it will, eventually, teach me something about portraiture. Its the picture that I would have liked to have taken. Its difficult to say why, maybe its O n my desk, as I write this, sits a print. This image is a formal portrait of an elderly couple. They sit side by side and look directly into camera. She is small and tubby, wearing a pale floral dress, black hat and shoes, and in her white-gloved hands she clutches a small black bag. Her arm is linked in his. He sits upright, hands firmly placed on his knees; he wears some kind of uniform and dark-rimmed spectacles. The floor is wooden and the backdrop appears to be a kind of creased brown paper. Light falls from one side. something about the tenderness between the couple, or the relaxed formality of the setting. Or maybe its because I sense a story behind the image, a narrative of years of life lived courageously but with a sense of fun. Theres a sort of fearlessness about this couple. Falling in love with a picture doesnt happen very often, but when you do, you know it. I have a small collection of images all of which have been love at first sight. Some have been expensive, some not, but I love them equally. So, my next step is to email the photographer and talk finance. Wish me luck. Elizabeth Roberts, Editor elizabethr@thegmcgroup.com OUR CONTRIBUTORS Colin Ford CBEColin Ford was the first senior curator of photography at the National Portrait Gallery, London, from 1972-82. He then became the founding head of the National Museum of Photography, Film & Television (now the National Media Museum), Bradford. After a decade there, he spent five years as director of the 10 national museums and galleries of Wales. He has written more than a dozen books and mounted many exhibitions, including Eyewitness: Hungarian Photography in the 20th Century at Londons Royal Academy last year. Eddie EphraumsEddie Ephraums is a photographer, photobook maker, publisher and mentor. His background is in traditional b&w and he has written a number of bestselling books on landscape photography and darkroom techniques, as well as founding the acclaimed AG magazine. He has produced books for some of the most well known British landscape photographers and he runs photobook and project-related workshops in London and Scotland. Charlie HopkinsonCharlie Hopkinson was a butcher, paint maker, and artist, before teaching himself photography. Based in London, he spends most of his time taking commissions for portraiture, and shooting landscapes and still lifes for his personal work. He laments the loss of his favourite films: Polaroid pos/neg (Type 55 and 665). His photographic heroes include Jacques Henri Lartigue, Diane Arbus and James Ravilious. Susan BurnstineSusan Burnstine is an award winning fine art and commercial photographer, originally from Chicago but now based in Los Angeles. She is represented in galleries worldwide, and published in many different countries. Her first monograph, Within Shadows, earned numerous accolades, including the PX3 Prix De La Photographic Paris Gold Award for best Professional Fine Art Book of 2011. COVER IMAGEThis months cover image is Hilltop Trees, Teshikaga, Hokkaido, Japan, 2003, by Michael Kenna B&W February 2013 1 Issue 147 February 2013 CONTENTSGET IN TOUCHBlack+White Photography GMC Publications Ltd, 86 High Street, Lewes, East Sussex BN7 1XN Tel 01273 477374 Email EDITOR Elizabeth Roberts at elizabethr@thegmcgroup.com DEPUTY EDITOR Mark Bentley at markbe@thegmcgroup.com ASSISTANT EDITOR Jemima Greaves at jemimag@thegmcgroup.com www.facebook.com/ blackandwhitephotographymagazine twitter.com/BWPMag FEATURES NEWS COMMENT 8 A FRAGILE MIND Jonathan Stead discusses his work with Jemima Greaves 4 NEWSROOM Whats going on in the B&W world 20 AMERICAN CONNECTIONSusan Burnstine on a classic photographer in the making 26 LIVING PICTURES 16 IN THE FRAMEColin Ford on the work of influential Victorian photographer Julia Margaret Cameron Your guide to the best photography exhibitions NATIONAL 74 THE MEDIA MUSEUMColin Harding discusses the theme of death in early photography 18 34 THE ALLOTMENTEERSCharlie Hopkinson ventures into the wilderness with a 6x8 cameraNEW SERIES ONE EXHIBITION NOT TO MISS Legendary landscape photographer Ansel Adams 78 A FORTNIGHT AT F/8Tim Clinch on a life-changing photograph that set him on the road 46 MANY WAYS OF SEEING A 80 BUILDING CLASSIC LIBRARYOur 45th book finds its way on to the bookshelf Eddie Ephraums new series on discovering your true photographic self 82 60-SECOND EXPOSUREBraving the elements with Alan Henriksen JONATHAN STEAD ALAN HENRIKSEN 8 82 TIM CLINCH 78 THE ANSEL ADAMS PUBLISHING RIGHTS TRUST 18 2 February 2013 B&W TECHNIQUE TESTS AND PRODUCTS66 YOUR BLACK+WHITE WIN A SUBSCRIPTIONWIN A SUBSCRIPTIONFind the quote and send us the page number and you could win a years free subscription! 40 30 TIPS FOR SOCIAL MEDIA SUCCESS How to harness the power of social network sites to promote your photography 22 READERS PICTURES 65 ASSIGNMENTGreat prizes to be won Leave your normal camera behind and take up our challenge of the month 53 DISCOVERING LIGHTROOMTim Clinch shows how to make a slide show the Lightroom way Send your entries by 8 April to markbe@thegmcgroup.com 66 CAMERA TEST 68 70 54NEW SERIES HOME AND AWAY The full frame Nikon D600 put to the test by Ross Hoddinott 84 SUBSCRIPTION OFFERHave B+W delivered to your door Discover the Lee Frosts tips for planning a photography holiday WINDOW SHOPPING 60 CHEMICAL TONING The newest kit available in the camera shops Your chance to experiment with traditional printing techniques without using a darkroom CHECKOUT The best display calibration tools for your screen 85 NEXT MONTH 87 HOW TO SUBMIT 96 LAST FRAME What were planning next photographer you are We want to see your work A single image we love meant to be VIKTOR VRAB EDDIE EPHRAUMS 46 96 PAUL BENTLEY 22 LEE FROST 54 B&W February 2013 3 Presented by Wofgang Suschitzky, 2001. Scottish National Portrait Gallery NEWSROOMNews from the b&w worldEdited by Mark Bentleymarkbe@thegmcgroup.com High contrastHundreds of photographs from the vaults of the National Geographic Society were sold for nearly $3.8 million at auction. Records were set for several photographers, including Magnums Steve McCurry, whose photograph Afghan Girl sold for $178,900. magnumphotos.com Photographer Rankin has been presented with the very first new Leica S-System camera (numbered 0001). Rankins work was featured in a special Rankin issue of the Leica S magazine. leica.co.uk Tamara Beckwith, co-owner of the Little Black Gallery in London, is one of the new dealers on Channel 4s Four Rooms. The TV show sees members of the public enter the four rooms to sell a prized possession to the dealers. thelittleblackgallery.com A one day course on camera obscuras and pinhole photography is available to teachers. The course, run by Justin Quinnell, covers camera obscuras, pinhole photography, darkroom construction, non-chemical techniques, solargraphy and three month exposure cameras. Its at St Pauls Darkrooms in Bristol on 23 February. Price 125. pinholephotography.org Hailsham Photographic Society will present an audio-visual extravaganza at the Civic Community Hall in Vicarage Lane, Hailsham, on 1-2 March. The show supports Demelza Hospice Care for Children. Tickets 5. Call 01323 845569. hailshamphotographicsociety. co.uk Congratulations to Ian Weston, who is the winner of our cover quote competition for issue 143 (November) and wins a years subscription to the magazine. Prater Wheel, Vienna by Edith Tudor-Hart Friends, lovers and spiesPortraits by Man Ray are among the highlights of the Scottish National Portrait Gallerys programme for 2013. The exhibition is the first major museum retrospective of the influential photographers portraits and features more than 100 works from his career in America and Paris. It will include portraits of lovers, friends and contemporaries, ranging from Lee Miller and Kiki de Montparnasse to Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali and Ernest Hemingway. The exhibition runs from 22 June to 8 September before travelling to the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow. Another exhibition, Edith Tudor-Hart: In the Shadow of Tyranny, looks at the work of the Viennese-born photographer who left Austria for Britain after being arrested for her political activities in 1933. She worked as an agent for the Soviets in both Austria and Britain, where she was involved in the recruitment of Anthony Blunt, and was pursued by the security services until her death in 1973. This exhibition runs from 2 March to 26 May before transferring to Vienna.nationalgalleries.org Its time to go wildThe search for the next Wildlife Photographer of the Year has begun. Last years competition saw entries from 48,000 photographers from 98 countries. The Veolia Environnement Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2012 exhibition is currently on at the Natural History Museum in London until 3 March and will tour worldwide. Organisers are now taking entries for this years competition. The deadline is 22 February. See the website for details.nhm.ac.uk/wildphoto 4 February 2013 B&W New app on Klein A feature-packed new app on William Klein will form the second part of the Great Photographers app series. The app, which is available in English, Italian and French, contains 393 images plus videos, lessons, essays, interviews and a virtual exhibition. Its available for the Apple iPad price 9.90. contrastogreatphotographers.com Print your InstagramA new service has been created by Metro Imaging to print Instagram pictures. Prints are 5x5in on matt or gloss Fuji Crystal Archive paper at 35p per print. Instagram was launched in October 2010 and now has 30 million daily users.metroimaging.co.uk New and disposable Ilford Photo have introduced two black & white disposable cameras. The Ilford XP2 Super Single Use Camera can be processed using C41 colour neg systems, while the Ilford HP5 Plus Single Use Camera is for standard black & white film processing. The cameras each give up to 27 exposures and cost 8.99. In the UK there is the option of a process paid version of the HP5 Plus camera. This comes packaged with a pre-paid envelope. Cameras returned in the envelope will have the film processed at the Ilford Lab and will receive a set of 6x4in black & white prints. Price 14.99.ilfordlab.com Not forgottenA photograph of Captain Oates by Herbert George Ponting has sold at Bonhams in London for 10,625. Oates was part of Scotts Terra Nova expedition to the South Pole. After reaching the pole on Capt LEG Oates at the stable door, Winterquarters Hut, August 30th 1911 by Herbert George Ponting. Picture courtesy of Bonhams 18 January 1912 and discovering they had come second to the Norwegian team, the men began their fatal return journey. Oates suffered terribly from frostbite. Aware of his hindrance to the groups progress, he awoke on 16 March and informed the others he was going outside and might be some time. In an act of selfsacrifice to save his team, he wandered into the snow and was never found. For the journeyBlack & white pictures of Paris (together with colour images of bad weather) won Craig Easton the Cutty Sark Award for the Travel Photographer of the Year. Craig beat entrants from more than 90 countries to win the competition. He is the first British photographer to take the Travel Photographer of the Year title since 2007. The winning images can be viewed online at tpoty.com and will be on show at the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) in London from 12 July to 18 August. Craig Easton B&W February 2013 5 Ray Spence RPS honourCongratulations to Ray Spence, who has been given awarded the Royal Photographic Societys Fenton Medal for his contribution to the photographic industry. Ray has specialised in fine art monochrome printing and alternative printing processes for 30 years. His work has appeared in the pages of B+W Photography and his books include Beyond Monochrome, Digital Photo Artist and Black and White Photography in the Digital Age. His work is held in many private collections in the UK and the USA and the permanent collection of the RPS. The former lecturer from Birmingham City University was presented with his award by the president of the RPS, Roy Robertson, at an awards ceremony at the Royal Society in London.Spider Shell, from the series Natural Forms by Ray Spence Thriller picturesBlack & white pictures from the archive of the Royal Institute of British Architects will be used in a new installation at the Boiler House in London. The installation takes the form of a thriller, called Passage, which is inspired by several classic films and was shot on location in Cambridge, London, Paris, Vienna, Trieste, Milan and the Gotthard Tunnel in Switzerland. Photographs of Odeon cinemas shot in the late 1930s by John Maltby form part of the experience. The installation was created by Wapping Project director Jules Wright and photographer Thomas Zanon-Larcher and was first staged at the Leonardo da Vinci Museum in Milan last year. It runs at the Boiler House until 10 March. Special workshopCokin have produced a new line of photo filters. The Pure Harmonie filte filters are described as the thinnest and lightest in the world, with a t thickness of 3.3mm for the Multi-Coated Anti-UV, 4.5mm for the Circular Polariser and 9.5mm for the Variable Density Neutral Grey. They have been engineered to be compatible with all lens caps and multi-coated to withstand almost any conditions. cokin.co.uk Sean Batten New thin filters Seeing Photographically is the title of a special workshop run by Paul Hill and Maria Falconer. Designed to improve skills and knowledge, the workshop is at Zinc Arts, Chippin...