'We Are Happy Just As We Are'

Videos of pete discussing his work can be seen here: 

https://www.youtube.com/@pete-davis-photography/videos

 Some of Pete's exhibition catalogues and books available here: https://petedavisphotography.bigcartel.com

 I attended a great talk a couple of weeks ago by a photographer who had made some compelling work in many of the world's deprived communities. His photographs were powerful and sympathetic and he had obviously taken great pains to make himself a part of these communities and truly understood their social conditions. Compelling stuff.

Budapest, Hungary, 2022

Sadly, many of the audience were members of British camera clubs and were distinctly unimpressed. One guy sitting in front of me muttered and mumbled all the way through the illustrated talk and just stared at the floor shuffling his feet. Pig ignorant. However, as another member of this club had stated previously, "we are happy just as we are". Clearly, this includes being utterly disrespectful towards truly talented photographers.

At the end of his talk, questions were invited and a hand shot up from the audience. I winced, anticipating what was coming, having been through it many times myself in the days when I agreed to talk to camera club type audiences. I have learned my lesson and refuse such invitations now. Given the range of deprived societies, countries and environments this photographer had documented over many years, the questions could have been an exciting journey to understanding his work and motivations. Sadly, my worst fears were realised. First question from the audience? "What is your favourite lens?" My heart sank even though I was expecting it and I saw the speaker visibly deflate. He had poured his heart and soul out for an hour and this must have been a slap in the face and an insult to his work. Never mind, it's just as they said "we are happy just as we are". 

Vidin, Bulgaria, 2022

The main reason for the grumpy guy who muttered disrespectfully all through the talk being there at all, transpired later. He was only around to be a part of the 'parade of the pot hunters' collecting an assortment of vases, plates and tankards for totally irrelevant and spurious 'categories' of prints. Also of course, to have his photograph taken with a 'celebrity' thespian knight of the realm. Not the least bit interested in great photography but no matter, as they said, "we are happy just as we are". 

Kalosca, Hungary, 2022

Missing from the camera club crowd were, of course, women and young people. 50% of the students I teach at present are female, some years it's more. Also, some of the most vibrant and relevant photography around at present comes from young people. They are in tune with current social issues that dominate their lives and produce exciting work documenting this. No sign of this demographic in the audience, however to be fair, I did spot one woman. A fairly typical British camera club crowd then, totally unrepresentative of contemporary photography's demographic. More akin to a Freemason's lodge meeting. Not to worry though "we are happy just as we are". 

If it wasn't so sad it would be funny. I can only hope that the featured photographer / speaker wasn't too put off. I have seen that sort of disrespectful behaviour in camera clubs sadly way too many times now. They are peculiar to UK camera clubs, I don't experience those attitudes from other organisations in other countries. But as they say "we are happy just as we are". Outrageous. 

The deliberate 'dumbing down' of photographic knowledge, theory and practice by British camera clubs is a national disgrace and has been for generations. Their bleating excuse is always 'but we are just amateurs'. This is no excuse. The real reason is that those who organise them and particularly those who set themselves up as 'judges' have little or no knowledge themselves. They are then afraid for others to know too much and so the 'dumbing down' continues. Shameful. However, it's ok of course because, "they are happy just as they are". 

Photography is not a sport

 It seems that I have rattled the cages of the British camera club fraternity yet again. You dare not make any criticism of their mostly ludicrous activities without incurring their wrath. It's a sure sign of their insecurity when they attack those for whom photography and photographic education is a serious way of life and living.

Working on location in north Wales, April 2023

Turning it into a sport with sad 'trophy hunting' as the only measure of achievement or success, is an insult to all who take it seriously and strive to make good, relevant work and put it into the public domain. Even worse, is that their attitudes and ideas serve to exclude a substantial section of the contemporary photographic demographic - young people and women. Just look around the typical British (not European or American where I have experience) camera club to see evidence of this, they are composed mostly of grumpy old men drooling over cameras, not good photography. 

Their 'sporting' competitions for pointless trophies are 'refereed' by individuals whose collective knowledge of contemporary photography can be written on the point of a pin. This does nothing to further the quality or relevance of what they produce, it's 'photography by numbers' and just ticking boxes to satisfy ignorant 'judges'.

Crafnant, Conwy, 53° 7’ 29” N. - 3° 53’ 3” W. Looking west. From the series - 'The Ends of the Roads'

In the real world of photography it's heartening to see how young photographers (with a good gender balance) are producing exciting relevant work and finding innovative ways to put this out into the world. They should be nurtured and encouraged, not put off by outdated ideas and practices by those who refuse to accept that what they espouse. You have to wonder what they are afraid of when they make comments such as - "we are happy just as we are". That they are content to dumb down the theory and practice of photography and by so doing exclude a substantial section of the contemporary photography demographic is nothing but shameful. 

 

Llanrhystud, Ceredigion, 52° 18’ 0” N. - 4° 9’ 54” W. Looking south west. From the series - 'The Ends of the Roads'

It's difficult to know how to break these entrenched ideas. Clearly those who run British clubs are afraid of change as it exposes their own lack of knowledge and understanding. They don't want to feel intimidated by another generation making far better work than themselves and engaging with fresh and exciting ideas and Photographic concepts. 

Cwm Penmachno, Gwynedd,   53° 0’ 32” N. - 3° 51’ 46” W. Looking east. From the series - 'The Ends of the Roads'

There are, however, many positive things happening in the real world of photography. New galleries and photography festivals abound. New ways of publishing work make getting exciting  projects out much easier and ultimately more accessible to a wider audience. The young photographers are embracing all this, despite the best efforts of camera clubs to stifle it. 

Meanwhile, the camera clubs bumble along in their outdated ways, giving out trophies for nonsensical 'categories' of photograph, pandering to so-called 'judges' who no nothing and are deliberately dumbing down knowledge.  

Flat earthers and creationists

 I feel sorry for those folks who join British camera clubs in the hope of improving their work. The so-called 'judges' that pontificate on members' work and award prizes based on some mysterious points system are a farce. They have come through the club system themselves and almost certainly have never set foot in a contemporary gallery to appreciate what's going on in the real world of photography. Some even have the audacity to describe themselves as 'professional camera club judges'. A contradiction in terms if there ever was one. 

'Alltyblaca, Ceredigion', 2022

Add to that the seemingly necessary and compulsory appending to their photographs of ludicrous titles makes it even sillier. As if that wasn't bad enough, for some unearthly reason they also have to add the make of camera, lens and even shutter speeds and f-stop settings. This just further emphasises the fact that they have no connection at all with the world of photography. I must have seen many hundreds of exhibitions over the years all over the UK, Europe and the USA, plus own and have looked at many more hundreds of photo books and have never seen silly titles or the technical detail appended to the images. I do wonder what planet they are on. 

'Llanfechan, Ceredigion', 2022

Talking about planets, these 'judges' sitting in judgement on photographs in 2022 is rather like members of the flat earth society assessing the essays of students of astrophysics. Or creationists commenting on the work of archaeologists. They are of course, entitled to a view but any sensible evaluation should dismiss them as nonsense. Sadly, members of British camera clubs seem to swallow all this stuff. 

Someone who became one of the worlds most notable photojournalists and a long-standing member of Magnum, subscribed, as a young man before his career took off, to a camera club critique 'circle'. Mistakenly, he probably thought it might help his photography. This meant that his prints were sent around to other club members, who, presumably had their views brainwashed over the years by a succession of these buffoons of 'judges', for their comments.

'Lampeter, Ceredigion', 2022

Luckily for posterity, these written 'critiques' are preserved as part of the photographer's archive in a major public institution. They make hilarious reading. Luckily for world photography he took no notice of them and went on to very great things. 

The happy reality today and for many years past, is that there are now many places where an aspiring photographer can receive help, advice and informed critique from the many renowned photographers who exhibit in the galleries that have sprung up allover the UK. These sessions are well attended, but sadly, almost never by British camera club members. Maybe they are too busy poring over their maps of the flat earth or dismissing the latest exciting discovery from many millennia ago as fake and thinking up the next silly title for a print. 

Making an exhibition of myself....

The 'Expressive Land' exhibition, after being 'on the walls' during the various lockdowns, finally opened a few weeks ago at Ffotogaleri yGofeb, Machynlleth. All the prints are for sale. 

Part of the 'Expressive Land'  exhibition

https://www.ffotogaleriygofeb.co.uk/ 

The gallery also sells my books. Here is a brief video look around the gallery:

Having an exhibition which is on the walls for a few months, gives an opportunity to change the prints that are featured from time to time. As the gallery holds a lot of my work made over many years, the exhibition can be visited several times and there will always be something new to see. Plus, they have many more prints for you to look at that can be shown on the walls or out on display. Also, the gallery owners are very knowledgeable about my work and can answer any questions that you may have. It's not just pure commercialism but also about learning and understanding more about the work. 

Also on show are several of my field trip notebooks which may reveal something of my working methodology and thought process when making the photographs.

All the prints are made to archival standards and the gallery also holds a number of my platinum prints and other work besides my various landscape projects. 

Photographic Platinum Printing

  See more of Pete's videos here: 

https://www.youtube.com/@pete-davis-photography/videos

Some of Pete's books and exhibition catalogues available here: https://petedavisphotography.bigcartel.com/

The various periods of lockdown have been advantageous in one respect, that they have given me time to reflect on previous work, edit and publish three books one of which includes new work and spending more time making platinum prints.

My first platinum prints were made as part of my 'Cader Idris' work in the early 1990's when I produced a limited edition portfolio. you can see it here on my 'platinum' page on my website https://www.pete-davis-photography.com/platinum-printing 

I mostly work from original 10" x 8" negatives but sometimes make enlarged negatives from existing work. After marking the negative area lightly on the paper; (my choice is for 'Arches Platine' 310 gsm.), I tape the paper to a stable flat surface for coating before mixing the solutions. A combination of platinum, palladium and ferric oxalate. 

For image 'colour' I prefer the cooler tones by using mostly platinum in the coating mix and just a smaller proportion of palladium. The mixture becomes light sensitive when the ferric oxalate is added. However, the whole process can be carried out in subdued incandescent light as the solution is sensitive only to ultra violet. The coating can be carried out by use of a coating rod or brush.

The solution soaks in to the surface of the paper giving a very different look to the finished image which is literally 'in' the paper rather than 'on' it. When dry the sensitised paper is contact printed using an ultra violet light source. 

After exposure, unlike printing on to silver based papers, the image is already partly formed. Mainly the low values or dark areas of the image are already partially printed out. This is simply the action of the U.V. light on the sensitised surface. 

Likewise, the development process is very different. Once in the developer the image appears fully almost instantaneously. Sliding the exposed print in slowly would cause one half to develop before another maybe causing stripes and bubbles so it's safer to place the print in an empty tray and pour the solution over every part of the print immediately. A brief rinse in running water is followed by a series of clearing baths, a final 30-45 minute wash before drying. 

These prints, as well as displaying an inherent beauty which is of a different order to silver / gelatin prints are fully archival and will outlast every other image medium. The platinum / palladium are noble metals and the paper base is 100% rag free cotton. 

Rattling cages........

 See Pete's videos here: 

https://www.youtube.com/@pete-davis-photography/videos

It appears that my last post has rattled a few cages in the camera club world. Apparently some folks in certain clubs have had apoplectic fits even though I was making general comments and no particular club was mentioned. A case, I suppose of - if the lens cap fits... I probably need to emphasise that when I refer to camera clubs, I am inevitably referring to British clubs, as my experience in speaking to and undertaking masterclasses for photographic organisations and associations in other countries is of a vastly different order to that in the UK. The members of organisations in other countries are primarily interested in improving their photographic understanding  and skill in order to make relevant and significant images and bodies of work. As I outlined in my last post, most members of UK camera clubs seem only interested in collecting pointless competition trophies for single images in spurious and irrelevant 'categories' dreamt up by so-called and self-appointed 'judges'. I don't actually blame, at least initially, the members themselves, as I'm sure many joined a club in the hope that they might gain from the experience. However, the brainwashing and stifling of any notion of contemporary ideas by those who run the clubs and who's own knowledge is severely limited I find disturbing and many club members are consequently, very badly let down. 

'Cynara', a new book in production

As an educator as well as a photographer, I feel a duty and a responsibility to encourage and maintain as high a standard as I can with those that I come into contact with regarding photography. Anything less would be doing a disservice to photography and also to those for whom you may have some responsibility for advising or nurturing. This is why I feel compelled to speak out. No-one with any grain of conscience or sense of caring for photography or education, would seek to 'dumb down' what they impart to others as a way of disguising their own lack of knowledge. Yet sadly, this is exactly what goes on in the majority of British camera clubs. Their refusal to even acknowledge the contemporary world of photography but to try to cling on desperately, like the souls on the 'Raft of the Medusa' to ideas and notions that have long since sunk to the bottom. In my last post I said that their ideas were a generation or two out of date when I was fifteen nearly sixty years ago. It seems that I may have been underestimating this.

'Globe Artichoke No. 44' 2020, from 'Cynara'

Among my large collection of photography books I have 'British Journal of Photography' almanacs from over 100 years ago. They are full of stilted images with flowery and contrived titles and the expressions 'monochrome', pictorial' and 'composition' are littered throughout. I find it quite extraordinary that these outdated ideas still persist in the face of all the many places and opportunities there are to see, experience and understand the world of contemporary photography. An analogy might be like science being taught and judged by a group of flat-earthers and creationists, forcing their views on to individuals with the promise of tawdry prizes in the face of all the contemporary evidence to the contrary. Clearly intimidated by the depth and breadth of photographic knowledge of young educated photographers over their own shallow understanding, they seek to smother anything that they cannot comprehend. 

'Globe artichoke No. 15' 2020, from 'Cynara'

Camera club competitions, in addition to being totally irrelevant to any notion of contemporary photography are not devised to improve or educate, but to temporarily inflate the egos of the recipients and to facilitate the organisers and amateur 'judges' continued stifling and dumbing down of ideas in order to disguise their own lack of knowledge and understanding. As a photographer and educator I find this distasteful. 

The Return of the Curse of the Photography Competition

 Just when you thought that the antics of British camera clubs couldn't get any more ridiculous, information about a competition came across my studio desk recently, which just emphasised how nonsensical the world of the British camera club is. Also how remote it is from the world of contemporary photography. 

Splott, Cardiff, 1969. From a series for a forthcoming book

Amateur photography competitions have always been a bit of a farce but the various categories and 'rules' that accompanied this particular club's annual outing were risible and in contemporary photographic terms, completely irrelevant. The 'prizes' were a series of rather pompously named trophies and fake silver cups, plates and bowls. In addition, laughably, were various tankards, shields and vases! A pair of vases no less, more appropriate for a flower arranging competition I would have thought. All these awarded for the different categories. I kid you not. Now, quite what a photographer is supposed to do with all those is anyone's guess. Although a full tankard of something alcoholic might be an aid to inspiration. Rather like the Poet Laureate receives an annual stipend of a butt of sack to stimulate the muse. However, my guess is that boringly, the camera club tankard will be presented empty. There are also apparently, 'impact trophies'. Now whether these are meant to impart impact themselves, in which case they may be a bit battered by now, or whether they are awarded for 'impact', I couldn't quite figure out. 

Splott, Cardiff, 1969

A gallery technician was hanging one of my framed prints in a gallery in Kilkenny, Ireland some years ago and it slipped off the rather precarious hanging system the gallery used. The frame slid down the wall and crashed to the floor. The frame fell apart, the glass shattered into a hundred shards but the mounted and matted print remained upright against the wall and undamaged. Now that made quite an impact when it hit the ground, would I get the trophy I wonder?

What was going on in British camera clubs was already a generation or two out of touch with contemporary photographic reality when I began work as a photographer aged 15. In the intervening sixty years they haven't changed one iota but photographic ideas and practice have moved on apace and become even more vibrant, exciting and relevant to today's world. 

The concepts and expressions that camera clubs still use are rooted in the 19th.century. They still waffle on about 'monochrome', 'pictorial' and 'composition'. They also award prizes for 'large' prints and 'small' prints. Really? You get a prize according to size? Sounds more like a vegetable show. Biggest parsnip etc. What is designated 'large' anyway and who decides this? My 'Wildwood' prints exhibited in the USA and European galleries were five feet by four. Is that 'large'? Not compared with my 'Village and Memorial Halls' series which were eight feet wide. Maybe that's 'large'? Well certainly not by comparison with Thomas Struth's (b.1954) work from his 'New Pictures from Paradise' series that I saw in the Metropolitan Museum of art in New York. They were at least fifteen feet wide. 

Splott, Cardiff, 1969

The sad reality is that the so-called, self-appointed' 'judges' that set these totally arbitrary and nonsensical categories have probably never been to a contemporary photographic exhibition and never set foot in a photography gallery. They only get away with their ignorant bluffing by the fact that it is they who dictate the terms of these competitions that are themselves totally irrelevant to improving standards. In fact, they are designed to suppress innovation and progress in order to make themselves appear clever. In the same way these 'judges' and those who run British camera clubs keep these farcical antics in place to discourage young educated photographers from joining and intimidating them with their knowledge, skills and contemporary ideas. A deliberate suppression of progress.

Splott, Cardiff, 1969

While one can laugh off the ridiculous and irrelevant categories and ludicrous prizes, it is totally unforgivable for amateur 'judges' and the camera club hierarchy to deliberately set out to deny other members the opportunity to advance their own work and be informed about contemporary ideas. If, due to  these folks total lack of understanding, they are intimidated by contemporary ideas and are not up to dealing with them, then maybe they should step aside and allow others with the relevant skills and knowledge to support and encourage the other club members to make the quantum leap from the 19th. into the 21st. century. 

https://www.pete-davis-photography.com/

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