Critique Working Towards an ARPS in Infra-Red

[Harlequin565]

So I got my LRPS about 3 years ago and my wife keeps pestering me to work towards the A. The main problem has been finding something I want to cohesively work on, so I've (kind of) settled on infra-red.

I love infra-red photography. I started with a 350D, then an X-E1, now an X-T1 - generally getting my "old" camera converted when I upgrade. I'm hoping that by posting something here, it will foce me to actually work towards completing it rather than just sitting looking at photos on my hard drive. With summer coming, and my teaching duties coming to an end, I'll (hopefully) have the time to do this.

I appreciate any and all advice/thoughts/encouragement - especially from anyone who's gone through the ARPS process (successful or not!). I want to do the ARPS mainly for my own benefit. It's about thinking more about work that matters (in my case - mattering to me!) than "pretty pictures". I also want to print my own - as I love to take my work from capture to finished print.

My initial statement of intent (which is just a draft at the moment rather than finished!) is...

"Using an infra-red modified camera I intend to illustrate the normal world in an invisible spectrum. I also want to highlight the fact that there are majestic powers at work creating an ordinary day. By looking at the ordinary day through an infra-red eye, I hope to illustrate that things we perhaps take for granted are beautiful and that perhaps we occasionally need to stop & take a longer look at things.

By taking landscape photographs from ordinary locations"

As you can see, I'm bad at putting things into words and the above feels very clumsy.

The brief is 15 images. I'd like to have more than that before going to an advisory day (don't want to waste my time).
Please don't worry about being kind - I need positive and negative opinions. I'm happy to take what I like & leave the rest without getting shirty.

Pics:
All of these will need cohesive processing on them. Infra-red SOOC is unusable. Some will need reshooting as they need to all sit well together. Order is random at the moment.

1.

Changing Light by Ian, on Flickr
Need to retake this. Quality is sub-par

2

Keep It Simple by Ian, on Flickr
This is my favourite. I've got an A2 print of it on the wall and I love it.

3.

Nothing by Ian, on Flickr
I love this one because I was stood setting up on the footpath and a mum and daughter walked past. Daughter asked mum what I was taking a photo of. She looked at where I was pointing and said "nothing"

4.

Hunt's Lock III by Ian, on Flickr
This was taken this weekend. I'm really starting to find my feet with IR, and the Fuji 16mm is just a wonderful lens for it. Coupled with a perfect field of view for me, it feels like it's just too easy to get these images.

5.

Invasion by Ian, on Flickr
Lost count of the amount of photos I've got of this clump. Still not happy with quality, composition or light conditions. Reshoot required.

6.

Delamere IR by Ian, on Flickr
My wife loves it. I think it lacks synergy with the other images and is a tad "busy". It looks nice as a print. Not sure.

OK. That's six for now. This is the first time I've put them all together and looking at the preview of this post I'm wondering if I'm all over the place with my idea. Thoughts very much appreciated. I'll dig some more out tomorrow if I get time. If this thread garners any interest I'll keep it updated with my journey.
Thanks for looking!

 

[Derek897]

Although I can be of no help with the arps process to You, I do wish you all the best with it.
As a concept I think it's solid.
I see very little wrong in your style of writing.
Is there a way of looking through past projects to see how they were worded, if you are concerned about yours.

I have always enjoyed your ir shooting and still appreciate the help you gave when I was shooting ir

 

[PaulButler]

The hardest part for me when I decided to do the ARPS was getting my statement of intent to be just that, i.e. a statement of intent. By doing so I found it focused the mind on what I really needed to do. I have no idea if my submission would have succeeded as I left the RPS before I submitted the panel (it was incomplete and sometimes life gets in the way ...).

Anyways, I don't think your statement of intent achieves its purpose as written. Given how much weight the ARPS judging puts on the statement of intent it is worth trying to make it as succinct, and clear as possible imo/e.

I've had a go at how I think it should read but I may of missed the mark so feel free to ignore

"By taking landscape photographs from ordinary locations using an infra-red modified camera I intend to illustrate the normal world in an invisible spectrum.


I want to highlight that there are majestic powers at work in creating an ordinary day by looking at the ordinary day through an infra-red eye. Illustrating that things we perhaps take for granted are beautiful and that perhaps we occasionally need to stop and take a longer look at things."

The first line is the intent, the second is how you intend to achieve that intent if that makes sense. I have underlined a few words (that, perhaps) that could be left out or usage reduced, if it was me I'd leave the "thats" out and lose the first perhaps ... oh and I replace the ampersand with the word and (think grammar police!!)

 

[PaulButler]

And another thought, if you intend to print these yourself, have you considered on what paper yet?

 

[Harlequin565]

And another thought, if you intend to print these yourself, have you considered on what paper yet?

Thanks for your help Paul. Much appreciated. I'll consider your changes. My wife would murder me for using 'perhaps' twice, so that's well spotted As an ex-editor it'll be run past her before submission for spellings, grammar and &s

I'll be printing on Museo Silver Rag. It's just a gorgeous paper. Got a box of 13x19 which I've been saving.

Is there a way of looking through past projects to see how they were worded, if you are concerned about yours.

Thanks for the vote of confidence Derek. I have looked through other statements but wasn't inspired. I'll maybe do a copy paste into a single location to look at them as a group.

Thanks - both of you. Appreciated.

 

[PaulButler]

I'll be printing on Museo Silver Rag. It's just a gorgeous paper. Got a box of 13x19 which I've been saving.

Not one I've used, but that wasn't why I asked Most folk don't think about the paper ime yet it can make a huge difference.

 

[Mr Perceptive]

Ian

Best of luck with this venture - From the Invisible to the Visible!!

Cohesive processing will be a challenge as IR can make very different takes (especially on the sky depending on the time of year, and as you know time of day has a large impact as well). Also I suspect that getting cohesive results with different filter wavelengths will be a bit head scratching!! I had a dabble with IR (got a few good results, but have pursued other photographic projects).

If the XF16mm is devoid of hotspots, I might have a dabble again.

 

[Ed Sutton]

I don't know what the brief is for an ARPS and I've never understood the appeal of infrared photography, but....

At this stage the introductory statement doesn't need to be perfect. It is mainly to serve as a guide at the start. There is always a chance (at least with my projects) that things might go in a different direction. So it can be better to write what you did, rather than what you hoped to do, as the introduction.

Fifteen pictures is quite a lot and if it were me that would require something in the region of 100 or more to make a final selection from. Shoot lots more than you will need.

Assuming the pictures are to be viewed as a set or series then I would definitely make sure the processing/look is consistent. I see four different looks in the set above. I'd restrict it to two, maybe with a third to use as e a visual counterpoint to the others depending on how the final presentation is made.

 

[Harlequin565]

Not one I've used, but that wasn't why I asked Most folk don't think about the paper ime yet it can make a huge difference.

Totally agree. Hence using my favourite. I'll send you a couple of A4s if you're interested.

Cohesive processing will be a challenge as IR can make very different takes (especially on the sky depending on the time of year, and as you know time of day has a large impact as well). Also I suspect that getting cohesive results with different filter wavelengths will be a bit head scratching!! I had a dabble with IR (got a few good results, but have pursued other photographic projects).

If the XF16mm is devoid of hotspots, I might have a dabble again.

Fully intend to get the processing straight across all the images. Having the raw and everything done in LR allows me to revert & set up a custom profile that gets everything in the same ballpark. I know you're local to me, so if you ever want to borrow the lens to test it - I'd be happy to oblige. Just let me know.

I'm still not sure on wavelength. Probably will stick with the 590nm as it gives me more options in pp and (to my old eyes) gives sharper results. The screw on 850 is el-cheapo-ebay which also probably isn't helping the quality. That said, there was a successful A done on an iPhone in this months mag. I'd be reluctant to print 13x19 with a phone image - especially if they get scrutinised up close.

I don't know what the brief is for an ARPS and I've never understood the appeal of infrared photography, but....

At this stage the introductory statement doesn't need to be perfect. It is mainly to serve as a guide at the start. There is always a chance (at least with my projects) that things might go in a different direction. So it can be better to write what you did, rather than what you hoped to do, as the introduction.

Fifteen pictures is quite a lot and if it were me that would require something in the region of 100 or more to make a final selection from. Shoot lots more than you will need.

Assuming the pictures are to be viewed as a set or series then I would definitely make sure the processing/look is consistent. I see four different looks in the set above. I'd restrict it to two, maybe with a third to use as e a visual counterpoint to the others depending on how the final presentation is made.

Thanks for this Dave. I've found your projects to be really engaging (and cohesive) so I was kind of hoping you'd weigh in. It's been a "guide" in my head for about a year, so I've already taken a *lot* of crap to whittle it down to these few which even now I'm not confident about, so I'm aware there's still a long way to go. In terms of colour/processing I'm planning on one look (copper-tone or silver/blue depending on the final images but will probably do both to compare). At the moment it's about keeping my subjects consistent and I'm not even sure I'm doing that. I don't want 15 images of different things. Not sure whether to stick to a location, or a subject. 15 lonely trees though could get a bit dull.

 

[Mr Perceptive]

Fully intend to get the processing straight across all the images. Having the raw and everything done in LR allows me to revert & set up a custom profile that gets everything in the same ballpark. I know you're local to me, so if you ever want to borrow the lens to test it - I'd be happy to oblige. Just let me know.

I'm still not sure on wavelength. Probably will stick with the 590nm as it gives me more options in pp and (to my old eyes) gives sharper results. The screw on 850 is el-cheapo-ebay which also probably isn't helping the quality. That said, there was a successful A done on an iPhone in this months mag. I'd be reluctant to print 13x19 with a phone image - especially if they get scrutinised up close.

Ian, Thanks for the offer but I already have the 16mm (might invest in a filter for it now), at one point I seemed to have the Samyang 12mm, XF14mm and XF16mm, so something had to go!! (the 12 and 16 stayed). If you ever want to meet up then drop me a PM (we can only be about 2-3 miles apart!!!), I have a 940nm filter somewhere if you want to go really deep, I've also got some IR lights, and access to more (through my day job), though these are not suitable for lighting up a landscape!!!

 

[Harlequin565]

Just had an email communication back from the RPS about my idea for a REAP submission (Research, Education and Application of Photography) which was positively received. This was my first idea, but it took a few weeks for them to reply so I thought it was a no-go.Anyone who's happy to proof-read it/comment on it is welcome to say so and I'll send some drafts out when it's in better shape than it is currently.

I suspect this will take a back seat while I do some proper writing...

 

[Chipper]

Hi Ian,
Well, I was at an ARPS assessment day yesterday. Subject to ratification, my panel was successful and I am still grinning. It was my 3rd attempt. I decided to stop when I was offered a resubmission in 2016 [replace up to 5 images and resubmit fully as opposed to a referral - replace up to 3 images with the other 12 being accepted] and take a break and see where my photography took me. Very pleased I did. Anyway, I am very happy to read your research - PM me and I will send you my email address. If you want to chat about it - either on line or on the phone - happy to do that too. What did I learn / be reminded of yesterday? The statement of intent can make or break - one project failed because the panel’s PP treatment, they felt, produced the opposite effect intended. Another clearly had not been to an advisory day - there were four or 5 different styles of image/ subject of image in the panel. Every image should be able to stand alone as well as being a cohesive part of the panel. One panel had overused PS to create colours on each row - the middle row I too found unnatural and it didn’t anything to improve the image. I also remember that on a couple of panels, images had been taken from the same viewpoint with the same lens. Another, taken on a famous island in the Med, also failed’. Reference to the RPS website would have found a successful panel on this island which demonstrated perfectly what the assessors were talking about in their feedback. So good luck with your quest. I have found it the perfect focus for improving even though it has been frustrating and overwhelming at times.