Testimonials

Came across ‘clones’ in Wistmans Wood, Dartmoor; very striking, loved the flavour and the way you’d processed the light. Then explored your galleries and saw that you are producing the images that I have had in my mind for years – especially derelict buildings. Thank you for the inspiration – that a self taught photographer CAN translate imagination into reality! If you come again to Dartmoor and could stand the company I would LOVE a masterclass from you. Thank you again. – Mike Kinsey

I was amazed by the multi exposure of you. You are stunning and the process for this photo must have taken a lot of planning and expertise. I wish I could do something close to what you have done. I still shoot film and I doubt I could do this method. My congrats I hope to see more of your work. – Giles Robert

Letter – Sue Buller, Lecture Programme Secretary, Kingston Camera Club

I would like to thank you on behalf of all the members of the Richmond and Twickenham Photographic Society for your Presentation ‘Urban Exploration to Fine Art: A Photographic Journey’at our Society on 18 October 2012. Our members very much appreciated your interesting, well structured, thoroughly entertaining and engaging presentation. A presentation which was very different to what we usually see, as well as thought provoking on many levels. We thoroughly enjoyed this talk. Thank you again. –Roger Towell ARPS, Richmond and Twickenham Photographic Society

Thank you so much for last nights presentation, the response and feedback I have had from members has been really positive. We had a really good attendance which included non-club members and some well known local photographers. Your work is fascinating as well as inspiring, bringing together both Urbex and fine art photography into some truly original images and it was interesting to see how your work has developed. Your presentation is perfectly paced and is certainly up there with the best we have had. We are all looking forward to seeing where your next journey takes you and very much hope you return to Aperture to share the results with us. – Stu Mayhew, Vice Chairman/Programme Secretary, Aperture Woolwich Photographic Society

We met at the Richmond and Twickenham exhibition. Have had a very enjoyable look at your images. They abound with emotion and are very direct in their messages. Monochrome and colour are outstanding. Carefully arranged and not over saturated, a sheer delight to view. Fascinating, complex, atmospheric too!! Wish you well on an FRPS application and hope to see you again at Richmond. – Ron Tear ARPS MPAGB

It was very good to meet you last night and it is a pleasure to be able to thank you so warmly for such an interesting presentation. Comments from members afterwards confirmed that we all thought your work is very impressive and inspirational, crossing over from reality to fantasy, using in-camera skills and all post-processing technology available, to produce amazingly creative images. You have a very easy, professional style of presentation which made for a most successful evening. – Jean Jameson, Programme Secretary, City of London and Cripplegate Photographic Society

They [members] found the subject matter* depressing. But found the presentation very good. They liked the quality of the photographs also the use of Photoshop to give a different interpretation of some of the shots. Your detailed explanation of each shot was very impressive. – Derek Miah, West Wickham Photographic Society
*of my talk ‘Urban Exploration to Fine Art: A Photographic Journey’

Just read your interview in f11 magazine!! I’m quite mesmerized by your art! Congrats and I’ll be following you from now on!! – Dijah Abreu Junior

I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed your talk last night. The images were fantastic especially the “asylum” shots which I thoroughly enjoyed. I would really love to come out with you and your UXeing friends sometime if that would be possible. Again thank you for a thoroughly enjoyable evening. – Keith Fransella, Kingston Camera Club

We came to your presentation at Old Coulsdon Camera Club on Tuesday night and wanted to say how much we enjoyed your photographs. It was very inspiring! – Erica Moser, Old Coulsdon Camera Club

I know Erica has already said how much we enjoyed your talk but I also wanted to add that I found it the most inspiring presentation I have been to. Your work had a very personal and individual aspect to it and a technical grasp that I greatly admired. – Mark Moser, Old Coulsdon Camera Club

Letter of thanks from Eric Cheek at Potters Bar & District Photographic Society

Just wanted to let you know how much we all enjoyed your presentation last night! Very inspiring and proved what I have always thought – photography isn’t just about taking pictures! – Maggi Marmion, Northfields Camera Club

I am writing on behalf of our Chairman and Members of Selsdon Camera Club to thank you for your talk last Friday ‘Urban Exploration to Fine Art: a Photographic Journey’. You certainly presented us with a most entertaining and stimulating evening opening our eyes to a genre of photography which many of us were not familiar with. The growth of your style and the methods you use were skilfully demonstrated in both your images and commentary. Congratulations on gaining your ARPS and good luck with your preparations for the FRPS. – Diane Joubeily, Hon. Secretary, Selsdon Camera Club

I met and became friends with Viveca on our ARPS distinctions day in June 2011. Her work stood out at me then as being something very unique and special.
Thank you for introducing us to the fascinating, if slightly terrifying… world of UrbEx.
You can really see how you have developed your own personal style over time.
Your images are emotive and beautifully captured. More than photographs truly pieces of fine art.
You pick up on sentimental moments from bygones past. Real people, real situations and subjects which are highly emotive – composing them beautifully and sensitively.
Also, a very interesting insight into how, and why you’ve chosen the details, and technically how you craft your work.
There were some really useful pointers in terms of RPS assessments too.
I didn’t like the ‘slightly scary blurry orb’ in the mortuary fridge picture though, and think you must be incredibly brave to visit such places!
And, the nurse’s outfit might have been a bit much for some of our more mature members…
Viveca is staying over at my house tonight and I want to point out that she does not need to climb in through an open window.
I think I can speak for us all by saying a BIG thank you for coming along to CCC this evening, and to wish you the very best of luck with your Fellowship – you deserve it. –Jayne Odell ARPS, Cambridge Camera Club

On behalf of Cambridge CC, I am writing to thank you for giving us such a super evening. I have had a lot of positive comments from our members. It is quite unusual for a speaker to articulate their development as a photographer and I thought that this was very powerful. I also enjoyed the way that you put your own personal stamp on the images. As you know this is essential if you want to achieve an “F”, and I’ve no doubts that you will get there. – John Bulpitt FRPS, Programme Secretary, Cambridge Camera Club

Great talk very much enjoyed by the Members – nice pace, lots of information and interesting images – what more could the audience want. – Ann Miles FRPS, Cambridge Camera Club

……. following your excellent presentation to us on Thursday last. Personally, and I hope you picked up on the fact when I thanked you at the end of the evening, I thought your work was stunning and inspirational and also your thoughts about not standing still but pushing the boundaries of our work with new ideas and challenges. I will be trying the black and white layer under the colour image and also the texture screens that you use with great subtlety in your images. I think it speaks for itself as to what the other members thought as you seemed to be inundated with questions both at the coffee break and at the end. They loved it!! Please let me know when you have prepared another talk, as we would love to see some more of your work. – Peter Bishop, President, East Grinstead Camera Club

What a super evening you gave us on Wednesday. Your delivery was very good indeed and your photographs were stunning. Overall our membership thoroughly enjoyed your work and look forward to your return visit next year. Many thanks once again. – Mike Bews BSc LRPS AFIAP, Programme Secretary, Bristol Photographic Society

I just wanted to say thank you for your marvellous presentation last night everyone I have spoken to said how much they enjoyed it and you will be pleased to know there were no negative comments at all. – Philip Hinton ARPS, Programme Secretary, Ashford Photographic Society

Thank you on behalf of our members for the presentation “Urban Exploration to Fine Art: a Photographic Journey” last night. It was fascinating to be taken into the world of UrbEX. Your techniques used on your work are so different from anything we normally see. The asylum and mortuary images, although quite dark, are very thought provoking. You have captured sentimental moments from real peoples’ lives and situations, choosing to photograph small details and compose them sensitively. My favourite image was that of the ‘Smiling Suitcases’, you can read so much into it, great touch. Your work seems to cross over somewhere between reality and fantasy to produce amazing images. We really enjoyed the evening and wish you every success with your Fellowship submission. – Margaret Warren, Secretary, Marlow Camera Club

I’m writing to thank you, on behalf of the Guildford Photographic Society, for the excellent presentation you gave to our club on 30th September. For me personally, it was the emotional charge of your images – such as the wheelchair standing alone, facing the window, in the asylum children’s ward – that stood out; that, and the way in which you took us through your own creative and personal journey over the past few years. Your presentation was very well received by club members, who enthused over your lovely and inspirational images, good use of light and your artistic vision. One member remarked that it was “one of the most enjoyable and inspirational evenings that I have spent with GPS”. The dereliction and often difficult subject matter were not, perhaps, quite to everyone’s taste, but I’m sure you’re already aware of that, given the sensitive nature of your images; and the sensitivity and integrity with which you handled the subject were appreciated. We felt huge sympathy for you as you struggled with your sore throat and were impressed by your determination to finish presenting despite finding it so difficult to speak! – Cathy Pyle, Guildford Photographic Society

Viveca gave us, at Enfield Camera Club, an excellent illustrated talk that we can thoroughly recommend. It was pictorially quite eye catching, yet restrained at the same time. She showed great sensitivity to her subject matter of derelict hospitals, asylums and people’s houses. Many of her pictures were quite moving, particularly the ones showing the things that the institutions and residents had left behind. She and her fellow photographers of the same ilk, are very brave in stepping inside such potentially dangerous structures and adept at avoiding any security guards who often turn up without warning. These pictures are of undoubted historical value and many of the buildings have now completely disappeared since the images were taken. We look forward to seeing her again. – Alan Wheeler ARPS, Secretary, Enfield Camera Club

It was a fascinating evening and very interesting to follow your rapid development in the last few years.  It really seemed to be prompted by finding subject matter that so intrigued you.  Members were very interested in your techniques and unusual subject matter and it made a fascinating and unusual evening. – Marian Guess LRPS, Programme Secretary, Cheam Camera Club

I just wanted to say thank you for your wonderful presentation on Friday evening. I have received positive feedback from many who were there. – Martin Goddard LRPS DPAGB, Programme Secretary, Saffron Walden Camera Club

A BIG thank you from all of the club members of Eastbourne Photographic Society.  The feedback that I have received is that your talk was inspirational and it was very much appreciated when you shared your techniques.  I personally really enjoyed your talk and know from my personal experience how difficult this type of photography is! – Tom Benneyworth, Programme Secretary, Eastbourne Photographic Society

It [‘Urban Exploration to Fine Art: a Photographic Journey’] was one of the best that I have seen and certainly thought provoking. – David Pollard ARPS, Bromley Photographic Society

On behalf of all our members, I would like to thank you very much for coming to Beckenham last week to show us your work. I think many of us were not quite sure what to expect from ‘Urban Exploration’ but we certainly had a really fascinating and and thought-provoking evening. Your presentation opened our eyes to what can lie behind dereliction and the traces left by human presence. We could only admire the hard work which goes into taking your images as well as their superb quality. I also found the summaries of your approach to photography and of the RPS distinction process to be well-structured and informative. As a club, we have been fortunate in gaining quite a few new – and very enthusiastic – members recently and I’m sure that information will have been very useful to them, as well as to more established members. Thank you again for an inspiring evening and also for agreeing to rearrange your visit to fill the unexpected gap in our programme. I’m sure your talk will prove to be one of the highlights of the season! I hope you soon have success with your Fellowship, which would certainly be well deserved, and also with your plans for exhibitions. We are all looking forward to seeing much more of your work in the future. – Lesley Rees, Honorary Secretary, Beckenham Photographic Society

I can honestly say that it was the best lecture/talk that I have heard in my time at the club. As a failed artist I have a strong leaning towards manipulating a photo image into an art form. Viveca has inspired me to engage the brain and dig deeper into blend mode multiply functions! –  Tom Cosens, Chairman, Ashford Camera Club

Viveca’s well-prepared and well-presented talk about her photography came as a welcome surprise to many members of the club.  The subject matter was very original, and several members commented on how inspired they were by what she has achieved. – Diana Brackenridge, Ashford Camera Club

I don’t know how to thank you enough for an excellent evening last Thursday, your presentation “Urban Exploration to Fine Art: a Photographic Journey” was captivating. Every member of the audience appreciated your knowledge and recognised the skill needed to capture and present such wonderful photographs. Also your dialogue was extremely interesting and informative – a very impressive show. In the future I will see derelict buildings in a different light and remember your amazing pictures!! Many thanks again for a memorable evening. – Ralph Jones – Co Programme Secretary – Tandridge Photographic Society

On behalf of our club, I’d like to thank you so much for visiting us last night and presenting your superb talk. Right at the start we were able to admire your ‘A’ panel prints, and these also inspired many questions – from the fundamental to more complex. You explained everything so clearly, and we really felt we were on that journey with you, due I’m sure to your great personal input. Your images are outstanding, and it was a treat to have the opportunity to find out how you craft them, also how you are progressing your ideas to new levels.  It was a memorable and inspiring presentation. I do wish you the very best for your Fellowship in May. As you say, nerve-wracking but I sincerely hope totally worth the fear! I hope too that you will visit us again.  We would love to follow any new paths you are taking in your work. – Jill Pakenham FRPS, Princes Risborough Photographic Society

Newsletter Report – Peter Flower, Reigate Photographic Society

Thank you for visiting us last night, it was a very enjoyable evening and so interesting and refreshing to listen to a very different take on photography. I liked your passion for what you do and touched by your empathy with the subject. – Helen Whiffin, Programme Secretary, Godalming Photographic Club

Just want to say what a cracking talk you gave us last night at Molesey. I mentioned in the pub afterwards how I thought it was by the far the best I had seen at the club and my peers agreed. Well done and we look forward to seeing you after your (no doubt) FRPS. – Tony Antoniou, Molesey Photographic Society

I am writing on behalf of all the members to say thank you for a very interesting, well presented and thought provoking talk. There was a buzz in the air afterwards and I am sure visual art photography is going to be explored by my many of us after seeing the amazing work you have done. – Pamela Jeffery, Programme Secretary, Chertsey Camera Club

Can I please take this opportunity on behalf of the FCC Membership to convey a word of thanks for your lecture given to the FCC membership on the evening of 8th May 2014. We found the presentation entertaining, educational and such an insight into a very little known genre of photography called Urban Exploration (UE). Your art presentation were inspiring, as too were your RPS print panels that you shared with us. If you do have a new presentation, please feel free to contact us as we’d be more than happy to have you return to us. – John De-Terville, Programme Secretary, Farnborough Camera Club

I just wanted to say that I’ve had a number of messages from members of the the club saying how much they appreciated and enjoyed your presentation to us on Monday. I’m really sorry I missed it myself, but wanted to pass on the appreciation and thanks that have been expressed to me. Your passion and energy have clearly made a valuable impact on the club. So thanks again for joining us and I wish you all the best in your future. – Chris Taylor, Dorking Camera Club

On behalf of Battle Photographic Society thank you so much for finding time to come to our club last evening and to give us your talk “Urban Exploration to Fine Art”. I think we all felt very privileged to join you on your journey to your FRPS and to see and understand the way your work has developed over those years. I was personally transfixed by your images – not to say highly envious! I love the idea that getting the images was an adventure into the unknown and one that the majority of us won’t experience as photographers. And finally, as if the rest of your images weren’t powerful enough, your last image – and the reason for your making it – has remained with me since it was projected onto the screen. Thank you for giving us a talk which was so interesting, informative and highly inspirational and I hope we will be able to invite you back to Battle in the future. – Ann Chown, Programme Secretary, Battle Photographic Society

You gave us a wonderful evening, I cannot thank you enough. Above all, your photographs were fascinating and inspirational. I think we are a slightly unconventional club and a lot of members like to take quirky photographs, and we really enjoyed your journey from “recording” (but rather more than that) the UrbEx stuff through to the FRPS set; and always with the painters/painterly feel which I commented on and personally love so much. We are working hard to encourage members to rediscover the world of prints, now that they are so much more affordable, so having your prints there was specially enjoyable. We would be delighted if you come again, when we can see the FRPS pictures properly and your latest work, and hear you talk about them , which you do very clearly and thoughtfully. Congratulations on your FRPS election and all your superbphotographs; may your trespasses continue undisturbed; thank you for an evening we enjoyed in every way. – Graham Parkinson, President,  Muswell Hill PhotographicSociety

On behalf of the Hailsham P.S. thank you so much for the superb evening yesterday. The photography was wonderful and the presentation first class. We hope that it will not be too long before you next pay the Society a visit. – Pete. Stafford FRPS, Programme Secretary, Hailsham Photographic Society

Thank you again from our club members for a most enjoyable evening. It’s good to see someone else’s approach to photography which can inspire us to be more creative, and that’s what you gave us. Your presentation was very professional and your images were superb. – Chris Couch, Maidstone Camera Club

On behalf of the members at Letchworth Garden City Camera Club, I wanted to pass on our thanks for your presentation last night. It was among the best we have seen in my 6 years at the club. The images were wonderful, made all the more powerful with the stories they told.  Your passion and enthusiasm for your subject came across were clearly and I know, because I’ve seen some images posted today, that you’ve inspired a few members to go off and experiment, if not climbing through open windows, at least playing with the techniques you mentioned! – Garry Neesam, Chairman, Letchworth Garden City Camera Club

I just wanted to say again how much I enjoyed your presentation last night and it was clear that the membership felt the same. Not only were the pictures inspiring – many in part two left me absolutely green with envy knowing I would never have the imagination to devise images so poignant and creative  – but the delivery was extraordinarily powerful, too – and very, very moving. A wonderful and unforgettable 5-star evening. Thank you so much for visiting us; I hope we will see you again soon. – Philip Smithies, Chairman, Tonbridge Camera Club

On behalf of all of our members, I would like to thank you very much for coming to Beckenham last Wednesday to tell us about ‘iPhoneography’ and to show us your prints.  I’m sure most of the audience own a smart phone but I suspect that the majority have not tried out many of the photo apps available, so your talk certainly gave us some inspiration! I was very impressed by the effort you put into producing your Fellowship panel and congratulate you on your success. Thank you again for sharing your work with us. – Lesley Rees, Hon. Secretary, Beckenham Photographic Society

Firstly, many, many thanks for coming to see us on Monday night at Stevenage Photographic Society. That was an impressive attendance for the Summer season and everyone had good things to say about your images. I really enjoyed your story behind the amazing images. I will keep watching your website. Keep up the good work. I was a pleasure to meet you and I feel inspired by your creativity and excellent images. You are a star! I hope we get to see you again sometime. – John Crouch, Stevenage Photographic Society

Each image was quite evidently a labour of love – creative, eye-catching and, often, thought-provoking, if not challenging. – Jeffrey Loomes, Programme Secretary, Dartford & Distrct Photographic Society

I really wanted to thank you, on behalf of the committee and members of Selsdon Camera Club, for the fascinating evening you gave us with your talk ‘iPhoneography to Fellowship – My Continuing Journey’. It certainly gave us food for thought and inspiration to try something new. Never again will we have the excuse ‘I didn’t have a camera with me’ when we’ve seen what can be achieved on a ‘phone!  It was also interesting to get an insight into the apps you use and how cheap they are. Once again, thanks for a very enjoyable evening and we look forward to inviting you back again in the not too distant future to see where your photography takes you next. – Linda Nitsche, Honorary Secretary, Selsdon Camera Club

Thank you so much for your brilliant presentation at The Chalfonts and Gerrards Cross Camera Club last week. There really was a buzz of expectation at the beginning of the evening and with plenty of reason, as your images were thoroughly absorbing and your talk both entertaining and informative. It was fascinating learning about the life of an Urbex photographer and the personal journey you have made in your photography. So, thank you for being such an inspiration and I very much hope to hear you speak again in the future. – Nicky Bracey, Programme Secretary, Chalfont & Gerrards Cross Camera Club

(sent to Bruce Deacon, Programme Secretary) Just though that I would drop you a mail to say thanks for bringing such an inspirational talker to the club. Viveca expressed her passion in such a gentle way that it oozed in to you and I personally found myself intoxicated in her working passion. The images were a shift in the direction we all need to aim for. I personally enjoyed her images as I have too experimented with such layering but thought it not acceptable to public view. (I just wish I could have the compositional sight and the skill of light control which Viveca has).

She is a quality speaker with quality images. I just hope that the members realise that last night they were in the presence of the one of the world’s best UrbEx artists. On line Viveca is a legend. It was a real joy to spend an evening in her presence. – Jonathan Vaines, Bedford Camera Club

(sent to Bruce Deacon, Programme Secretary)I know that Jonathan has already emailed you but I just wanted to add how much I enjoyed Viveca’s talk on Tuesday, more than any other lecture I have been to anywhere.  A spellbinding and very personal journey. It was so different and un-camera club in it’s content.  Her images really were on another level. I would love to see an exhibition of her work. Well done for booking her. – Sue Vaines, Bedford Camera Club

I would like to thank you once again, on behalf of Maidenhead Camera Club for coming and giving your very different and excellent talk to us last night. Thank you so much for showing us your very different world of photography. It was sometimes disturbing but so thought provoking shown by way of your very beautiful and sympathetically produced pictures of ‘things’ left behind. I know everyone enjoyed it so much by way of comments to me afterwards.

On a personal note, I have photographed abandoned ‘things’ and places in America in some of the ghost towns and just along the highways and love this aspect of the US, but you have shown us these extraordinary scenes are right on our doorstep and I have to say they are even more poignant. We look forward to welcoming you back to our club in the future if you have any more pictures to show us – please let me know. Very good luck with your continued adventures in photography. – Jane Stanley, Programme Secretary, Maidenhead Camera Club

I attended your talk/presentation last week (passed you the cup of tea). Just wanted to let you know I thought your presentation and images were brilliant. Keep up the stunning work. – John Chesham, Competition Secretary, Ross Photographic Society

I very nearly did not come last night as I was tired, wet and it was still raining. However the presentation was inspirational and I was delighted to have seen it. Thank you very much for arranging for such a good photographer to come and share her work with us. (In 30 mins I’m off to Guildford with my iPhone) – Adrian, member, Godalming Camera Club

On behalf of the Committee and Members, I would like to thank you sincerely for the presentation you gave on Thursday evening. I think everyone was amazed and inspired by your images created using a mobile phone, so much so that I have already seen two or three images posted on members’ facebook sites ‘having a go’ with the new apps downloaded. Your Awards Panel was also incredible – so much work must have been involved in putting this together. – Wendy Collens, Programme Secretary, Farnborough Camera Club

Thank you for last Friday’s presentation which interesting, challenging and informative. The members I spoke particularly enjoyed the FRPS panel which was so well conceived and inside many’s comfort zones. There are a few art / art history graduates at Ashford and they enjoyed the way you demolished boundaries. Good to see you including so much urbex stuff in the layers. – George Pearson, Ashford Photographic Society

On behalf of the members of Midhurst Camera Club, and the visitors, I would like to say a huge thank you for a really wonderful evening.  You showed us a side of photography, and post-processing, that many of us are unlikely to be able to emulate, but I am sure that many of us will want to try some of your techniques at least.  I also really loved your style of presentation – it felt as if you were just sitting chatting with a group of friends in your sitting room, rather than standing in front of a group of total strangers. Once again, thank you so much for a really inspirational evening. – Judi Lion, Programme Secretary, Midhurst Camera Club

A huge thanks for taking the time to visit us in Brighton, it was a terrific evening, some wonderful photographs and the pub feedback (always a great barometer) was hugely positive, your work engaged the most unlikely of photographers. Members really enjoyed the presentation and were very inspired by it and yes, it would be excellent to see you return here again with your ‘From iPhoneography to Fellowship: My Continuing Journey’ presentation, but we do tend to leave it a couple of years before we re-book the same photographer, so there will be a bit of a wait. Again many thanks Viveca, a great evening was had by all. – Jerry Webb, Programme Secretary, Brighton and Hove Camera Club

A fabulous presentation last evening, many, many thanks! You’ve given us a real treat this evening, Viveca, thank you!  I’ve been looking forward to your presentation since it was first suggested you might visit us, having seen your Associate Panel featured in the RPS magazine.  That took me to your website, which I highly recommend for the informative, enjoyable and fascinating hours you can spend there. Your work is so beautiful, so richly coloured and textured – and I find it intriguing that your early work was at those derelict asylums for in their complexity and textures, although not in the subject matter, they remind me of the work of an artist who was a patient at an asylum – Richard Dadd. Your original training at St Martin’s shines through in your work, as does the respect and empathy inherent in your work.   We can all debate the ‘is it fine art’ question, but for me without question your work mostly certainly is.

I know your UrbEx approach will chime with many of our members and look forward to seeing Mike and Stephen in gas masks – although I think the ladies might be less ready to wear the nurses uniforms!  Your iPhoneography will certainly engage some of our members, while personally my favourite work is that which marries image and text, and I learnt so much from your on-line tutorial of Emily/ Viveca.  If your website wasn’t enjoyable enough in itself, the generosity of spirit found there in your sharing of techniques is an added bonus. I see you list ‘a Hassleblad’ in your ‘dream equipment’, and I’m sure all Chichester Camera Club members will join me in hoping you quickly achieve that and in thanking you for such a wonderful evening. I’m looking forward to welcoming you back here very soon. – Lorna Brown,  Chichester Camera Club

Pre-talk on club website: Next week, Monday 23rd November, we have a star photographer visiting the club, Viveca Koh FRPS, I would recommend that you attend if you can, seeing this lady could represent a short cut for both ideas and techniques, her photography brings together both Urbex and fine Art, mastering techniques using layers and textures in Photoshop, including multiplicity in which the same person appears more than once. Viveca’s skills have accelerated her through Royal Photographic Society distinctions leading to her being awarded her Fellowship in June 2014 (LRPS in 2010, ARPS in 2011).  We have extended the invitation to other clubs to attend at £5 a head on the door. Post-talk email: Many thanks for your fantastic presentation last night, I know that a lot of people left the club buzzing with ideas and inspiration. – Bob Ede, Programme Secretary, Dorking Camera Club

You must have realised how much I enjoyed it and I know you heard other favourable comments on the evening from some of our other members. Overall it’s a rousing thumbs up and, although a number of our members told me that the kind of photography you produce is not what they would choose to try and emulate, they thoroughly enjoyed seeing it and could appreciate the heart and skill that goes in to producing it. You are one of a kind, and for me your work is something to be inspired by and not necessarily a style to be mimicked. – Peter White, Programme Secretary, Gravesend Camera Club

On behalf of Horsham Photographic Society, I would like to extend our thanks to you for visiting our club last week, to deliver your presentation: ‘Urban Exploration to Fine Art’. It was a pleasure to meet you. I’ve since received positive feedback from many members who were fascinated and inspired by your artistic approach to Urban Exploration, and your personal journey in this genre to achieve the highest distinction awarded by the Royal Photographic Society. I hope that you will able to visit us again in the future, to tell us about your continuing journey. Many thanks once again. – Paul Connor, Programme Secretary, Horsham Photographic Society

Club Report – Marjorie Burge, Ashford Photographic Society

Can I just repeat what Peter our Chairman said tonight and thank you so much for giving us such an interesting talk.  Many of the images we saw, while many were unsettling, nevertheless triggered strong emotions and caused us to think about the places you photographed and the people who once lived in them.  A very powerful and thought provoking talk.  Thank you once again. – David Cooper, Programme Secretary, Malling Photographic Society

Many thanks for giving us a great evening last night.  We had a good turnout and people were really interested in your talk and the images.  It was good to bring your ‘A’ panel along as that attracted a lot of attention.  It certainly came across that you need dedication to achieve those results, so thank you for sharing that with us. It’s nearing the end of our season so it’s always good to finish on a high note. Thanks again. – Colin Birch LRPS CPAGB BPE1*, Programme Secretary, Chelmsford Camera Club

Many thanks for the excellent talk last night, it was extremely well received and I have had a lot of spontaneous positive comments from members. Your images were fabulous, very thought provoking and stimulating. We organisers especially value your professionalism, everything just flowed beautifully, including the timing of the break! – Bob Lennox, Bookham Camera Club

On behalf of Horsham Photographic Society, I would like to extend our thanks to you for visiting our club last week, to present: ‘From iPhoneography to Fellowship – My Continuing Journey’. It was a pleasure to meet you again. We all really enjoyed the evening and were fascinated by your artistic approach and creative use of phone Apps. Your Fellowship Panel prints were absolutely stunning. Their conception as an emotional response to poetry and prose is inspirational. – Paul Connor LRPS, Programme Secretary, Horsham Photographic Society

Thank you so much for joining the Rollright gang and making our day. Your presentation was fabulous, and I have to compliment you on your skills as a communicator: lucidly informative, engaging and inspirational. The feedback I’ve had from various sides fully supports my impression. Mike Parmee ARPS for instance, in writing up the day, saw the meeting ‘significantly contributing to the development of the genre of photography that we know as Visual Art’. You are most welcome to return! – Andreas Klatt ARPS, Visual Art Rollright Group

Viveca Koh FRPS gave a fascinating and enticing look into her work and her successful FRPS panel with a presentation entitled From iPhoneography to Fellowship. She began with a description of her life in photography and described her continuing photographic journey. We were then treated to some of her highly creative images taken on an iPhone and learned of the array of apps that are available for smartphone photography. The advantages of the iPhone are its very portability and unobtrusiveness in taking candid pictures and how people are likely to be more at ease in front of a smartphone rather than a lumbering SLR. It was obvious that the creative use of the apps allows a huge range of effects to be applied. Viveca pointed out that the smartphone images can also be used as “preliminary sketches” for other bodies of work. After being treated to a look at some of Viveca’s photographic iPhone projects we were able to see her successful FRPS panel which was a highly creative interpretation of poems written by her uncle Fergus Chadwick and which served to illustrate his book of poetry and prose. Viveca described the creative process behind each image and how it related to the words of the poem and stressed the thought needed for arranging the panel and how she had changed her layout and why.

Is an 8-meg smartphone with a set of cheap apps the way to go!! Although Viveca did point out that her FRPS panel was in fact taken on her Nikon! We were impressed by the amount of work and creative thinking that had gone into the panel. – Mike Parmee ARPS CPAGB, Reviewer from Visual Art Rollright Group day

The feedback I have received so far speaks of “being inspired” and “the best talk of the year.” – Richard Swinscoe, Hon. Programme Secretary, Leigh-on-Sea Camera Club

We appreciated your lecture. Your images were very thought provoking. The lengths that you went to, to actually get to the various sites showed dedication to the type of photography that you enjoy. I am sure that our members will look at how they take their own photographs differently, looking at smaller parts of the scene rather than the whole. All our members enjoyed the evening with you. I’m sure we will be welcoming you back to Invicta in the coming seasons. – Jackie Hickmott, Programme Secretary, Invicta Photographic Club

A formal line of thanks on behalf of CCC for your stellar talk last night. You said that you were honoured to be opening our 2016-17 season, well it was certainly a privilege to see the second of your trilogy of talks. Clearly after last season we knew we were in for a treat, but certainly you did not disappoint. The breadth and depth of your technical abilities are staggering, not just to those like me who are only dipping a toe in to the digital firmament. I’m sure your presentation left many of our members buzzing with ideas of how they could progress some of their own work. Whilst few in the club could match your technical ability, it’s always good to be stimulated by staggering imagery. – Glyn Edmunds APSA EPSA EFIAP/s ARPS APAGB DPAGB ABIPP AMPA, Programme Secretary, Chichester Camera Club

I want to let you know how much I and the members at Winchester PS enjoyed your talk last week.  We really appreciated the interesting topic you introduced us to, and your articulate commentary and thought provoking images were so inspiring: I haven’t heard a single negative comment, only lots of complimentary ones! . . . actually there were a handful of disappointed members – those who hadn’t been able to make it to the meeting and heard about it afterwards! – Louise Brown, Winchester Photographic Society

Although we have seen photographs of this type (UrbEx) in exhibitions our members did not have a great knowledge of this subject and it was interesting to hear how locations are a fiercely guarded secret. It was an evening of discovery and we thank you for sharing your very poignant images with us. – Anne Aldred, Secretary, Thurrock Camera Club

I just wanted to say thank you once again on behalf of Maidenhead CC for coming to us last night and showing us your such imaginative and excellent pictures and entertaining us with your second talk. The iPhoneography was remarkable and for myself, and am sure for most members, a real insight as to what can be achieved with a smart phone and a whole new world of apps to play with.  This, together with hearing about your Fellowship journey and the illustrations to your uncle’s poetry was absolutely fascinating.  I am sure you will have also inspired the many new and potential members attending at the beginning of our new season in demonstrating how diverse and creative photography can be and I’m sure you showed most of us what we couldn’t even have dreamed up! – Jane Stanley LRPS, Maidenhead Camera Club

Thank you for your very interesting talk, the members said they enjoyed it and said it was very different to the normal talks we have I believe its the best talk I have seen in years. – Don Thompson B.P.E.3*, Benfleet Camera Club

On behalf of Sittingbourne Photographic Society I would like to thank you for your excellent talk you gave us on Wednesday. I think many of us are going to look at our smartphones with greater respect and try to capture of some of the effects you were kind enough to show us. I can’t guarantee that many of us have your talent, but we will do our best. The panel you showed us was remarkable in its beauty and was well deserving of the Fellowship you were granted. There are not many photographers who could go from “L to F” in so short a time with such a variety of styles. We look forward to inviting you to the Club again to hear the next part of your career. – Jenny Monk, Programme Secretary Sittingbourne Photographic Society

It was a fantastic evening, your talk was interesting, delivered in a very articulate and informative way but with that something special that I just can’t put my finger on. You certainly had our attention, the applause at the end was the best I have ever heard at SPS. It’s nights like this that make it all worthwhile. – Tim Swetnam, Sheffield Photographic Society

The outstanding evening of the SPS 2017-2018 season was Viveca Koh. Urbex, but with a story, and a sting in the tail, plus her lovely diction made this for me the lecture of the season. All the people I have spoken to this morning are still enthusing over your talk last night, so interesting and inspiring, the quality of your delivery and images was outstanding. – Chris Pocock FRPS, President, Swindon Photographic Society