LRPS advice - assortment or consistency?

philthejuggler

philthejuggler

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Hi all

I do all sorts of different photography, but tend to like portraiture most.

Am I best to throw in a real mix of stuff for the LRPS, or would a sequence of portraits be better? I can vary the style - studio / location / candid etc.

Any thoughts?

Thanks

Phil
 
Good morning, Phil. I did mine in March... what they are looking for is technical expertise - I had 5 sports shorts, 2 birds, 2 still lifes and a waterfall. If you look on the RPS website in the advisory section you can find examples. People do a mix, they do themes. It's all about the technical expertise-eg they fail blown highlights and top presentation. Layout of the panel is also an important element - images balanced by colour, orientation, subject moving in to the panel. I would suggest going along to an advisory day to see what's what with some of your prints - take some alternates as well and also go to an assessment, if you have the time, to see what gets through. Hope that helps. :)
 
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Hi Phil,

For the L, the assessors are looking mostly at your competance as a photographer and want to see different styles, use of DOF, correct exposure,close ups and distance shots etc. No blown highlights/blocked shadows and repetition is frowned upon!

It would not be impossible to do an L panel using just portraiture but I think it would be extremely difficult to demonstrate the breadth of ability without it being seen as repetition. If, however, you decide to go for the ARPS at a later date, that is a whole new ball game and you can use portraiture for the whole panel if you wish!

My successful panel from April is here

http://www.flickr.com/photos/78028720@N08/sets/72157633395940394/

and the RPS forum is here

http://www.rpsforum.org/index.php?/index

You do not actually have to become a member until you have passed the LRPS and can attend assessment days as a non member.

Good luck!


Heather
 
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Many thanks, both. I do have a wide range of portrait styles - perhaps I'll do half a panel of portraits and then throw in some other shots.

I was going to send electronic files, but some seem to say you're better with prints - any suggestions on that?

Unfortunately there are ok advisory days I can attend before the assessment, but I understand you can send a panel off for advice, so will do that.

Phil
 
The pass rate for electronic files is negligable.

At my assessment they dealt with the 6 electronic submissions first. They played a slideshow, and then went through picture by picture but spent no more than 5 mins max compared to an average of 10-15 mins on the printed submissions.

Not a single one passed. :'(

I think the biggest disadvantage is that they are projected onto a screen, and are therefore seen big which enhances any defects.

Presentation is everything.

Identical mounts of a neutral colour. Max. A4 print size, bigger is not better here, and they had better be perfect! :lol:

Your submission will be put up in the order that you have specified on your hanging plan. The assessors will then look at the panel as a whole and then move in to take a closer look at the individual prints. There is much more discussion and interaction among the assessors than with the electronic submissions where they remain seated.

The best thing for you to do is put together a panel and the ask for opinions on whether it works or not. Don't be surprised if your "favourite pic" doesn't make it to your final panel either!


Heather
 
The problem with digital files is you can't guarantee that what you see on your screen is the same as what the assessors see projected. I experienced this at an advisory day, and quickly decided to submit prints, although producing good quality prints yourself can be an art in itself.....
 
Hi Phil, I was/am considering doing LRps and with that in mind I went along to an advisory day for a heads up.

I would concur with the above on the subject of electronic submissions, they (the judges) weren't too complimentary about them. I think there are too many variables in there to really have it all come together to present your images in their best light, so to speak.

Re variety, one fella submitted a panel of concert/theatre photographs all from a similar view point but with different lighting and people. All were essentially shot under the same conditions with a dark background with the performers spotlighted. The judges loved it, so much so, they asked if the fella had anymore of a similar style, if he had it was suggested he added them to the set to make 15 and submit them as an ARPS panel.

Portraits are obviously your genre, I am sure you could put together a similar panel to the fella above but with different lighting techniques/models/backgrounds. HTH Iain
 
Great advice - thanks - I think I'm going to put a panel of portraits together and a few extras and see what the advisory person says.

Phil
 
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