In our March meeting we discussed editing methods. Some members prefer dealing with the physical sorting and handling of prints – whether by pinning them to the wall, shuffling them around on the floor or hanging them from a washing line. This hands-on system encourages a slower, more contemplative way of sorting through work. Others favour editing on the computer, using Aperture to generate digital contact sheets and smart albums – tagging, starring, indexing as they go. Both methods seem to have their advantages and it is probably down to personal preference which method you favour. Examples of in-camera methods of editing were also shown – double exposures and full-frame uncropped prints. There were queries about editing work in process, both analogue and digital involving the discussion of unity of subject matter, cropping and orientation, weeding out images which were repetitive, of poor quality or which just didn’t fit the concept. There was also written feedback from one of our members who attended Tiffany Jones’ editing workshop the previous week – he stressed the importance of coherence and consistency, of identifying the intended audience and the medium in which your work will be displayed, and of establishing a rhythm within the project. Focusing on the goals of your projects – knowing what you aim to communicate is paramount.

The Editing Wall by Simon Head

Crutched Friars. Afternoon February 25th 2012 by Peter Luck

Egyptian Schoolchildren at Play from the series Leisure time for Egyptian Families and Children by Maria Oldland

Bark by Edith Templeton

Brendan Delaney

From the series Too Loud a Solitude by Ariadne van de Ven

Our next meeting will take place on Wednesday 11th April 2012 at 18.45 at the usual venue – The Artworkers Guild, 6 Queens Square, Bloomsbury, London WC1N 3AT. The topic for discussion will be Images and Words. Photographs seldom go out into the world without at least a few words attached to them by the photographer. Some points to consider might be titles (or their absence) of individual images/books/exhibitions/photo essays; the difference between titles and captions; the extent to which we want to steer the viewer’s response with the title or the caption; the incorporation of text into the image; words as inspiration – books, poems and quotations. Let your imagination run free! As usual if you would like to show examples of your work relating to the subject, please bring along up to 6 images either as prints or on a memory stick.

Further examples of work from the group can be seen on our blog.