The Royal Photographic Society is organising a series of events centred around the theme of staged photography and manipulation. Entitled “The Real Thing? - Staging, Manipulation and Photographic Truth”, the series endeavours “to explore the enduring relevance of staged photography and the consequences of its myths, metaphors, facts and fictions”. To accompany The Real Thing, a competition in which participants are asked to create a modern version of O G Rejlander’s Two Ways of Life by digitally combining and altering images, has also been announced. (The original was printed from 32 separate negatives, combined in the darkroom to make one extraordinary image.) You have until 30 April to enter a print in this competition.

Website: Royal Photographic Society Visual Literacy Conference & Events 2009

Royal Photographic Society Press Release

April 6, 2009
The Royal Photographic Society (RPS) is pleased to announce two major events for 2009.

The Real Thing? - Staging, Manipulation and Photographic Truth Lectures.

The Royal Photographic Society, in collaboration with the University of Westminster (25th APRIL 2009) and the National Media Museum (11th JULY 2009), is organising a series of events Entitled “The Real Thing? - Staging, Manipulation and Photographic Truth” the series will have a unifying theme of staged photography and manipulation.

Moving through the past 170 years of photography, “The Real Thing?” will consider different photographic technologies and applications, from combination printing to digital imaging, art photography to advertising, photo-journalism to fashion and editorial photography.

By combining historical perspective with analysis of contemporary practice, “The Real Thing?” hopes to tease out similarities between widely varied and disparate imaging techniques, to explore the enduring relevance of staged photography and the consequences of its myths, metaphors, facts and fictions.

COMPETITION
To celebrate the lecture and workshop series “The Real Thing? - Staging, Manipulation and Photographic Truth” the RPS is holding a competition:

Modern Virtues, Modern Vices: Restaging Rejlander’s ‘Two Ways of Life’

By digitally combining and altering images, we want you to create a modern version of ‘Two Ways of Life’, a contemporary tableau of virtue and vice which also acknowledges Rejlander’s masterpiece.

Rejlander’s ‘Two Ways of Life’ was shown at the Manchester Art Treasures Exhibition in 1857, a display of 16,000 exhibits attracting over 1.3 million visitors, including Charles Dickens, John Ruskin and Queen Victoria. Controversial and sensational, ‘Two Ways of Life’ was printed from 32 separate negatives combined in the darkroom to make one extraordinary image. Intended to have a moral purpose, Rejlander juxtaposed a life of debauchery with one of piety.

Selection panel includes:
Mark Sealy (Director of Autograph),
Camilla Brown (Senior Curator, Photographers Gallery),
Barry Senior (President, The Royal Photographic Society),
Jane Fletcher (Writer and Curator).

Prize: £500 and a free year’s membership of the Society.
Closing Date: 30th April 2009.
Telephone number: 01225 325 733

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