The Real Thing? Staging, Manipulation and Photographic Truth

As part of its 2009 Visual Literacy programme, The Royal Photographic Society is hosting a day event in conjunction with the National Media Museum – home of the internationally-renowned RPS Collection.

Using the RPS collection as its starting point, parallels will be drawn between contemporary digitally-imaged and staged photographs, and 19th Century ‘combination prints’ photocollages and tableaux.

Two photography historians and two practising photographers will talk about issues concerning the construction of selected images, providing an historical context for cutting-edge contemporary visual art. There will also be a chance to view vintage combination prints from the world-class Royal Photographic Society collection, including H P Robinson’s famous Fading Away (1858) and O G Rejlander's Two Ways of Life (1857)

Speakers include:

Carolyn Bloore: Editor of the PhotoHistorian, and curator of the Royal Photographic Society during the 1970s

Marta Weiss: Curator of Photographs at the V&A, and contributor to Acting The Part: Photography As Theatre (2006)

Tom Hunter: Photographer whose tableaux regularly draw on a repertoire of past visual motifs and effects.

Calum Colvin: Artist Photographer, and one of Scotland's leading contemporary artists, Professor of Fine Art Photography at Dundee University, awarded the Order of the British Empire for his contribution to the visual arts, and in 2004 was made an Associate of the Royal Scottish Academy.

To book a place please contact RPS on 01225 325 733, email reception@rps.org, or visit the RPS website. Tickets are £20