90 12 October 2019I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.ukI subscribe 0330 333 1113
Final AnalysisTimClinchis anaward-winningprofessionalphotographerwithover 40 years’experience.OvertheyearsTimhasworkedin mostareasof theprofession,hashadhisworkpublished in magazines worldwide,
and has had more than 30 books published featuring subjects as varied as interiors, travel, food and portraits. To see his work,visitwww.timclinchphotography.com.
TimClinchconsiders...‘Gossipon the Beach’,c. 1885, by Henry Peach RobinsonPhoto CritiqueI
love,andampassionateabout
photography.It hasbeenmylife
(44yearsandcounting)andI am
honouredtohavebeenaskedto
contributetothismagazineonits135th
anniversary,albeitina verysmallway.
I sayI lovephotography,whichis true,
butI worryaboutwhatphotographyis
becoming,andthepicturechosenthis
weeksumsupwhatI feel.Themodern
worldhasgivenrisetowhatI describeas
‘competitivephotography’.Usersoffilm
belittlethosewhohaveembracedthe
digitalrevolution.Moderndaywet-plate
enthusiastsgetangrywithpeopleshooting
digitallyandhavingthebrassnecktotry
andmaketheirpictureslooklikethey
wereshotonwetplatewithouthavingto
pourgallonsofnoxiousandpoisonous
chemicalsdownthedrain.Everybodyis
gettingextremelygrumpywithanyone
whois enthusiasticallyembracingthe
worldofmobilephotographyΩ a world
I myselfamhugelyenthusiasticabout,
andusingthe‘P’wordthatallmobile
photographersgetupsetanddefensive
about (why don’t you shoot it onaproper
camera).Theloversofcamerasboastinga
bigreddot(whichapparentlyaddsmany
thousandpoundstothevalueoftheir
equipmentdespiteit beingessentially
thesame)claimingthattheirfellow
photographers’equipmentwillnever
matchuptotheirsnomatterhowgood
thephotographsthatcomeoutofthem.
Onandonit goes,adnauseam.
Sothisphotograph‘GossipontheBeach’
byHenryPeachRobinson(memotomy
parents:ThenameTimPeachClinch
wouldhavedonewondersformycareer!)
is testamenttothefactthatintheworld
ofphotographythereis nothingnew.
I mean,justlookatit.Anarchetypal
idyllicVictoriansceneperfectlysumming
uptheidea,prevalentinsomuch
photographyfromthateraof‘Picturesque
Poverty’.Unspecifiedwhereit is,but
somehowwe’veallbeenthere...Thescruffy
urchinssittingonupendedlobsterpots
whiletheirruddy-facedandhardworking
mothersenjoya goodgossipabouta recent
tittle-tattle.It sumsupanage...
However,lovelyasit is,it is allfalse.
All absolute nonsense. Fake news!Yousee,themagnificentlymonikered
HenryPeachRobinsonwasbestknown
forhispioneering‘combinationprinting’.
Joiningmultiplenegativesorprints(upto
eightornine)toforma singleimage,an
earlyexampleofphotomontage.Hejoined
vigorouslyindebatesinthephotographic
pressandassociationsaboutthelegitimacy
of‘artphotography’,particularlythe
combiningofseparateimagesintoone.
Hewasa foundermemberofthe(slightly
sinistersounding)‘Brotherhoodofthe
LinkedRing’Ω a societycreatedtopropose
anddefendthatphotographywasjustas
muchanartasit wasa science,motivated
topropellingphotographyfurtherintothe
fine-artworld.
Sobeforeyoustartsoundingoffabout
‘faux-vintage’mobilephotographyor
digitalwet-plateappsrememberthis.
DearoldHenryPeach– hadhebeen
aroundtoseetheanniversaryedition
celebrating 135 yearsofAmateur
Photographer– wouldbesittingdown
askinghimselfoneveryseriousquestion:
‘I wonderwhenthe new iPhone is
coming out?’© SSPL VIA GETT Y IMAGES