Profile
17
INTERVIEW
Halfway through his tenure as RPS president, we catch up with Derek Birch ASIS Hon FRPS to find out how he got on in his first year and what the future of the RPS looks like Derek Birch ASISHonFRPS
You have achieved an RPS Distinction yourself, how did you find the experience? When I joined, those interested in the science of photography could get a distinction by submitting their scientific papers. At the time however, companies like Kodak were not really allowing us to talk about what we were doing because it was confidential. There was a concern within the society for how to recognise people in the future because of the inability to share information. In the early nineties, the RPS introduced ISQs (imaging science qualifications) so that you could achieve one of three qualifications depending on your experience in the field. That’s how I achieved ASIS (Accredited Senior Imaging Scientist), matched with a Fellowship of the Royal Photographic Society. Because I’ve been elected, my FRPS has been changed to Hon FRPS. Admittedly we don’t have too many people getting those qualifications but we like to promote them and we’re setting out new creative image qualifications too. Being an educational charity, we want to really get involved with academia. We are working closely with the Open University and we’re going to be running some joint courses next year. Can you tell us more about those specialist interest groups? At the moment, our biggest group is called the Digital Imaging Group. As you can imagine, that was introduced as digital was starting to come in but is now equally as active with people who are learning
and exploring digital photography. The groups are all about supporting the interests of our members.
Years in the photo industry: 33 Current location: Hertfordshire BIOGRAPHY
Who else works behind the scenes at the RPS? We’ve got about 15 permanent members of staff in Bath but the majority of the activities around the country, and the world, are all run with the help of volunteers. We have about 400 active volunteers who are all very helpful. We rely on volunteers and we try to encourage them as much as we can. As president, you must have met some really interesting and talented people. Who’s been particularly memorable? I was at an RPS event just recently where Brian May was giving a lecture on stereoscopy and Victorian painting, he’s a very interesting man. I met Marc Aspland, the sports photographer for The Times , and it was fascinating to talk to him about his expertise in sports photography. I was able to give Steve Sasson the Progress Medal because he is the Kodak inventor of digital photography. Amusingly, I spent some time in Rochester, New York, when he was there with Kodak as well. Of course we never met then because I was on the emulsion side and he was on the technology side. It was entertaining to discover something that was kept so secret that I didn’t even know about it at the time. The RPS’s aim is to promote the art and science of photography. This obviously meant something different when it was founded in 1853, how does it translate today? In those days it was a more limited community that was involved, although they were together for the same purpose. Today, we are really interested in the whole spectrum of photography and bringing different areas together. Recently there was a history conference about Niépce, the inventor of photography, and it was great to be able to bring together both scientists and historians. We are interested in promoting everyone, from amateurs to professionals, and all aspects of photography. What do you want your legacy to be? I want to continue to promote the interest of our members. I want to focus on the continuation and the growth of the science exhibitions too. I’ve also put the idea forward within the council to move venues from our current administrative centre in Bath, which is too small. The process has just been started so there’s no guarantee but I thought it’d be a good plan for the future.
You’ve been RPS president for a year now, how has it been? To me it’s been incredible. My background is on the science side of photography; I left Imperial College as a physical chemist in 1973 and joined Kodak as a research scientist specialising in photographic emulsions. In the mid eighties, I was asked to join the Royal Photographic Society because there was an Imaging Science Group, which I worked in for many years. Seven or eight years ago, Professor Ralph Jacobson, who was president of the RPS, co-opted me onto the council of the society. I’d never even dreamt of it, I had no ambition of it. I was starting to learn about not just the science side but also about photography more broadly within the society. After a few years, I was asked to become vice president then a year ago I was nominated and elected as president. I’ve been so delighted and honoured to get the role and it’s certainly been an enjoyable and busy year. I went to Hong Kong just a few weeks after being elected for a two-week event hosted by an RPS chapter established there. It was fascinating to see photography in China and how they approach it. I also supported the establishment in 2011 of the very first RPS science exhibition. It was originally very small but was so strongly supported that two years later in 2013 we had our second one and the response has been incredible. It’s been travelling around a number of places and people think it’s a superb exhibition. What have been some of the highlights from your first year as president? Last picture taken: With my role with other much more skilled photographers, I don’t have time to take many pictures myself at the moment. Hobbies: Genealogy, railways and the history of the science of photography When youwere younger, what did you want to bewhen you grewup? I was keen to become a scientist, especially in chemistry. Dogs or cats? Cats – I was bitten by my grandmother’s dog when I was three. Toast or cereal? Both enjoyed for breakfast Email or phone call? Email
Today, we are really interested
in thewhole spectrumof photography and bringing different areas together
π To find out more, go to www.rps.org.
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Issue 14 | Photography News
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