Ballerinas, Blokes and Naked Ladies: An Evening with Richard Egan FRPS
Last night at Pudsey Camera Club we were treated to a talk that was informative, engaging and genuinely funny, from Richard Egan FRPS. The title promised a bit of everything, and he delivered. It was one of those evenings where the room stayed hooked from the first image to the last.
Richard is a Yorkshire-based photographer whose portfolio spans art nude, architecture, automotive, landscapes and vintage fashion. His website says he is the youngest photographer to gain an RPS Fellowship, awarded for portraiture and art nude work, and one of only 46 people worldwide to hold that distinction. He has lectured and demonstrated his approach to photographers in many locations, and it showed in the confidence and warmth of his delivery.
Light is everything
Whatever the subject, a recurring theme was Richard’s obsession with light. He works almost exclusively with natural light, which gives his images an authentic feel. Listening to him, it became clear that choosing the right location for that light is as important as choosing the right model or pose. It’s a useful reminder that the best photographs often begin long before the camera comes out, with the decision about where to be and when.
Ballerinas
Richard structured the talk to follow the title, and the opening section on ballerinas was simply stunning. His attention to detail and use of natural light brought out the elegance of the dancers, and the beautiful locations complemented the images perfectly. The setting was never just a backdrop. It was part of the picture.
Blokes
The second section moved on to candid and street portraits. These shone thanks to Richard’s minimal use of post-processing, letting the character of his subjects speak for itself. They also made a striking contrast with the ballerina images that opened the talk, showing a very different side of his work. Richard’s humorous presenting style added colour to the black and white images as he filled in the stories behind them, and gave the audience a real sense of the people in the frame.
Naked Ladies
The final section of the talk covered Richard’s art nude work. Art nude can be a Marmite subject in any group, but his images were simply beautiful, and the Pudsey Camera Club audience, which spans a wide demographic, was captivated. His use of natural light, combined with some remarkable locations such as hotel restaurants and Edinburgh art galleries, made them stand out. Richard deserves real credit for the bravery of shooting in such public spaces, and he was rightly applauded.
Photography with a purpose
Richard’s photography is entirely non-commercial. Every penny he earns from it goes to Cancer Research, and he has raised tens of thousands of pounds so far. It’s an admirable way to put a passion to work, and it adds something to the talk to know the images are helping a cause that matters.
What we took away
Richard’s humour and enthusiasm shone through, and his images were beautiful, interesting and deceptively simple. He is far from an equipment geek and doesn’t rely on software to finish his images. He is the living embodiment of someone who works hard on the image concept and gets the shot right in camera.
For members, the lessons were clear:
- Think about the light and the location before you think about the kit.
- Put the effort into the idea and the capture, not the editing.
- Keep it simple, and let the subject do the talking.
A big thank you to Richard for a brilliant evening. If you missed it, you missed a treat.
Find Richard online
- Website: therealrichardegan.com
- Instagram: @therealrichardegan_
- Facebook: Richard Egan Photography
Join us
Pudsey Camera Club meets at 7:30pm every Thursday evening at Pudsey Library, and visitors and new members are always welcome. Our next in-person speaker is sports journalist Sean Chandler, this Thursday 29th October. Full details of how to join are on our membership page.
