Ray Spence BSc PGCE FIHE FRPS




Ray Spence originally trained as a Microbiologist having gained his degree at University College, London. His career as a commercial / fine art photographer and an educator has run in tandem.

He is a Fellow of The Royal Photographic Society and a Fellow of the Institute of Higher Education.

For thirty years, Ray has specialised in Fine Art Monochrome printing and alternative printing processes. He now works in digital imaging and historical processes and produces fine art digital prints using the latest archival inks and papers.

His work reflects his interest in natural forms especially the body, and the minutiae of life.

Ray’s work is held in many private collections in the UK and the USA and the Permanent Collection of The Royal Photographic Society.

Much published in photographic journals, Ray has published many books:

Publications

‘Form and Fantasy’ (Creative Monochrome)
‘Beyond Monochrome’ (Fountain Press)
‘PhotoArt’ (Collins and Brown)
‘Digital PhotoArtist’ (Collins and Brown)
‘Black and White Photography in the Digital Age’ (David and Charles)

Blurb books www.blurb.com

The Body
Caught in Time
The Leamington Assembly
Photo Vernissage 2008
Life at Home
One Year
Lithuania
Beef


Awards

Kodak Photography Book of the Year 2000
RPS International Print Exhibition 2001 – Silver Medal
RPS International Print Exhibition 2006 – Gold Medal
RPS Fenton Medal 2012

Royal Photographic Society

Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society
Awarded Fenton Medal

Potato Photographer of the Year 2020



Selected Exhibitions

Group

Midland Dimension Solihull Library 1985
Gateway Arts Centre, Shrewsbury 1985
Brewery Arts Centre, Cirencester 1986
The Members Gallery, RPS, Bath 1987
RPS International The Octagon, Bath 92-06
Synaptica The Herbert Art Gallery, Coventry 1996
Arena Newbury Arts Festival 1996
Arena Cottons Atrium, London Bridge 1997
Diverse The Galleries, Dock Street, London 1998
Site and Sound Warwickshire Museum, Warwick 1999
Arena at Whiteleys Whiteleys Gallery, London 1999
Leamington Open Leamington Spa Art Gallery 1999
RPS Contemporary Group Barbican, London 1999
Millennium Exhibition Southtown Gallery, Leamington Spa 2000
Arena The Hexagon – Reading 2001
Quartets The Barbican Centre, York 2001
The Barbican Library, London 2001
Fore Photographers Market Street Gallery, Mayfair, London 2001
1000 Words Oxo Tower Gallery, London 2001
Winter Exposed White Peaks, Kew Gardens 2003
On The Wall Olympia, London 2004
RPS Retrospective Hoopers Gallery, London 2007

Summer Exhibition The White Room Gallery, 2007
Leamington Spa

RPS Tianjin 5th Avenue Photographic 2007
Festival, China

Leamington Open 2007 Leamington Art Gallery 2007
Saint-Petersburg PHOTO VERNISSAGE 2008
Leamington Open - Leamington Spa Art Gallery 2013 and 2017
Arena - Menier Gallery, London 2013
Arena - Rook Lane Arts, Frome 2013
'Life at Home' - Human Spaces, Gallery 150 Leamington Spa 2014
Through the Glass Darkly, Aspect Gallery Leamington Spa 2015
Shadow Merchants - Argentea Gallery, Birmingham 2017
Warwickshire Open Studios 2014 - present
'Mask' - LTB Gallery Coventry - Sexuality Gender Identity 2022
Responding to Light - MAKE Southwest, Devon 2023

Individual

Leather and Lingerie Angle Gallery, Birmingham 1994
Form and Fantasy Angle Gallery, Birmingham 1994
Sirens The Swan Theatre, Worcester 1998
20/20 Vision (Flora) Southtown Gallery, Leamington Spa 1998
The Swan Theatre, Worcester 1999
Beef The Talisman Theatre, Kenilworth 1999
Foyer Gallery, Warwickshire College 1999
The Music Hall Shrewsbury 2000
Anorexia Nervosa Hereford City Art Gallery 1999
Herefordshire Photography Festival 1999
Channel 4 documentary on Anorexia Nervosa
Cheltenham and Gloucester College of HE 2000
Phytographica On the Wall – Olympia, London 2004
Royal Photographic Society,
Fenton House 2005


The White Gallery, Bath 2010
Caught in Time - Aspect Gallery Leamington Spa 2012
Portraits of Artists - Aspect Gallery Leamington Spa 2015
Insignificant Objects - Aspect Gallery Leamington Spa 2017
Locked in Silver - Gallery Photiq, Leamington Spa 2020





Commercial


1996-present Freelance photography lecturer


Inversnaid Photography Centre
Quest Photography Workshops
Brunel University
Leicester Picture House
Peace and Reconciliation project
Co-Operation North– Northern Ireland
Hereford Photography Festival
Jessops School of Photography
Focus on Imaging - NEC
The Royal Photographic Society
Photo Training Overseas
London Independent Photographers
BJP Vision
Solihull College
Warwickshire College
Birmingham City University

1980-present Freelance Journalist

Photo Art International
Practical Photography
SLR Photography
Inscape
Digital Photography
Black and White Photography
British Journal of Photography
Artists Newsletter
Scenario
Darkroom and Camera User
RPS Journal
Contemporary Photography
New Scientist
Square Magazine
Amateur Photographer
Photoshop Creative
Nikon Maagazine
Silvershotz