AV News 196 - May 2014
T o n y T ro m a n ARPS APAGB
Rosemary Wilman HonFRPS
Tony was born in Ewell, Surrey, in 1936
and from the age of 12 lived in the same
house. Working in the insurance industry
he achieved his Fellowship of the
Chartered Insurance Institute. Moving from
Legal & General to Friends Provident he
ran the Photography Club for over 20
years; his first of many ventures into
photography administration. The earliest
photographic recollection is from a school
friend, soon after his national service in the
RAF as a wireless mechanic at Middle
Wallop, when he says "we both had a great
interest in photography" and "Tony soon
set up his garden shed darkroom". For
several years another friend recalls
holidays with their cameras.
In the late 60s Tony joined Epsom Camera Club and after over 30 years
on the committee became President in 2007. Here he met Tom Hart and their
interest in Audio Visual sequences developed. Tony joined The Society in
1975 and he and Tom soon jointly achieved their ARPS in this medium. At
the 3rd RPS International AV Festival in 1978, one of their joint sequences,
'The Great British Diaporama', was first in the Humour class. Most of Tony's
images were shot as transparencies but he enjoyed spending many hours in
his darkroom, colour as his preferred medium. He was a strong supporter of
The Society and for many years a member of the AV and Colour Groups.
He was on the committee of the 1st RPS International AV Festival in 1976
with Sir George and Lady Pollock and served until the 20th Festival in 2012,
covering every committee role, including Chairman in 1994 and 96. For this he
was awarded the AV Group's Dobson Henry Medal in 1998, and he was
delighted with a retirement gift presented at the 20th Festival. He was also
Secretary of the Colour Group for many years. In 2006 the Society awarded
him the Fenton Medal. His contribution to photographic administration
extended beyond Epsom Camera Club to the Central Association and Surrey
Photographic Association. This was recognised with the award of the TQЂ