In order to preserve the friendly and sociable nature of the society and because of the capacity of our meeting venue, we do have a membership limit.
It has sometimes been necessary to introduce a waiting list, but there is no waiting list at present.
During and since the pandemic, members who are vulnerable or self-isolating or otherwise unable to attend in person have been able to follow our meetings online and there is less pressure on space at the meeting venue.
Please visit Joining WPS for details about joining.
Visitors are welcome at any of our Tuesday meetings at £10 per session (maximum number of visits: 4). Certain premium events may be charged at a higher rate; please check the Main Programme calendar for details. Please note that we have a minimum age limit of 16 years of age. All young people under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Our main meetings are every Tuesday evening from 7.30 – 10.00pm, currently at the ARC, Jewry Street, Winchester, SO23 8SB.
The car park at the ARC is often full but there are usually plenty of spaces at the Tower Street Car Park, a short walk from the ARC.
Since July 2023 the evening parking at the Tower Car Park is no longer free. There are several car parks where evening parking is still free. See Where we meet.
Our season runs from the first Tuesday in September to the last Tuesday in May or the first Tuesday in June, with a short Christmas break. In addition, there are a number of optional meetings, social events and “photographic walks” through the summer break.
The Society caters for all skill levels from enthusiastic beginners through to experienced advanced workers. We feel that everyone can learn something, or take some inspiration from most, if not all, of our meetings.
| Subscription | 2024-25 rate |
|---|---|
| Individual | £90 |
| Joint | £170 |
| Student (under 21) | £20 |
| Visitor (per visit) | £5 |
Yes, there is a reduced membership fee if you join well into the season.
If you join very near to the end of one season, paying the full yearly fee will give you membership right through until the end of the following season.
As a Members’ Society, we offer an environment with the aims of the promotion, encouragement and enjoyment of all branches of photography through meetings, lectures, workshops and other activities aiding member advancement.
Many of our members have decades of experience of photography as a hobby or sometimes a profession. Friendly informal advice is always available from those members on a Tuesday or a Wednesday evening.
No, in general you do not need to bring a camera to a Tuesday meeting (unless we have a (rare) practical session).
Yes, although they tend not to be part of our main programme. Examples include:
- Practical Workshops, either on camera techniques, or on post-production software techniques (available to members approximately monthly on Wednesday evenings).
- Occasional “Photographic walks” offered in the Winchester area or further afield, for example to London. These are arranged according to demand and may be evening events or half- or full-day outings.
- Yes, one of our main themes through the season is our internal competitions. We offer five Print and five Projected Image Competitions per season, with classes of Beginners, Intermediates, Advanced and Gold – giving the opportunity for members at all levels to enter. For those with a competitive spirit, points awarded at each competition contribute towards a league table position for each member.
- Less formally, several competitions take place through the season on specific themes (e.g. Monochrome, Audio-Visual, Portraiture, etc.).
- Trophies are awarded for all Society competitions at an annual end-of-season prize-giving event.
See WPS Main Programme.
- In addition to the society’s main programme each Tuesday evening, optional Wednesday less formal sessions are offered to members at a small additional charge at the Memorial Hall, Littleton. Currently these meetings involve one of the following:
- Workshops: Practical topics either on photographic techniques (e.g. Macro, Flash, Studio, etc.) or Computing Software & Techniques (Calibration, Photoshop, Lightroom, etc.)
- Projects: (formerly the Panels Group) We work with groups of images on a theme, rather than the single ones needed for competitions. And we show our work in a very wide range of formats, styles and techniques.
- Beginners: An informal group aimed at less experienced photographers.
- Improvers: An informal group aimed at intermediate photographers.
We would encourage all potential members to come along to any Tuesday meeting to “sample” the society. Please introduce yourself to any member for help in settling in.
We ask for a fee of £10 per evening for visitors (refundable if you then become a member) and a higher rate for our premium events.
Please see Joining WPS
For any further questions, or for any other information, please contact the Membership Secretaries: Gordon and Louise Brown: