Notes for new members
Thinking about joining?
We are proud of our extensive range of activities for members.
Our regular Tuesday night Programme is a mix of talks and presentations by inspirational speakers from all areas of the photographic world along with internal and inter-club print and projected image competitions, and practical guidance/assessment sessions. Many meetings also include member-run advice sessions, either before the meeting starts or in the break.
We also run workshops and tutorials normally on a Wednesday night, held at the meeting rooms at Williams Garage in Otterbourne, just outside Winchester or sometimes at the Littleton Millennium Memorial Hall.
On other nights (usually Mondays or Wednesdays) at the same venues we have a number of special interest group meetings, including our very popular Projects Group.
This season’s full programme can be viewed here.
The Society also holds a number of social activities throughout the season and during the summer recess; photowalks, summer barbecue, Christmas social, and so on.
See the Membership section for more detailed information about the benefits of membership of the Society
If you’re thinking about becoming a member, why not
- Come along to a Tuesday evening meeting as a visitor. On nights when we have an external speaker, there’s a visitor fee (currently £10), refunded if you become a member..
- Browse this website to see the kind of things we get up to, including meetings, workshops, photowalks and special Interest groups.
- Check out the Membership FAQ which may help answer some questions you hadn’t thought of asking.
Printable PDF version of this page – link below
Welcome to Winchester Photographic Society (WPS)
Information for Prospective Members
Why Join Winchester Photographic Society ?
WPS is one of the South of England’s most vibrant photography clubs, a community of enthusiasts who love sharing ideas, developing skills, and creating images together. We run an annual programme packed with inspiring lectures, visiting speakers, competitions, practical sessions, outings, workshops, and learning opportunities.
Our members cover a wide range of experience, from those just starting on their photographic journey to highly competent and skilled photographers. Whatever your level of experience, and whether you use a traditional camera or a smartphone, you will be warmly welcomed as a member.
Regular Club Evenings
From September through to May we hold weekly meetings on Tuesday evenings, 7:30-10pm. These cover a range of different activities including …
- A broad range of highly respected guest speakers providing deep insight into various photographic genres and techniques.
- WPS member speakers and interviews allowing us to learn more about their journey in photography and the approach they take to capture stunning images.
- A range of internal competitions providing opportunity for photographers at all levels to compare images with their peers, and to get insightful feedback from experienced judges.
Special Interest Groups (SIGs)
These are in addition to our regular Tuesday meetings (held on different evenings) and are informal groups with a shared interest in specific photographic domains or topics. We currently have SIGs for:
- Beginners – great for learning the fundamentals of photography.
- Improvers – focusing more intensely on composition and technique with feedback from highly experienced photographers in WPS.
- Projects – a forum for sharing multi-image prints based around a common theme.
- Drone – sharing knowledge and experiences with drone-based photography.
Photography Outings
We hold regular outings that are open to all members which provide opportunities to visit particular locations or events as a group. This is a great opportunity to interact socially with other members whilst also sharing ideas on how to approach different photographic opportunities.
Social Outings and Events
A good way of getting to know other members is at one of our social events, where you can spend a bit more time with fellow members than is normally possible on a Tuesday evening. We have a monthly Down-the-Pub social, where you can have a meal or just a drink, and we also have occasional social coffee mornings at different cafes around the area. Partners are also welcome to attend.
Exhibitions
WPS organizes two major exhibitions each year, one dedicated exclusively to images from WPS members whilst the other is open to all photographers based in the UK.
What Does Membership Include ?
Annual membership includes the full programme of Tuesday meetings including guest speakers. There are small additional costs for participating in SIGs (room hire), workshops, and exhibitions. Other events/outings will usually be funded by participating members (travel, entry fees, meals, etc).
If You Decide to Join WPS, you will receive …
- The members Handbook which contains the full schedule of WPS meetings and activities, guidance on entering internal competitions, and a wide range of other useful information.
- An orange name badge which enables existing members to connect with you as a new member.
- Access to the WPS members-only website and social media channels, and to other on-line tools for booking WPS activities and submitting images for competitions.
We appreciate there is a lot of information to absorb, so as a new member …
- Make use of the extensive information in the handbook and on the website.
- Ask questions – all members will be very pleased to help or just have a chat.
- Pick a Special Interest Group if that appeals to you.
- Try one of the competitions – they are invaluable for feedback.
Meeting Venues
Tuesday Evening Meetings (except second Tuesday of each month): The Tower, Kings’ School, Romsey Road, Winchester SO22 5PN. Free parking available via Kings Road.
Tuesday Evening Meetings on second Tuesday of each month:
- Hampshire Record Office (HRO), Sussex Street (near Train Station), Winchester SO23 8TH.
- Free parking after 6pm at Worthy Lane/Cattle Market carpark, or paid at Tower St. multi-story.
Special Interest Groups:
- Otterbourne Meeting Rooms, Williams Garage, Otterbourne SO21 2EE. Free parking available at rear of the site (not in front of the shop).
Other Notes
Most Tuesday Evening Meetings can also be attended on-line. All members receive the weekly WPS Newsletter via email.
Occasional workshops are held on topics such as photographic techniques, editing, printing, etc.
We occasionally use other venues if and when appropriate to meet specific needs.
To learn more visit our website: https://winphotosoc.uk/
To help new members feel at home and involved, we have several special initiatives:
Newcomers’ Welcome Point at Tuesday meetings: There is an table just inside the entrance to the Tower which is organised and manned by our Members’ Representatives. It is open before meetings start and during the refreshment break. Here you will be greeted by friendly faces, have a chance to get to know other new members as well as established ones, and ask any questions you may have about the Society.
Mentoring Programme: You can choose to have an experienced member as your mentor, to help you understand the choice of activities and to help with any photographic queries or issues. Ask one of the Member Reps.
Groups and Workshops: We normally run a Welcome workshop for new members early in the season, though this had to be suspended during lockdown.
We also run several special interest groups (SIGs) such as Beginners’ Group, Improvers’ Groups, and Projects Group on other nights of the week.
As a member of the Society there are several other initiatives that are available to you:
- You will be added to the distribution list of our weekly Newsletter that keeps you updated on all the happenings in the Society
- You can, if you wish, be connected to our internal Facebook Group where we share ideas and images
- You can talk to our Competition Secretary about entering internal competitions
You can join online
Just go to the Joining WPS page and follow the instructions.
New members are always welcome.
We’ve put together these notes for new members to explain what happens after you’ve joined.
- You will have already joined, set up an id on the WebCollect membership system and paid your membership fee.
- You will use WebCollect to pay subscriptions and book on events which have limited capacity and/or are chargeable.
- Your WebCollect welcome email will be followed by another e-mail, this time from the webmaster, with your id for the main WPS website. Most of our website is publicly accessible, but you will need this id to access members-only content.
- You should also be added to the mailing list for our weekly email newsletter. Watch out for this email on Sunday evenings with reminders about events in the coming week, early notice of future activities and lots of useful snippets of information. Essential reading for active members.
- If you think you’ll enter any of our internal competitions (and we hope you do), you’ll need to use the PhotoEntry system to upload your entries.
- The league competitions are organised into different classes, so that you compete against members of a similar standard.
- If you’re fairly new to photography, you should probably join the Beginners’ Class. Or, if appropriate, you may wish to join one of the classes for more experienced photographers.
- The Competition Secretary will contact you to discuss which Class would suit you best. Then the Digital Secretary will set you up with an id for PhotoEntry.
- The process of entering competitions can seem daunting, but once you’ve attended a few competition evenings you’ll get a feel for how they work. You could consider joining the Beginners’ Special Interest Group.
- Have a look at the Glossary in the Handbook which explains some of the acronyms that may be new to you (SCPF, PAGB, PDI etc).
- Contact one of the Member Reps, by email or by meeting them at the refreshment break on a Tuesday evening. It’s their role to make you feel at home and find out how they can help.
- If you’re a Facebook user, consider joining our members’ Facebook Group to exchange ideas and images with other members. There’s even an informal competition for the most liked member’s image of the month.
- Since lockdown, for members who caught Covid, or were otherwise unable to make a Tuesday meeting, we have been live-streaming most meetings. The members’ newsletter gives detail of how to connect. This service depends on the continued availability of volunteers to run it.