Our meetings

Information for new members

Our meetings explained

We have such a wide range of meetings on offer at RTPS, it can sometimes be confusing for new members, so we have outlined them below.  You can attend as many or as few as you like, where you can be an active or passive participant, it is entirely up to you.  All meetings run from 8pm to 10pm, with a short half time break.

Thursday meetings

This is our main meeting where two to three times a month we enjoy talks from some of the top photographers in the country. A diverse range of genres are covered, from wildlife, landscape and street photography to portraiture, abstract, travel and more: see our programme for more details.

We also have monthly and annual competitions that are judged and critiqued by visiting independent judges. These are very popular with members but not everyone always enters, some prefer just to watch.  As a new member, you might decide to be a spectator at a few of these to begin with and then decide if you want to enter- it’s entirely up to you.

Location: Upper Hall at Kew Community Centre, The Avenue, Kew, TW9 2AJ. Each year several of our meetings are held via Zoom, so please check the website programme page before attending.

Special Interest Group (SIG) meetings

There is a wealth of experience and expertise in the club. Our SIG meetings allow members to come together to exchange ideas, to support and learn from one another in a range of different genres. Members are usually invited to share a few images for discussion and comment, on a pre-set monthly theme.

  • Monochrome and Pictorial groups, held alternately on Zoom on the fourth Tuesday of the month, run by John Phillips. Members are encouraged to refine their work and acquire the attention necessary to make a successful photograph. Reviews often include post-processing. Includes all genres. All abilities welcome from beginner to external competition standard.
  • Creative Eyes: meets every third Monday of the month on Zoom, run by Bob Fisher. We have two themes a month, recent ones included Right angle, 2, People, Blue. Interpretation is entirely down to the individual photographer. We’re all about Creativity, Inspiration and Imagination, other than that the rule is there are no rules. No matter whether you are a beginner or an expert you will be welcome.
  • Post-processing: held on Zoom on Tuesdays, once a month, run by Lisa Edie.
    You will always learn something: this group looks at everything you can do with your images once you have finished with the camera!  The group looks at all sorts of different editing techniques across a range of software tools.  It encourages people to talk about images they have shown in competitions (internal and external) and aims at inspiring club members to get the most out of their images and doing different things with them. 
  • Infrared Group meets by Zoom the first Wednesday in every month at 7.30pm facilitated by Susi Petherick.  There is a great mix of people very experienced in infrared photography and others who have just got a camera converted. The group is very supportive and keen to share ideas and expertise. We have a monthly challenge. There’s always something to learn. We encourage cooperation and experimentation.
  • Awards and distinctions: Held three to four times a year on Zoom on  Tuesday evenings. Ann Healey guides members interested in going for distinctions with the Royal Photographic Society and the Photographic Alliance of Great Britain* or accreditations in national and international salons.

Location: the above Special Interest Groups are held on Zoom, as stated. 

Monthly competitions: Competitions are held monthly and when meeting normally in person, these alternate between PDI (Projected Digital Image) competitions and print competitions.

There are two sections for intermediate members and advanced members. Once your membership has been validated you will be sent a link to our PhotoEntry system where you can upload your competition entries. 

Annual competitions
  • Intermediate Challenge
  • Open Challenge (annual competition)
  • Best Print and PDI of the Year
 Annual Exhibition

One of our most important events in the year, held at the Landmark Arts Centre in Teddington, each Spring.   Everyone is encouraged to participate by entering prints and/or digital images.  The Exhibition also showcases the work of members who achieved awards or distinctions during the year.

 Social events

Our main social gatherings are the Annual Dinner and Presentation of Trophies in the summer and our Christmas party. 

*We are affiliated to the Photographic Alliance of Great Britain as a member of the Surrey Photographic Association