Walthamstow & District Photographic Society
We are very welcoming and diverse photographic society based in central Walthamstow.
We enjoy all aspects of photography through talks, practical evenings and competitions.
New members welcome!
Society
Members
Meetings
Where and when do we meet?
We meet most Monday evenings throughout the year from 8pm to 10pm, upstairs at the Quaker Meeting House, Jewel Road, Walthamstow (near The Rose and Crown pub).
We don’t meet on Bank Holidays.
Check out the Programme section below for full details.
Programme 2019
January
7th – Members Evening – Theme ‘Winter’ – a fun projected competition
14th – Tom Peck – The Photographic Sublime
21st – James McCauley – Press Photography
28th – Walker Trophy – Print competition (Round 1)
February
4th – Members’ Evening
11th – Paula Siquiero – How to Photograph Children and Families, Adding Flair But Keeping It Natural
18th – Walker Trophy (prints) – Round 2
25th – Projected Images Competition versus Chingford (held at Chingford)
March
4th – An Evening with Penny Dampier
11th – Members’ Evening – Looking at Lightroom and Adobe Portfolio
18th – Walker Trophy (prints) – Round 3
25th – Basildon Trophy – Black and white print competition held between several societies (this year held at Walthamstow)
April
1st – Members’ Evening – ‘Print walk’ – members show and talk about their prints
8th – Colin Bristow – Essential Photo Ambassador & author visits the Society
15th – Centenary Trophy – our annual Audio/Visual competition
22nd – Easter Monday (no meeting)
29th – Peter Warne – Photographing at Night
May
6th – Bank Holiday (no meeting)
13th – Goddard Trophy – a panel of four print competition
20th – Members’ Evening – practical portrait
27th – Bank Holiday (no meeting)
June
3rd – Andy Sands – Photographing British Wildlife
10th – Albert Bale Trophy – Portrait print competition
17th – City Walk – an evening out with cameras
24th – Summer Photography Course – Week 1
July
1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd and 29th – Summer Photography Course
August
5th & 12th – Summer Photography Course
19th – New Members’ Evening
26th – Bank Holiday (no meeting)
September
2nd – Annual Exhibition Awards
9th – Walker Trophy (projected) – Round 1
16th – John Gooday – Nature Photography at Night
23rd – Walker Trophy (projected) – Round 2
30th – Vanda Ralevska – Landscape Photography
October
7th – Walker Trophy – Projected Competition (Round 3)
14th – Mike Fuller – Layers, Layers, Layers!
21st – Bert Whittern Trophy – print competition at Walthamstow versus Dunmow and Muswell Hill
28th – Travels with our very own John Cross
November
4th – Annual General Meeting
11th – Ron and Maggie Tear – The Big Picture Show
18th – Members’ Evening – Photoshop demonstrations
25th – Print Competition versus Chingford (held at Walthamstow)
December
2nd – EAF DVD and our Review of the Year
9th – Christmas Party
16th – No meeting, but informal drinks at The Rose and Crown or The Bell
23rd & 30th – Christmas and New Year – No meetings
What do we do?
At each meeting there will be typically between 20 and 30 members attending.
Meetings tend to fall into one of three categories:
- talks
- competitions
- members’ evenings
There is a social aspect too, and members will be able to chat to each other before the meetings and at the break; some will go on to nearby pub The Rose and Crown afterwards.
We also hold regular exhibitions of our work. You may have seen us at Winns Gallery in Lloyd Park; we have also shown at Vestry House, and during the E17 Arts Trail.
Talks
Each year we have up to a dozen external speakers visiting the Society.
The subects of the talks vary, reflecting the different interests of members, and might include wildlife, press and sports photography, travel, portraiture or something technical.
Competitions
There are various competitions spread throughout the year. These are:
- internal competitions for Society members only
- competitions against other local photographic societies and camera clubs
The internal competitions are generally open in terms of subject matter, but we also have a Portrait competition, plus an AV (audio visual) competition.
Some competitions are for projected digital images, others are for prints.
They are judged by an external person who isn’t associated with the Society.
Members find that receiving critique from someone who isn’t a friend or family can greatly improve their photography
Members’ evenings
Throughout the year we have various informal members’ evenings (see the Programme for details).
They typically allow members to practice or discuss various aspects of photography.
Example evenings include
- practical portraiture – using off-camera flash and studio lighting
- Photoshop or Lightroom sessions
- Light painting
These evenings will also include some fun competitions voted for by members.
Diversity
We are proud to be a diverse and inclusive group of individuals which greatly adds to the interest and strength of the group.
Our club is a fairly even mix of men and women. Anyone can join us regardless of age, ethnicity, religion or gender identity; everyone is made to feel welcome.
Membership and Visiting
Annual membership of the Society currently costs £70 per year which is payable in October.
People joining the Society mid way through the year will pay a pro-rata rate.
Membership entitles you to:
- attend all meetings throughout the year
- enter all the competitions
- enter work in our exhibitions
Should you wish to visit us prior to joining, then please get in touch.
Guests may visit up to three times free of charge before committing to membership.
Summer Photography Course
Our Summer Photography Course runs once a year for 8 weeks during June, July and August, and is aimed at beginners and those wishing to brush up on their skills.
Booking in advance is strongly recommended to ensure a place.
The course covers the practical aspects of using your camera with a strong creative element alongside guidance on how to take better photos across a range of subjects.
Check out our dedicated page for further information.