About
Wymondham Photographic Society (WPS) was formed in 1969 by a small group of photographers and has grown to be a popular venue for local enthusiasts that share a common passion for photography.
Meeting at the Wymondham Bowls Club (The Dell), WPS draws members from Wymondham and the surrounding area including Norwich. The Dell offers free car parking, a fully stocked bar, which also serves tea and coffee, and a spacious meeting room with a permanently installed projection screen chosen specifically to compliment our club’s high definition wide screen digital projector.
These excellent facilities enable us to hold varied forms of meetings to include audio/visual presentations, guest speakers, tutorials, and regular competitions (internal, external and international).
We are a friendly club and new members are always welcome so we encourage you to come along to a meeting to see if you want to join. You can attend the first two meetings without paying the annual subscription, which we consider very modest for weekly meetings. WPS is a non-profit organization with all our fees used to run the Society.
You do not need the latest camera gear or have years of experience as our main aim is to enjoy the creation of images and to inspire each other to get the most from this pastime / obsession.
To find out more about WPS click on the headings on the right and below this page.
To find out how to become a member click on MEMBERSHIP
We hope to see you at our next meeting.
Entering competitions is a good way to develop your photographic skills and image creation. As a fully paid up member you will be entitled to take part in competitions either in Tier 1 (beginners & improvers) or Tier 2 (more advanced). Competitions are free to enter and include both PDI (Projected Digital Image) or Printed images. Competitions are judged by external judges.
WPS has a closed facebook group. This is a great place to add images and discussion blogs for feedback from other members.
WPS also has a closed Flikr group.
See icons at top and bottom of the page.
WPS is managed by a committee consisting of volunteers from current membership to ensure the Society is run as efficiently and effectively as possible within its annual subscription income. Under our constitution the committee comprises of officers and committee members to discuss and vote on topics affecting the Society.
See below for current committee members.
Club members are encouraged to raise suggestions or issues, with the committee, which affect the smooth running of the club.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS
President
Mike Cooper
Chairman
John Cann
Vice Chairman, Secretary & Newsletter Editor
David Hazleton
Treasurer
Alan Archer
Membership Secretary
Lydia Taylor
Competition Secretary
John Edwards
Webmaster
John Staines
Web & Competition Admin
Andy Mayall
Facebook Admin
Tara Mayall
Committee Member
Dominic Byrne
Club History
1969: The first meeting was held on 22 July 1969 with 10 members at Doug Fulcher’s house. In September 1969, the British Legion at Wymondham sponsored an exhibition for all the clubs and associations in the town. However, the list of exhibitors did not include a photographic club, so Doug Fulcher (a well-known local photographer at the time) and Mike Cooper (our current President) were asked to contribute to the exhibition, and so the club was born, with Doug and Mike displaying slides and prints.
The club was named the Wymondham Camera Club, but quickly became the Wymondham and Attleborough Camera Club when the remaining four members of the Attleborough Camera Club joined.
The club then moved to the Wymondham Ex Service Man’s Club next to Damgate House. The society grew and after six months Bernard Stutely offered the society the Meeting Hall at Town Green, this was rent free on condition that the society maintained the building.
1980: The society organised a talk on the Flora and Fauna of the Norfolk Broads by the renown naturalist Ted Ellis and was illustrated by his slides. About 150 people attended the talk which was held in Wymondham Central Hall.
1984: The society moved to the Damgate Rooms in the town centre, where they stayed until 2006.
2001: The move to digital cameras started in 2001 and the slide projector was replaced by a superb quality wide-screen digital projector.
2002: On 25 June 2002 the club’s name changed to the Wymondham Photographic Society (WPS).
2006: WPS moved to Wymondham Dell Bowls Club in Norwich Road.
2009: WPS hosted Joe Cornish, an internationally renowned landscape photographer, which was attended by over 100 people.
2010-2019: WPS continues to grow as a club offering members a varied programme of events including guest speakers, continuous improvement evenings, internal, external and international competitions.
2020: The Covid pandemic prevented face to face meetings but the club continued to operate by arranging zoom meetings and speakers, until meeting again in person in September 2022. Membership numbers suffered as a result.
2022: In September 2022 WPS absorbed additional members after the unfortunate closure of the Caston Camera Club. In addition and partly as a result of our Open Day in June an influx of new members increased the membership to healthy levels once again.
2023: The Society continues to be a successful photographic club with a membership of around 60 members of all photographic abilities and varied genres of interest.
