BPS is a friendly, welcoming society that encourages new members to develop their photographic interests and skills through a very varied programme of events including lectures, workshops, exhibitions and competitions.  We are always open to new members and visitors are welcome to come along to a couple of our Wednesday evening events to help decide whether to join.

As well as holding our own internal competitions we take part in inter-club events run by the Federation of South London Photographic Societies (FSLPS) and the Kent County Photographic Association (KCPA).  Each year we also take part in friendly competitions involving local clubs.

Entering internal events is a chance to hear comments and tips from judges in a friendly and constructive environment.  External competitions help members test their skills and creativity against other photographers and offer the opportunity to view work from other clubs.

As well as holding our own internal competitions we take part in inter-club events run by the Federation of South London Photographic Societies (FSLPS) and the Kent County Photographic Association (KCPA).  Each year we also take part in friendly competitions involving local clubs.

Entering internal events is a chance to hear comments and tips from judges in a friendly and constructive environment.  External competitions help members test their skills and creativity against other photographers and offer the opportunity to view work from other clubs. 

Each season we run four competitions for prints and four for projected digital images (pdis), which are marked out of ten by an external judge.  Competitions are divided into three member classes, Standard, Intermediate and Advanced, reflecting the experience of the photographer. Members are also eligible for end-of-year trophies.  In addition, we run one competition for monochrome prints.

We also hold two other competitions for panels of images.  These are: The Dennis Berry competition for a sequence of 5-9 digital projected images and the Caithness Bowl (Standard Class) and Blackbourn Trophy (Advanced Class) for panels of 5-9 prints.  You can choose your own theme for these competitions but they should be linked in some way.  The Dennis Berry is judged internally and in the past members have strongly appreciated images which tell a story.  An external judge is invited to judge the print panel competition

Yes.  Internal competitions are open to all paid-up members of the club. Entry into competitions is entirely voluntary but new members are encouraged to enter as soon as they feel confident with the formats

Members choose their class at the beginning of the season.  In most cases new members will want to begin in the Standard class because the judges will usually offer more comments and feedback.   Speak to a committee member if you want more advice on which class to choose

No.  You can find details for entering the competitions on the BPS website and members are very happy to give advice.  The internal Competitions Secretary will provide you with a password for entering your images online; this needs to be done for digital and print competitions

 

For print competitions a key point is that your images should be carefully mounted on card.  This protects your images and improves their presentation.

 

Mounts for the normal competitions should be no smaller than 25 x 20 cms but if it is possible members are advised to use mounts of 50 x 40 cms as this is the size used in our annual exhibition and external competitions.  Using this size also helps reduce the risk of damage to other members’ prints when they are being carried.  For the same reason use good quality tape to fix your images to the mounts.

 

Digital images must be in a JPEG format.  If they are in landscape format the maximum pixel size must be 1400 wide and 1050 high; if they are in portrait form, they must still be a maximum of 1050 pixels high with the appropriate related width.  Use image sizing in Photoshop, Lightroom or other imaging software but be careful that you do not adversely alter the proportions of your image.  If you are unsure how to do this, please ask members of the club. 

Yes, just follow the same rules as above. The image quality of camera-phones is frequently quite suitable. The size of camera-phones also enables them to be used to capture images which would be unobtainable with conventional cameras.

A number of members cut their own mounts. Several members are available to give advice and practical guidance on the mounting of photographs. Please speak to a committee member who will tell you who to contact.   You may find it easier to order mounts from retail suppliers.  Some members use Cotswolds Mounts (www.cotswoldmounts.co.uk); members can group together to share delivery costs.

Yes, but we normally recommend using antique white or light cream mounts as these are used in external competitions and improve the presentation at the annual BPS exhibition.  However, this is a matter of fashion.  These days coloured mounts are rarely seen, although black and dark grey are often used for monochrome images.

Many members in the club print their own images but this does require a high-quality image standard printer (and for some images an A3 printer) so others use a variety of options such as:

Printspace – good quality prints on different papers; images can be submitted on line via the company’s website.  www.theprintspace.co.uk

DS Colour Labs (DSCL)www.dscolourlabs.co.uk

Snappy Snaps – branches in Bromley, Beckenham, Sydenham and Croydon

Members of the BPS committee select images from those that have performed well in internal competitions or are provided by members.  The committee aims to use images from a range of members but the goal is to perform at a high level in competitions as a way of attracting more members.

Members use a variety of packages including Lightroom, Photoshop and Bridge. Whatever package you use there are numerous videos on YouTube to help you through the necessary steps. The use of specialist software can improve the quality of photographs but less-experienced members should not regard the use of specialist software as mandatory. Pre-installed software on many PCs is more than adequate to produce high quality Standard class images.

As well as occasional workshops with members demonstrating particular techniques, periodically we hold impromptu evenings to develop photographic skills.   We also have a Member Advice Scheme where Advanced Class volunteers provide constructive critique of members’ photographs, help with technical issues and general advice. BPS members are always pleased to provide guidance to fellow members where they can. If they can’t, they will find someone who can.

BPS has a website ( https://bps9.beckenhamphotosoc.org.uk/ ) which provides a great deal of information and showcases members’ work. It has recently been refreshed and members are invited to offer up to a dozen images for publication on the site. We also have a Facebook site for sharing information about events and discussions on photographic issues, as well as an Instagram account, links as below:

facebook.com/beckenhamphotosoc                           

instagram.com/beckenhamps   

BPS has a WhatsApp group which is used exclusively to keep members up to date with planned visits and outings. If you would like to join the group, please speak to a committee member.

As well as a monthly bulletin, messages are also circulated by email.

The website includes a gallery for members’ images.  Please contribute some images (max of 12) for the site, including one square image for the opening page.  

Images should ideally fit within 1024 x 1024 pixels, in sRGB workspacve and named in the format: Photographer – Title, e.g. Joe Bloggs ARPS – Hebridean Sunset

The most common letters refer to distinctions of the Royal Photographic Society, beginning with LRPS, through ARPS to FRPS.  Photographers achieve these by submitting panels of images in various numbers for judging.  See www.rps.org for more information. A list of some important photographic organisations and the distinctions they award can be found at: https://bps9.beckenhamphotosoc.org.uk/links-ads/

Names of the society officers are published on the website under contacts.

Officers and other committee members are elected each year at the Society’s AGM held in May.

It is important to note though that new members are encouraged to become committee members, or to support existing ones by making positive suggestions and contributing in other ways.

Every February BPS holds a public exhibition in Beckenham.  All members are encouraged to submit images (currently max 3 prints and max 2 digital images).  Before the public viewing there is a judging of entries by an external judge but all images submitted are displayed.  We encourage friends and family to visit.

In previous years Society members have organised outings to venues such as the Regent’s Canal, Emmetts and Kew Gardens. There have been a number of walks around the City of London and a number of ad-hoc groups have undertaken night shoots in London.  Society members have organised external events led by tour guides or expert photographers.  There is a Nature Group within BPS which organises several outings during the year, typically visiting RSBP sites, wild-life parks, wetland areas and other sites of natural interest.

Beckenham Photographic Society is twinned with the French club Image in Perigny, near La Rochelle.  Exchanges have been organised over the past few years between the two clubs providing many different photographic opportunities. We have a themed project every year and share these images together at a club evening. Both clubs have had the opportunity to exhibit in each other’s exhibitions making the relationship even stronger.

Annual subscriptions are due at the beginning of September.