Royal Photographic Society

Having recognition letters after one name is find, but how many outside photography Know what RPS means? I could put A S A after mine (Association of Silly Arses) still looks great after ones name. Who would bother to check if not in photography but looking to hire a photographer
 
I have a number of photographic distinctions and, although other members of my camera club would recognise them, I did not try to achieve them other than to set a target to challenge myself. In the case of RPS, they do offer various advice and services to members; the distinctions are just one of those services. One problem with the RPS is that you have to maintain your annual membership to keep the distinction which can prove expensive in retirement. My current distinctions are for life with no ongoing fee. I did consider joining the RPS a while ago when they were considering moving from Bath to my home town where I would have been able to readily benefit from their services and events. However, they could not afford the building they were considering and moved elsewhere (Bristol) so I did not join (i.e. I would not join just for the distinctions).

Dave
 
When the RPS was based in Bath, their restaurant wasn't too bad.

I won't be drawn on the pictures hung on the walls... :exit:
 
When it was in Bath, we enjoyed the bookshop that they had on the premises. Toppings now fills that void.
 
Robert Watts said:
Hi

I live in Lydd Kent, is the Royal Photographic Society worth joining for a beginner.

Ty
Rob
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It depends on what you are looking for.

There is a difference between learning how to use a camera and learning about photography. I suspect the value of membership will depend on what you are expecting and how much you take advantage of being a member.

From what I have seen and heard, getting involved with the RPS seems more likely to give you a good grounding in photography than simply relying on YouTube channels or following the average photography forum, social media platform or camera club where even though there is a lot of good stuff on offer, it's difficult for a beginner, and not so beginner, to filter out the useful from the useless and misleading.

I would have a look at what they offer, as they appear to offer a fair amount of support through membership and the many specialist groups, with a lot of good photographers involved. And they do a lot of work, beyond the obvious membership benefits of representing photographers and photography in the wider world.

Paul Hill, David Hurn and Martin Parr in the last few years have all said complimentary things about the RPS

Their Youtube channel has some interesting videos. Including useful information on attaining the distinctions.


As regards getting letters after your name, and losing them unless you keep paying your membership, seems an irrelevant aspect of gaining the distinction (not that I have any). Distinctions from professional bodies work the same way, at least all that I am aware of. The point, for me, would be having my photographs assessed as coming up to a certain standard by people with recognised expertise and from the learning experience of preparing the submission.

Although they cost extra, the Specialist Interest Groups look useful, with online talks, as well as magazines and other resources, ie dedicated Facebook groups.

rps.org

Groups

rps.org rps.org

The quarterly journal from the Documentary group looks good (but it seems you don't need to be a member to read it)

rps.org

The Decisive Moment - The Quarterly Journal of the Documentary Group

Documentary Photography published by the Royal Photographic Society - Documentary Group. The Decisive Moment is a quarterly journal that showcases the work of its members, shares insights and reviews about exhibitions related to the field of documentary photography and contains articles and...
rps.org rps.org

There is also an RPS South East Group

rps.org

RPS South East Region

Upcoming events for the South East Region of the RPS covering Kent, Sussex and Surrey. Including workshops, photo walks and RPS distinction advisory days.
rps.org rps.org

Finally, browsing through their website, they seem to do a lot of work for photography and photographers, and for that reason alone, probably worth supporting (at least for those seriously interested in photography). It's useful to have a learned society like the RPS "rooting" for photography and photographers..

I think you probably need to sign up and give them a try. To me, It looks like a useful organisation to be a member of, if you can afford it.
 
droj said:
No.
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Can you explain why? Is this just with reference to beginners?

The impression I have had in recent years, is that they are probably worth the membership (but mainly through comments about their specialist interest groups).
 
myotis said:
Can you explain why? Is this just with reference to beginners?
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I cannot speak for Droj but my opinion is that the RPS is a fairly typical "us and them" group.

Even in the 1960s, it seemed to me that it had lost track of how the culture around photography was changing from "older man with tripod and full plate camera" to "young man or woman with 35mm single lens reflex". The style of images that the RPS considered "good" was quite different to what picture editors, art directors and even several club committee members, considered worth publishing and looking at.

Of course, this is and always will be a matter of personal taste; and so it should be.
 
AndrewFlannigan said:
Even in the 1960s, it seemed to me that it had lost track of how the culture around photography was changing from "older man with tripod and full plate camera" to "young man or woman with 35mm single lens reflex". The style of images that the RPS considered "good" was quite different to what picture editors, art directors and even several club committee members, considered worth publishing and looking at.
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The RPS is trying to move with the times and is more progressive than it was. However I think it can hold people back/push them in certain directions.

As someone primarily interested in documentary photography I check out their online documentary magazine (https://rps.org/groups/documentary/...e-quarterly-journal-of-the-documentary-group/) and there looks to be an RPS style/approach to that area of photography. I was looking at someone's work online and thought to myself: "I bet they're in the RPS." Sure enough on finding their website their RPS letters were in evidence.

Speaking to a friend who was doing an RPS documentary panel my original view was reinforced that there is over emphasis on technical perfection. They had their photographs deemed unsuitable for being too noisy. Having been taking in dark situations using available light that was inevitable, but look at some heralded photos from the days of film and they are even more grainy than a high ISO digital picture.
 
AndrewFlannigan said:
I cannot speak for Droj but my opinion is that the RPS is a fairly typical "us and them" group.

Even in the 1960s, it seemed to me that it had lost track of how the culture around photography was changing from "older man with tripod and full plate camera" to "young man or woman with 35mm single lens reflex". The style of images that the RPS considered "good" was quite different to what picture editors, art directors and even several club committee members, considered worth publishing and looking at.

Of course, this is and always will be a matter of personal taste; and so it should be.
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That was also my view 30 years ago, but more recent comments from photographers I respect (e.g I mention Paul Hill, David Hurn and Martin Parr) have made me think I should maybe give it a rethink.
 
Ed Sutton said:
The RPS is trying to move with the times and is more progressive than it was. However I think it can hold people back/push them in certain directions.

As someone primarily interested in documentary photography I check out their online documentary magazine (https://rps.org/groups/documentary/...e-quarterly-journal-of-the-documentary-group/) and there looks to be an RPS style/approach to that area of photography. I was looking at someone's work online and thought to myself: "I bet they're in the RPS." Sure enough on finding their website their RPS letters were in evidence.

Speaking to a friend who was doing an RPS documentary panel my original view was reinforced that there is over emphasis on technical perfection. They had their photographs deemed unsuitable for being too noisy. Having been taking in dark situations using available light that was inevitable, but look at some heralded photos from the days of film and they are even more grainy than a high ISO digital picture.
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I haven't looked enough at work associated with the RPS to have an opinion, but I've certainly seen examples of successful ARPS/FRPS portfolios that were very grainy and not very sharp. which to me, seemed perfectly appropriate for the work being presented, as it must have done for the people assessing it.

I wonder, even though they publish guidance on what is expected, and offer pre-submission reviews, how the exact criteria will cycle and vary as the assessor's "team" changes over time.

I didn't realise they published the online documentary magazine until I published the link to it in my earlier post, and the current version has an article and interview with Colin McPherson about Catching the Tide.
 
Maybe 10-15 years ago I was a member and being close by visited their premises in Bath.
There was zero interest in me as a new member and I found the whole thing made up of fairly exclusive cliques.
No doubt there are many very good photographers enrolled but it had nothing to offer me worth the fee, and most options were optional paid extras.
Maybe its changed since my couple of years experience, good if it has.
 
gramps said:
Maybe 10-15 years ago I was a member and being close by visited their premises in Bath.
There was zero interest in me as a new member and I found the whole thing made up of fairly exclusive cliques.
No doubt there are many very good photographers enrolled but it had nothing to offer me worth the fee, and most options were optional paid extras.
Maybe its changed since my couple of years experience, good if it has.
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Certainly, the need to pay extra for the Special Interest Groups, is still an issue for me, especially if you have interests that span across several groups, making the subscription that much more than the basic cost.

But, if these groups were all funded directly by the base subscription, it would mean that every member would pay for groups they had no interest in, and the groups appear to be one of the more interesting aspects of membership.

I'm not trying to justify it, but I've found cliques to be an issue in lots of organisations. Hopefully, in the 10-15 years that might have changed, but it may well depend on exactly what it is you want to become part of.
 
I've never held much regard for them and I've met a number of senior "staff" over the years and done some Limited activities with them.
On the other hand standard membership is £130 which isn't a King's ransom in this day and age so why not try it gor a year and see if it works for you?
 
myotis said:
Can you explain why? Is this just with reference to beginners?

The impression I have had in recent years, is that they are probably worth the membership (but mainly through comments about their specialist interest groups).
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Because from its apparent nature I see it as a self-serving clique. As amateurs the only people that we need to satisfy are ourselves. We don't need approval from or validation by any stuffed shirts. If one wants to learn, studying the field along with practice, self-reflection and critique can be very good tutors ...
 
droj said:
Because from its apparent nature I see it as a self-serving clique. As amateurs the only people that we need to satisfy are ourselves. We don't need approval from or validation by any stuffed shirts. If one wants to learn, studying the field along with practice, self-reflection and critique can be very good tutors ...
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I see being a member of the RPS as providing resources that can contribute to "studying the field" and encouraging self-reflection and critique. But I have limited experience of what they have to offer, but it still seemed better than some of the stuff being offered by popular YouTubers.

I'm not sure I follow your approval/validation point.

EDIT: ah do you mean getting the RPS distinction? If you do, I don't see that as being the point of joining.
 
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droj said:
No doubt it may be for some ... ;-)
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Yes, I don't disagree.

Many many years ago, getting letters after my name was a strong reason for joining what is now the BIPP and the MPA, but equally it was also being able to advertise to customers that, if unhappy with my service, they could call on either of these professional bodies to mediate their complaints.
 
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