Plymouth Camera Club welcomes a diverse range of photographers of all ages, photographic interests and experience. The programme is visible on the website through the Events section. The Club's programme contains a range of activities: from tuition evenings,  to illustrated presentations, as well as internal and inter-club competition, field trips and access to events organised by the South West Region of the Royal Photographic Society and Western Counties Photographic Federation. 

You are welcome to come along and experience the club first hand before joining, check out the Programme section to attend an upcoming meeting. 

If you have any specific questions not answered here then please contact us via the Contact page.

When does Plymouth Camera Club Meet?

Thursday evenings (7.30 to 9.45pm) between September and May, with short breaks at Christmas and Easter. From May to September we run a series of monthly field trips.

Membership

Who can join?
Everyone, regardless of age and experience. Having a diverse membership is important for the club.

How do I join?

• Prospective new members can visit the club on 2 evenings before joining and paying club subscriptions.

• Only fully paid up members can enter competitions and post promotional material on the Facebook Group.

How much does it cost?
Our normal member ship fees are:

• Age 18 and under £10.00

• Over 18 years £45.00

• Joint Couple £70.00

Reduced fees are available for full time students and persons in receipt of benefits.

What Sort Of Camera Do I Need?

Any type of camera (Digital SLR, Bridge, Mirrorless, Compact, Film). Most photographers in the club use a digital SLR, but many start with compact cameras and then move up to DSLRs as their skills develop.

Where do you meet?

Wolseley Community Resource Building, Wolseley Close, Plymouth, PL2 3BY.

Wolseley close is a turning off Wolseley Rd just south of PLYMCO. Turn left at the lights (coming from the city centre) or right (coming from the St Budeaux direction). Use the car park beside the Wolseley Community Resource Building, immediately behind the Co-Op Supermarket.

Competitions

Plymouth Camera Club runs a number of competitions throughout the year and also enters photographs for inter-club competitions. Competitions are one of the ways the club promotes and encourages members to improve their photography, with constructive comments made by individual judges. The emphasis is on participation and all submissions are acceptable for judgement, irrespective of the ability or experience. Entries are submitted anonymously and these members have the opportunity for their work to be discussed objectively. The set subjects for the "Merit" competitions are designed to give motivation, interest and a challenge to camera users to encourage creativity.

To enter competitions you must be a full member of the Plymouth Camera Club.

There are two types of entries for the competition including Prints and Digital Projected Images (DPIs).

Instructions for DPI Conversions for Competition

There are two main types of internal club competitions: Individual Trophies or Cups awarded annually or bi-annually which cover both DPIs and Merit competitions held throughout the season. 

Merits competitions run over the whole season and consist of six set subjects and six own choice prints or DPIs. The set subjects are agreed by the committee and can be found in the programme for the year. The committee tries to vary the set subjects as much as possible to give all photographers some themes on which to base their photographic entries for the coming year.

DPIs - Digital Projection Images in 1600 x 1200 max format (see club programme for help on re-sizing or ask a club member)

Each image is marked by an independent judge and given a score out of 20. This provides members with a quantitative as well as qualitative feedback. At the end of the year, the Franklin Shield is presented to the person with the most points for the DPIs and the Merits Trophy is presented to the person gaining the most points for prints.

Merits Topics in 2023-2024 Season

Merits 1. Modes of Transport + Own Choice - Pdi
Merits 2. Patterns + Own Choice - Print
Merits 3. Steps & Stairways + Own Choice - Pdi
Merits 4. Still Life + Mono (Tyler Trophy) - Print
Merits 5. Documentary/Street + Own Choice - Pdi
Merits 6. Low Light + Flora/Gardens (Jubilee Trophy) - Print

Trophies in 2023 - 2024 Season:

Westlake Cup – Print competition – Landscapes and Seascapes Pdi (Annual)

Tawny (Nature) - Print (Annual)

Les Rowing Parker Bowl (People) + (Creative) - Prints. (Biennial)

Internal Club Competition Rules

The judge’s ruling on all competitions is final.

All entries must have a TITLE or they will not be entered.

Creating new work, entering it for competition and considering the constructive criticism of our judges and the comments of other members represents a way for members to improve photographic skills, knowledge and judgement. It also makes for stimulating club evenings. It is hoped members will take these competitions as an opportunity to take new images and show new work.

Pdi’s - Projected Digital Images in 1600 x 1200 max format

Members may enter a maximum of 4 Pdi’s in trophy competitions.

Members may enter a maximum of 4 Prints in trophy competitions.

The number of entries for all trophies will initially be 4, but maybe reduced to 3 depending on the total number of entries. Please number in order of preference in case we need to omit the fourth image.

In the Merits Competitions, a maximum of 2 Pdi’s and/or 2 Prints may be entered for the Set Subject and also for Own Choice.

An image may only be entered into internal club competitions a maximum number of three times

No image in any format (or copy thereof) may be entered for more than one competition at a time. Any Print or Pdi (or copy thereof) having gained a place in the top 3 of a Merits Competition will not be allowed entry to further Merit Competitions (but can still be entered for a Trophy Competition).

Any Print or Pdi (or copy thereof) that has, either singly or as part of a set, won a trophy is no longer eligible for any internal Club competition.

In print competitions, mounted black and white or coloured prints may be entered (trade or home processed). They must not be less than 7” X 5” (print size) or larger than 20“ x 16” in size including card mounts