We’re shining a light on some of the many clubs and groups in Norwich that offer their members the chance to meet like-minded people, learn new skills and make new new friends. This week, we’re featuring the Norwich & District Photographic Society

Norwich and District Photographic Society’s roots can be traced back to the middle of the 19th century, indeed we are one of the oldest photographic societies in the country.


Our membership includes a wide range of abilities from the professional to the hobbyist and a wide range of ages. We have a membership today just short of 100 which includes our latest category of membership ‘e-member’ where the person belongs to NDPS but lives in another part of the United Kingdom. Normally we meet at The City Academy, Bluebell Road, Norwich on Tuesday evenings but because of Covid restrictions this has often not been possible, and we have relied on Zoom meetings to be together.

Norwich Evening News: Sheringham boating lake.Sheringham boating lake. (Image: David Turner)

To join the Society, or to find out more, simply visit our website at ndps/info. Here you can view our programme, reviews of every special presentation, galleries of photographs from our various competitions and events and fill in an application form to join.

Norwich Evening News: Detail shot of Mercedes W125.Detail shot of Mercedes W125. (Image: David Jordan - All Rights Reserved)


But how do we fulfil our objective of helping very member to become the best possible photographer? Well, there’s no secret and no magic. We make sure that we have a programme crammed with fantastic presentations from photographers around the world. We’ve had experts from Australia, Europe and the United States talking to us at our weekly meetings as well as people from the UK, including our own members! Something for everyone to enjoy and to learn.

Norwich Evening News: Studio Shoot of Hayley Bird.Studio Shoot of Hayley Bird. (Image: Maurice Young - All Rights Reserved)In addition to special presentations, we also have several special interest groups run by members, for members; the Landscape Group, Studio Group, Wildlife and Nature Group, a Pictorialists Group, and the slightly quirky Tom’s Tours.


Every year we hold a large public exhibition of our work in Norwich Cathedral, where we showcase the photography of every club member plus we have a public competition to introduce ourselves to the public. This exhibition is the highlight of our calendar and attracts many hundreds of viewers, some of whom travel to Norwich on holiday simply to include us in their itinerary. Our 106th Annual Exhibition will open at the end of September and will run through until the last week of October this year.

Norwich Evening News: Image taken just after sunrise at Brancaster Staithe on the North Norfolk coast showing reflections of the clouds and the boats moored in the harbour.Image taken just after sunrise at Brancaster Staithe on the North Norfolk coast showing reflections of the clouds and the boats moored in the harbour. (Image: © David Powley 2021)
We have friendship associations with many other photographic clubs, not just in England but in Europe too. We have regular three way competitions with Nivernais (France) and Koblenz (Germany). In the UK we have forged links with Sheffield Photographic Society and Old Coulsdon, in London, with whom we share speakers, friendly competitions and visits. Closer to home we have long been involved in an annual competition between ourselves, Ipswich, and Lowestoft camera clubs and we compete in the Annual Championships organised by the East Anglia Federation of Photographic Societies and other major photo-competitions held in the East Anglia.

Norwich Evening News: Market CrossMarket Cross (Image: davebalcombe@gmail.com)
The Society also support the ‘Give a Child A Camera’ charity, introducing children in Africa to the skills of photography.
For 2022 we have a full programme of events already arranged, which will include everything mentioned in the brief description above. Check out the website, ndps/info, for the full information.

Are you a member of a club which like to be featured in our “Your Clubs” page? Contact siofra.connor@archant.co.uk