The Richmond and Twickenham Photographic Society’s (RTPS) annual exhibition opens at the Landmark Arts Centre, Teddington, this Wednesday and this year’s show is a special one as it marks the society’s 120th anniversary, writes Will Gore.

The show will feature panels of up to six photographs from 54 of RTPS’s current members and a number of the society’s former presidents. There will also be a digital exhibition of 250 images from a national competition recently run by RTPS, with the images displayed on a TV screen (This part of the exhibition will be installed on April 3).

Ian Rumbal, the society’s current president, says putting the work of the past presidents alongside the work of the society’s current members hasn’t created the sharp contrast some might expect.

“We think photography has changed over the years but although a lot of the presidents’ photographs are black and white the style hasn’t neccesarily changed,” he explains.

“Of course, the older photos are historic and record things as they were, which is of interest to some, but the art of photography hasn’t changed that dramatically.

“We are a diverse club so the members have a diverse interest in photoragraphy from portraiture to landscape.

“There are those interested in natural history and the local area, of course, interests our photographers. Richmond Park particularly captures their imaginations.”

The society is an extremely active one with talks, specialist workshops and monthly competitions running throughout the year (except July and August) and its membership currently numbers about 170.

Rumbal, whose photographs of Paris street life will be on display at the Landmark, says the close knit nature of the RTPS membership is one of the reasons that the society has flourished for so long.

“It is one of the benefits of belonging to a society like ours, that everyone helps each other out,” he adds.

“In contacting a lot of past members for this exhibition we’ve also generated plenty of interest from them about what is currently happening with the club.”

RTPS is one of the oldest photographic societies in the country.

When it was formed in 1890 it was known as the Richmond Amateur Photographic Society with the name changing to Richmond Camera Club in 1893.

Between 1900 and 1915 the first annual exhibitions were held and there has been a show every year since 1920, except 1943.

The club amalgamated with the Twickenham Photographic Society in 1946, with the society finally settling on its present title in 1965.

RTPS exhibition, Landmark Arts Centre, Teddington, March 31– April 11, £1.50, for opening times and more information, visit landmarkartscentre.org