How Do I Join Gwynfa Camera Club?
New members are always welcome and it is easy to join.
Please print and complete the Application Form and give it to our Club Secretary, Gary Were (pictured below) along with your joining fee of £20.
Your membership will be confirmed as soon as possible and a membership number allocated. Please note, membership numbers are usually allocated at Committee meetings which normally take place on the first Tuesday of each month. If you wish us to expedite your application for any reason (eg. to enter a competition), please make this known to Gary.
Membership Fees
Our Membership Fees are made up of an annual fee and a weekly subscription. We adopt this method so that everyone pays an amount directly determined by the number of times they attend the club. In the first year we charge a one-off joining fee instead of the annual fee.
Joining Fee
There is a joining fee of £20.
Annual Membership Fee
After your first year, Annual Membership is £20 per person and payment is due each January.
Weekly Subscription
Members also pay £2 at each meeting they attend. This covers the weekly entertainment and refreshments.
Number & Handbook
Once you have applied and paid your membership fee, you will be issued with your membership number and your handbook. The handbook contains the full club constitution and rules for entering competitions. Please note; we do not usually have club or committee meetings in July, August and December, so applications can’t be processed during those months.
Fee Increases
Fees can only be amended at an Annual General Meeting or an Extraordinary General Meeting upon a majority vote by the members.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there an age limit for membership of Gwynfa?
No, over the years our members ages have ranged from 9 to 80+ and everyone is welcome. Under 18s must be accompanied by an adult.
Is the club mostly for males?
No, we have one of the highest, if not the the highest, female membership of any club in Wales.
How long before I can enter a monthly competition or special challenge?
As soon you have your membership number you may enter any competition.
What happens in a monthly competition or a challenge competition?
Each member may enter one photograph (print or digital). We then invite a guest ‘judge’ to give a verbal critique of the entries and award them marks out of 20. Judges are normally, but not always, from another club. The top three photographs in the competition are also selected and an overall winner is chosen.
How is ‘Photographer of the Year’ decided?
The marks out of 20 awarded in each of the 11 competitions are added up and the person with the highest total for the year is deemed to be ‘Photographer of the Year’. (Note, from 2020 we are introducing a ‘drop-score’ system where only your 9 best scores over the year will count. This will allow you to miss a competition or two but still be able to compete for Photographer of the Year).
What is the ‘Picture of the Year’?
Dual Club Membership
Gwynfa welcomes members who are also members of other clubs. However, if you are a member of more than one club and actively entering competitions at both, there are implications that need to consider, not least the issue of using your photographs in outside competitions, many of which specify that a photographer can only represent one club. As this is very difficult indeed for our External Competition Secretary to police, Gwynfa will assume we have first call on your entries unless you tell us we do not. The onus is on each member to let us know if they prefer to represent a different club.