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Rebecca Faith
CREDIT: Rebecca Faith

RPS Journal Archive

An online archive of the RPS Journal, 1853 to 2018
Journal

RPS Journal Archive

Freely available and fully searchable, a digital archive of the RPS Journal from 1853 to 2018 is available, providing an unrivalled wealth of photographic history at your fingertips. 

The RPS Journal first appeared in March 1853 and it has been published continuously ever since. It is the world's oldest photographic periodical and has reported Society activities as well as charting the changes in photography up to the present day. 

The Society has been able to digitise the entire run of the Journal from 1853 to 2018 over 30,000 pages. Fully searchable this is a major resource for photo-historians, genealogists and Society members. 

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Rebecca Faith
CREDIT: Rebecca Faith

RPS Resources

As an educational charity, we offer free resources to all those with an interest in photography. These include our model release form (which has been downloaded over 10,000 times), inspiring teaching materials linked to our exhibitions, information on copyright and best practice for photographing wildlife.

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More RPS archives

Charles Thurston Thompson, Exhibition of the Photographic Society at the South Kensington Museum, 1858 copyright Victoria and Albert Museum, London
CREDIT: Charles Thurston Thompson, Exhibition of the Photographic Society at the South Kensington Museum, 1858 copyright Victoria and Albert Museum, London

The Royal Photographic Society Collection at the V&A

In the 1850s, founding members of the RPS started a collection that eventually amounted to around 270,000 photographs, thousands of pieces of photographic equipment, 26,000 books and many letters, diaries and notebooks.

It was announced that the Collection would be moving to the V&A in 2016. Since the move extensive work has been taking place to catalogue it, digitise much of it and display some of the most important work from the history of photography in the new Photography Centre. The Collection is also available to access in person in the Print Study Room.

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Pb7
CREDIT: Peter Bartlett ARPS

Covid-19 Archive

An evolving record of the coronavirus pandemic as told by our members, staff, interviewees and the RPS Journal.

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nw_carpathia_26
CREDIT: Nicholas White - Carpathia 26

RPS Film Archive

Free educational interviews and lectures.

'In conversation' with RPS Award recipients. Watch

Nicholas J R White (discusses long-term personal projects). Watch

Distinctions Live Talks (including Joe Cornish HonFRPS). Watch

David Hurn HonFRPS (documentary photography). Watch

David Stewart (editorial, advertising & fashion photography). Watch

Dr Andrew Bastawrous (medical photography). Watch

Professor Caroline Wilkinson (clinical imagery). Watch

Frederic Aranda (on his portrait of Sir Ian McKellan). Watch