The Royal Photographic Society Member Awards

Elaine Herbert ARPS

Elaine Herbert has recently stepped down as Honorary Secretary of the Australian Chapter - a post she has held for over 25 years. During that time she has edited the Chapter’s Newsletter, and managed events and activities in Australia. She has been a consistent ambassador for the RPS in the country

Elaine has supported the RPS through her involvement with the RPS’s Representatives’ Committee (RepCom). Uniquely placed, Elaine has supported the RPS’s wider international membership, and produced a thoughtful and carefully researched paper about the RPS’s overseas membership for RepCom. This was instrumental in helping set up a renewed focus on international members.

Dr. Harry Hall FRPS

Harry Hall has been a volunteer in the Documentary Group for several years. On joining the Documentary Group Committee he developed the Documentary Photography Awards touring exhibition which exhibits in 7 locations in Wales, Scotland and England and was the UK’s largest touring photographic exhibition in 2024. An estimated 20,000 people saw the exhibition throughout 2022. Harry liaised with different regions to help secure venues and organise local events and talks to coincide with each exhibition, he managed the galleries and the logistics of installing, removing and moving the exhibition around the country. He has continued to support the exhibition of the DPA  Awards.

Melanie Chalk ARPS

During lockdown Digital Imaging Group volunteer Melanie Chalk introduced a series of online workshops around skills for Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom. Over time Melanie has extended this programme, which has now gravitated wholly to the Digital Imaging Group and expanded significantly. In 2022 Melanie organised 60 workshops, 103 sessions with 1900 registrations and they have continued to grow. She has grappled with the technology challenges and expanded the network of professional tutors working with Group. 

Melanie also commissions, edits and publishes the monthly DI News, an online publication.

Martin Tomes LRPS

Martin Tomes is a key member of the Digital Imaging Group. In particular, his work for the Talk Walk Talk (TWT) series of themed events run in conjunction with the Landscape Group have been led by him and the programme, which was introduced a few years ago, has been instrumental in providing a renewed focus for RPS members' photography within the DI Group and beyond.  He has been critical to the success of this programme. In the words of his nominator "TWT shows and stands for collaboration between RPS amazing volunteer community."

Martin also successfully runs an eCircle group which meets monthly. 

Yoshio Miyake

A long-standing member of the RPS, now in his 90th year, Mr Yoshio Miyake has been the chairman of the RPS Japan Chapter for nearly thirteen years. He joined the RPS in 2002, serving as Chapter secretary from 2004 to 2103. He became chairman in 2013. In 2016 he toured the United Kingdom with members of the Chapter. 

Mr Miyake continues to lead the RPS Japan Chapter which is growing in membership.  It runs events and exhibitions and provides a connection with the RPS in the United Kingdom.  The Chapter exhibitions have been held at the British Embassy.