Having whittled the number of prints and digital entries down from 1,000 to more than 300 prints and 250 projected images, The Ipswich and District Photographic Society’s annual exhibition has taken over the council chamber of Ipswich town hall.

Ipswich Star: Common Blue by Tom Rose, part of the Ipswich and District Photographic Society Annual ExhibitionCommon Blue by Tom Rose, part of the Ipswich and District Photographic Society Annual Exhibition (Image: TomRosePhotoze)

Covering a wide range of genres in monochrome and colour - including landscape, natural history, portraiture, photo-journalism, sport and creative work - entries are independently chosen by national photographic judges. Judging the prints this year were Jon Martin, with Chris Palmer casting his expert eye over the digital contributions.

The society has a long history, tracing its origins back to the earliest days of photography when on March 6, 1888, a number of keen photographers met to form the first Photographic Society in Ipswich. In June 1904 the first society was reformed as Ipswich Social Settlement Camera Club and in the late 1920s became Ipswich and District Photographic Society.

It’s one of the largest photographic groups in East Anglia and one of the leading photographic clubs in the country. The society’s programme includes lectures, competitions, digital workshop days and practical evenings, where new members can get help and advice.

The annual exhibition opened earlier this week at the council chamber, town hall galleries, Cornhill, and runs to March 15; excluding Sunday and Monday. It’s open 10am-5pm, closing at 4pm on the final day.

The society meets Monday nights from September to May at the Burlington Baptist Church Centre, London Road, Ipswich. For more details visit www.idps.org.uk