Useful links

Swavesey Camera Club online

Clubs and societies

National/regional societies:

  • East Anglian Federation of Photographic Societies (EAF)
    The EAF is a constituent founder Member of the Photographic Alliance of Great Britain (PAGB), which is the parent organisation for camera clubs and photographic societies throughout the UK. Having approximately 120 member clubs and societies with in excess of 4500 individual members, the EAF is now the largest federation in the PAGB.
  • Photographic Alliance of Great Britain (PAGB)
    The Photographic Alliance of Great Britain (PAGB) is a membership organisation that co-ordinates, activities for photographic Clubs in England, Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland (including the Channel Islands and Isle of Man).
  • Royal Photographic Society
    The Royal Photographic Society exists to promote photography and image-making and to support photographers in realising their potential, irrespective of their level of knowledge, equipment or skills. It has an international membership. The Society also acts as a public advocate for photography and photographers. The RPS offers qualifications, Distinctions and certified course to cater for every level of photographic experience.
  • RPS Nature Group
    Separate website of the Royal Photographic Society Nature Group.

Other local camera clubs:

Photo editing software suggestions

Free:

  • Snapseed (iOS or Android)
    This is widely regarded as the best free photo editing software for mobile users, and particularly for those starting out in photography who want to learn but aren't ready to shell out for Lightroom, Photoshop or the other paid-for options. You can download it for desktop Mac or PC using an emulator, which makes it more versatile.
  • Apple Photos
    A decent editor with RAW support pre-installed on Apple devices - definitely worth looking at for beginner photographers on Macs. 
  • Canva
    This works entirely within your browser, decent enough photo editor but really aimed at people wanting to incorporate photos into designs, which it excels at for amateur designers and photographers. 
  • Google Photos
    If you're already using Google for storing your photos, it might be worth looking at this. A decent range of editing tools. You can use it in your browser or download the iOS or Android app.
  • Raw Therapee
    Often mentioned as the best free raw processor - definitely worth a look, though it is not for the beginner and can be intimidating to use. 
  • GIMP
    For more advanced users, GIMP is often recommended as the most powerful free image editor, particularly when paired with Raw Therapee. But it's not for the beginner!

Paid-for:

  • Adobe Lightroom Classic
    Considered the best industry standard photo editing software for professionals and serious enthusiasts, and often used in conjunction with Photoshop. Subscription only. 
  • Adobe Lightroom
    A cloud-centric editing application not to be confused with the desktop-centric Lightroom Classic. A good choice for those who like to work across multiple devices and don’t work predominantly with ultra-high-resolution files, because cloud storage gets filled up quickly.
  • Adobe Lightroom Mobile
    Similar to Lightroom CC, but solely for use on iOS and Android devices. Free to use, it offers core features for capturing, organising, editing and sharing photos.
  • Adobe Photoshop
    The layer-based industry standard photo editing software. Subscription only, often used with Lightroom since it doesn't have cataloguing capabilities. 
  • Affinity Photo 2
    Considered by some to be the best photo editing software without subscription. May be a bit complex for beginners, and if you're looking for a Lightroom alternative, Affinity doesn't have image cataloging. 
  • DxO PhotoLab 8 Elite
    The best photo editing software for RAW image processing. Can be daunting to use, and Elite version is more expensive but much better.
  • Capture One
    Very popular alternative to Lightroom Classic - fantastic processing and cataloguing, with the addition of layer-based adjustments, but is more expensive than Lightroom, and doesn't sync with Photoshop the way Lightroom does. 

Other useful apps and websites:

  • Pixel Calculator - easily find out exactly how big your photo will print by inputting the width and height pixels and 300dpi print resolution

Commercial links

Camera equipment:

  • Campkins Cameras
    Camera store in Cambridge offering a full range of equipment and services (also online).
  • MPB
    Online retailer specialising in buying and selling used photo and video equipment.
  • Wex
    Online supplier of new and used equipment, also have a store in Cambridge.

Printing, mounting and paper:

  • DS Colour Labs
    DS Colour Labs offer an online printing service, suitable for club competitions, ranging from 'standard' prints to 'Fine Art' prints on a range of custom papers.
  • Cotswold Mounts
    Bevel cut photo and picture mount manufacturer specialising in supplying high quality photo mounts in a wide range of colours and sizes.
  • Loxley Colour
    Professional photo lab that specializes in providing high-quality photographic prints and products to amateur and professional photographers. Offer a range of services including printing on various paper types, creating albums and wall art.
  • Paper Spectrum
    Company supplying a wide range of fine art paper, cards, ink, mount board and other photo printing supplies.
  • Permajet
    Photo Paper, Fine Art and Canvas Inkjet Specialists. Speak to a Committee member to learn about available discount codes for purchasing printer paper.
  • SimLab
    SimLab offers an online printing service, suitable for club competitions, ranging from 'standard' prints to 'Fine Art' prints on a range of custom papers - similar software/interface/prices to DSCL.