The Australian Photographic Society was officially formed on 12 May 1962 in Sydney. This was the culmination of three years work by the Australian Photographic Federation, a body specifically established in order to form APS. 101 Foundation Members incorporated the Society in the Australian Capital Territory. As at the 2010 AGM, two of those Foundation Members are still with the Society. Both of them (Graham Burstow, and Bill Smit) have been awarded Honorary Life Memberships.

Membership numbers soon reached 600 in 1963, 1,000 in 1967, 2,000 in 1980, 1,578 in March 2006 and over 2100 in January 2008.

The Societies inhouse magazine, Image, was born in March/April 1965. The first photograph published in Image, on the front cover of the September/October 1965 issue, was 'Wasteland' by Dora Evans which had been awarded the B Grade Plaque in the Print Division Mid-Year Competition.

From its inception, APS became Australia's Member body of FlAP, the Fedêration Internationale de l'Art Photographique. The APS has since been active over the years in the international activities of FlAP and has received FlAP Distinction applications from Australian photographers since 1962. The first APS honours were presented at the APS Convention in 1975, APSCON.

The APS has had to embrace the changing technology of photography to keep the interest of members past, future and present. The Society will always continue with its mission to promote, improve, share and enjoy photography here in Australia and also internationally.

The APS would like to thank and acknowledge the production of the documentation of APS history to David Oldfield. Without his devotion and time that David put into this project all these images and historical documentation would not be available today.

 

pdf APS History 1962 - 1987 (577 KB)

pdf APS History 1987 - 2002 (1000 KB)

pdf APS History 2002 - 2012 (2.44 MB)

pdf APS History 1962-1987 Photo Insert (1.94 MB)