WELCOME TO THE TACOMA PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY!
We focus on promoting fellowship among our members, improving our skills, and stimulating interest in all branches of photography.
- Learn from experienced photographers and meet new friends.
- Enjoy Photography outings, guest speakers, & presentations.
- Meetings are open to the public. All ages & skills are welcome.
- Monthly print and projection competitions in-person & on Zoom.
- Participate in PSA and NWCCC interclub & individual competitions.
- TPS Annual Spring Fair Photo Contest is open to PNW photographers.
- To join TPS or read more about a membership click here
- Share and get connected on Facebook Group We would love to see you there and your images
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To see more competition results, log in and go to Competitions > Competition Results or click here.
A special "Thank You" to Ralph Reed, Bud Harris, Kristina Allums, Dawn Umstot, and Bruce Benson for contributing their photos to the top header of our website pages.
Join us for our annual TPS Picnic on August 8 from 11:00am - 3:00pm!
Tacoma Photo Extravaganza with
Guest Speaker PNW native professional photographer/instructor John Greengo
was a huge success. We learned so much from John and really appreciate all the information he shared with us.
Please see all the photos from the day in Galleries and TPS January Photo Extravaganza.
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2025/2026 Competition Dates & Monthly Theme Assignments
Meetings are open to the public
You must be a club member to compete in print/projection competitions
Award-winning photos will be placed in the Home Page slideshow. For more projection information and competition rules, click here.
Submission Requirements: Print / Projection
If you are not a member of the TPS and would like to start competing in Print and Projection Competitions, join the TPS by clicking here. We hope to see your photos in our competitions and meet you at our monthly Projection and Print meetings.
THEMES - Monthly Themes are chosen to encourage people to explore outside their comfort zone by photographing something specific that is different. They stimulate your imagination, creativity, and resourcefulness. They encourage you to look around and pay more attention to something you might not notice. It takes just a little effort to look for these specific subjects, which, surprisingly, can be fun and interesting. Are you up to these monthly challenges? Take advantage of a new learning opportunity by trying something new, exploring, and having fun! You might surprise yourself by enjoying a new photography subject or style. Don't miss out on the opportunity to expand your knowledge and skills!
The Theme subject must be the dominant subject/main focal point of interest. PDF list of Themes to download
Wednesday Projection Meeting Dates
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Themes |
Thursday Print
Meeting Dates
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November 4, 2026
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Minimalism-a style of image-making that relies on extreme simplicity, a small number of elements, and heavy use of negative space to create a clean, focused, and meditative effect.
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November 19, 2026 |
| December 2, 2026 |
Large and Small-plays with forced perspective, tiny figures, or oversized objects to alter how viewers perceive size and distance. |
December 17, 2026 |
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See Table above for dates and theme
Projection Competition
Submit Photos - by 11:30 pm
Judging & Voting - Tuesday, until Saturday, 9 pm before meeting
Review Meeting - The photo review meeting will be held on ZOOM only with social time and optional critiques starting at 6:30-9 pm.
Meeting Location - ZOOM only for this meeting, otherwise our regular meeting place is at Curtis High School, 8425 40th Street, University Place, WA 98466 Google map
Directions: Turn into the small parking lot (by the reader board sign and the big rock). There are also flagpoles by the main entrance. Go to the outside door marked "Staff Development Room".
Print Competition
Submit Photos - Friday until Wednesday, - You must submit your photos online before the meeting. Please note that we do not accept walk-in print registrations on the night of the meeting.
Therefore, please make sure you have pre-registered your prints on the website with a digital JPEG in sRGB photo of your print, before the cut-off date/time.
Judge & Vote - The meeting is at 6:30 pm to 9 pm with judging, voting, photo review, and optional critiques in person.
Location - Waller Road Grange, 2708 64th Street East, Tacoma Google map
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TPS Field Trips & Other Fun Events
ALL EVENTS ARE ON THE CALENDAR. CLICK ON CALENDAR ON THE DROP DOWN MENUS ABOVE.
Additional day trip ideas that need a leader (pick a trip, pick a day, share with all TPS members): Deception Pass (in March, September), Oregon Falls, Thomasson Farm (in Spring and/or Fall), Seattle Public Library, Gas Works Park in Seattle, Rhododendron Parks (there are several) in Spring and/or Early Fall, Mt. Ranier, Pt. Defiance Japanese Garden and Roses, Connells Dahlias in Tacoma, Tacoma B&W Street Photo walk.
Email messages will be sent to all members with details through the website email system. Dates are subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances such as weather, event location closures, illnesses, etc. Members are encouraged to bring their family and friends as their guests (unless a participation limit is stated in the event details). Please share your photos on the Galleries Pages for each field trip event/location. You do not have to attend on the date the event is scheduled to post your photos. Click on the Galleries link at the top of this page.
All club members and their guests are responsible for paying parking fees, entrance fees, and State or Federal Parks pass fees for themselves. Check before you go to see if a State Discover Pass or Federal Parks Pass is required. You do not have to stay together as a group unless the event consists of a guided tour provided by the facility's staff. Please read the event details carefully to see if there are any restrictions, such as no tripods, monopods, flash attachments, handicapped accessibility limitations, strollers, pets, children, etc. Please RSVP to the contact member for all field trips.
Dont forget to add some highlights or behind the scenes fun from your outings on our new Facebook group page. We would love to see any photos for sharing, field trips, adventures, questions and comments. Take a look and join in.
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The Tacoma Photographic Society is proud to be a member of these two fine organizations:
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The TPS extends our sincere thanks to these local companies for helping make our TPS Annual Spring Fair Photo Competition a great success for us, and especially for all of the PNW photographer entrants! All photo entries are displayed at the Washington State Fairgrounds in Puyallup each April.
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Copyright © 2024 Tacoma Photographic Society - Pierce County, Washington
All photos on this website are the artistic and intellectual property of club members and are copy-protected. By law, they can't be copied, saved, reproduced, distributed, or shared in any form or for any reason without written permission from the photographer who created the photo(s). Photography is protected under the same copyright laws as fine art, books, poetry, and music.
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