Part of the Royal Photographic Society. Nothing like the Royal Photographic Society. A community that lives on your phone, runs at your hours, and gives you real access to mentors, peers, and learning — from the day you join.
Feedback & Critique ·Skills Development ·Portfolio Building ·Career Pathways ·Community Events ·Project Showcase ·Mentorship Network ·Feedback & Critique ·Skills Development ·Portfolio Building ·Career Pathways ·Community Events ·Project Showcase ·Mentorship Network ·
87k
Photography graduates per year in the UK
6
Dedicated community zones
153+
Years of RPS expertise behind you
Free
To join as an emerging photographer
Getting started
Three steps. One community.
01
Join free
Create your profile in under two minutes. Choose your audience tier — student, graduate, or independent learner — and unlock your zones.
02
Post your work
Share a project in progress, ask a technique question, or drop into the Feedback zone. Your first response usually comes within 24 hours.
03
Build your practice
Connect with a mentor, join a live critique session, track your progression. The community grows with you — semester to career.
What is EPN
Your photography. Your community.
Most photographers leave education and lose the community that made them grow. EPN fixes that. A structured online space where your work gets seen, your questions get answered, and your practice keeps moving forward — backed by the Royal Photographic Society.
HE StudentsRecent GraduatesIndependent Learners
Mentor matching
Paired with an RPS fellow or working professional based on your practice.
Async feedback
Post work any time. Critiques on your schedule, not a seminar slot.
Opportunities board
Jobs, grants and open calls curated for emerging photographers.
RPS recognition
Digital badge on join. Clear pathway toward Licentiateship and beyond.
Live sessions
Monthly critique evenings and workshops with working photographers.
Mobile first
Designed for your phone. Works in any browser, no download needed.
Community zones
Six spaces. One network.
Each zone is purpose-built. Drop into the ones that match where you are right now.
01
Welcome & Hub
Introductions, orientation, and the pulse of what’s happening across the community right now.
All members
02
Feedback & Critique
Structured peer critique and mentor feedback on your work. Post a project, get honest responses.
Core practice
03
Skills Lab
Workshops, tutorials, technique threads. From camera craft to post-production to business.
Learning
04
Portfolio & Projects
Long-form work in progress. Share a body of work and document the journey from concept to completion.
Showcase
05
Career & Opportunities
Jobs, commissions, grants, calls for entry. The practical side of making photography a career.
Professional
06
Events & Meetups
Online sessions, in-person gatherings, RPS events. Where the digital community meets the physical world.
Community
“Photography education ends. The need for a community doesn’t.”
The case for EPN — Royal Photographic Society, 2026
Membership
Start free. Grow with us.
No barriers. Join as an emerging photographer and unlock the full community from day one.
Starter
Explorer
For anyone finding their footing with photography and the community.
EPN is an initiative of the Royal Photographic Society, the world’s oldest photographic society. Over 150 years of expertise, brought into your pocket.
Bring your work.
The community is open. Your next step starts here.
No. The EPN is designed to be your entry point into the RPS world. You can join as an Explorer for free or as an Emerging Photographer for £35/year — full RPS membership is optional and available when you’re ready to take that step.
Absolutely. One of the three audience tiers is specifically for Independent Learners — self-taught photographers and career-changers building their practice outside of formal education. You belong here too.
Mentor matching is available on the Emerging Photographer and full RPS Member tiers. You’ll complete a short interest survey when you join, and we’ll suggest matches from our network of working photographers and RPS fellows. Sessions happen online, on your schedule.
Yes — you can move between tiers at any time. If you upgrade mid-year, we pro-rate the difference. There’s no lock-in and no penalty for staying on the free Explorer tier for as long as you need.