Before you joined us
There is so much on this website it can be difficult to know where to begin. Some of it is obvious; you will have explored the main top level menu items to find out who we are, where we meet and how to join. Hopefully you will have also explored our galleries of images, exhibitions and posts.
Once you have joined OPS
Once you have joined, it’s quite easy to just forget about the website, except for looking at the “What’s On” page to find out what we are doing each week, but there is a vast amount of information on the site (and linked from it) and I want to just draw your attention to some of the useful stuff in here, but first, you’ll need information about logging in !
Logging In
You can’t log in if you are not a member. Once you are a member, you will be given login details for two separate areas and this is what can seem confusing at first.
- WEBSITE LOGIN
You will be given a login name and password to access your membership area (Dashboard), specific to you, which will magically make extra items appear on the “Members” link on the website menu bar, just below the coat of arms.
Your login name will be unique to you. Be sure to keep your login name somewhere safe, as members do forget (even the webmaster!). You will also be given a password, which you can change later.
Log in to the website using the Login link on the right side just under the header image to access your “Dashboard”, where you can pay your subs, access Special Interest Groups, contact Council members, change your password etc.
If you forget your website login name, we can help you retrieve it.
NB: Your login name is not your email address. - PORTAL LOGIN
You will be given a second set of login name and password to access the competition upload portal. This portal is used regularly to upload images for various types of meeting, including competitions and appraisals, so please accustom yourself to using it. The portal is not actually on the website, but is an area hosted separately, and so we can’t guarantee you the same login name for both, though you can change your passwords to match.
An article about how to use the Competition portal, with FAQs is found at this link, where you will also find a link to the competition rules.
If you forget your portal login name, we can help you retrieve it.
Please keep the login details safe for the two areas and do not share them with anyone.
Member’s Link – the Sub-menus
Remember that not all the items on the members link (main menu) are visible until you log in to the website. Once you are logged in, this area expands to look like this, with all the links to what you need to access as a member.:
My Dashboard
My Dashboard – takes you into your own membership pages.
If you click the link called “Upload Images to Competition Portal“… it will take you to the login for the Portal. But if you just hover over it, a sub-menu will appear with access to pages of information about the competitions and their rules. You can go through these areas at your own speed.
The other membership links are self-explanatory.
Constitution and Policy Documents
Please read the OPS Constitution and Policy Documents which are there to help us all to enjoy the society and interact safely with others.
Infobank
This area contains many useful documents, and below are just a few.
Links to external websites
We have included lots of links to help you with technique, from using Lightroom, Photoshop, Gimp etc to compositing, making Audio Visuals, Timelapse and so-on…a vast amount of knowledge at your fingertips.
L&CPU and PAGB – What are they?
We are a member society of the Lancashire and Cheshire Photographic Union (L&CPU), which is one of the Federations of the UK. In turn the federations are members of the Photographic Alliance of Great Britain (PAGB). Read about them here.
Salons and Distinctions
Want to enter higher level competitions or achieve letter after your name. Explore this area.
Lots More
There’s much more on this website than most members find. We’ll be adding more links from time to time, so please keep coming back.
Thanks for reading and happy surfing.
Christine