curating and writing about photography, as well as those with a general interest in the medium. Many of the great names in photographic history as well as many well-known photographers today have been members. Special interest groups The Society established special interest groups to cater for specific interests within the membership. These have included: Pictorial Group (now renamed Visual Art Group) (1919) Science and Technical Group (now renamed Imaging Science Group) (1920) Kinematograph Group (1923) Colour Group (1927) Historical Group (1972) Digital Imaging Group (1996) Documentary Group (date) Contemporary Group (date) Landscape Group (date) Analogue Group (date) Women in Photography Group (date) As of 2016 there are fourteen groups Distinctions and qualifications Until 1895 membership was limited simply to 'members' with some minor variations for those living overseas, In that year the Society introduced a new membership category of Fellow and it now offers (from lowest to highest distinction): LRPS: Licentiateship of the Royal Photographic Society introduced in 1972 ARPS: Associateship of the Royal Photographic Society introduced in 1924 FRPS: Fellowship of the Royal Photographic Society introduced in 1895 These require the submission of evidence – photographs or written – which is assessed by competent panels before they are awarded by the Society's Council. The society also awards honorary fellowship, HonFRPS, to the persons who distinguished themselves in the field of photography. Usually, those awarded are famous and extremely known photographers in the field of art photography. Every year, no more than eight persons are awarded HonFRPS, including society incoming president and recipients of society's Progress and Centenary Medals. In addition, the Society's Imaging Scientist Qualifications provide a structure leading to professional qualifications for engineers, scientists, and technologists whose professional activities are concerned with quantitative or mechanic aspects of imaging systems or their applications. These are broken down into four levels; QIS; Qualified Imaging Scientist and Licentiate (QIS LRPS) of the Royal Photographic Society (Level 1) GIS; Graduate Imaging Scientist and Associate (GIS ARPS) of the Royal Photographic Society (Level 2) AIS; Accredited Imaging Scientist and Associate (AIS ARPS) of the Royal Photographic Society (Level 3) ASIS; Accredited Senior Imaging Scientist and Fellow (ASIS FRPS) of the Royal Photographic Society (Level 4) The RPS introduced in 2013 a qualification for those working in the Creative Industries and using photography. These also carry the Society's Distinction and, like the Imaging Science Qualification, the two are used together. QCIQ; Qualified in Creative