The society was founded in Autumn 1908 and in March 1909 held its first annual exhibition. By 1913 they engaged with Beeston school children & included their work in the exhibition.
There were ten talks/demonstrations a year in the Station Road Schools and magic lantern slides were shown. They also organised outings.
Frederick Bates was lanternist for many years and F.W Poyser (Westminster Bank manager) was treasurer. T.J Clarke was chairman.
” The Ruined Cities of Belgium” was the first meeting of the winter session, 1915. Slides showed “the ruthlessness of the German havoc in Belgium”. Colour slides were first shown in December 1915. 
Proposals to reform the society were put to a meeting 13 Jan 1921 as the new Assembly Rooms on Chilwell Road had a dark room. An amalgamated meeting of Ericsson’s Photographic Club and the Beeston Photographic and Art Club was held, and they merged. Mr. W. H. Longmire was elected chairman.
The first exhibition by the members of the amalgamated club had over 100 pictures. The subject being “child study.” Mr. H. V. Hancock won first prize for a clever head and shoulder study of his daughter, the lighting effect being especially good. Members had a photographic trip to Barton on 4 June 1921.
In January 1923 150 exhibits of artwork, slides and photographs was in Church Street Schools. Scholars’ artwork was to be exhibited later, due to lack of space. In April 1925 the annual exhibition held in Nether Street Schools.