Sharp Focus November 2021

Message from the chairman

This year Ceridwyn and I have had the pleasure of attending the JAP course, its official title is the Western Cape Judging Accreditation Programme. It is superbly run by Nicol and Trudi du Toit and Lynn Kruger-Haye. Every month we study a different genre in photography (that by the way is where Ceridwyn and Coral came up with the Themes for 2022), and we have different top photographers speak to us about their chosen genre. I would urge anyone who wishes to learn more about photography, and possibly improve their photography, to attend the course.

An important point that has risen time and time again during periods of discussion is that when we judge a photograph at our club meetings, the emphasis should always be on learning. Learning what makes a good photograph, and learning what could improve it. It is also the place where we should be learning how to improve our own photography, especially through workshops, and to some degree outings, from the more experienced photographers in the club.

Let me give you an illustration of what I mean. On the 18^th October, when Peter held his workshop, Ceridwyn and I couldn’t watch as we were with family in Johannesburg. But we wanted to watch the recording of it before his workshop on Black and White/Monochrome on the 29^th November. During his workshop Peter was asked ‘How do you get rid of halos?’ Peter then went on to show us that by using the ‘Clone Tool’ it was so easy. He quickly and expertly cleared a whole line of halos in a matter of seconds. I want you to know that I have spent hours upon hours removing halos pixel by ‘blooming’ pixel for the past six years. Life is now so much easier.

I am hoping that during 2022 our ‘Learning’ will grow in leaps and bounds.

Year-end dinner and awards ceremony

You could tell it was our first face to face get-together for nearly two years by the noise that was generated. The smiles and enthusiasm as people greeted each other – and later congratulated each other – was very special. We walked into a room that was beautifully decorated by Coral (and her helper Nixon), with the certificates and trophies all ready to be handed out. Evelyn, who had arranged the venue and menu, made sure that everything ran smoothly far as our meal was concerned. As soon as I saw how mouth-watering the ‘Seafood Trio’ looked I knew I had made the wrong choice in choosing the chicken.

Congratulations to all those who won trophies and certificates this year – they were well deserved. I think a comment by our visiting judge, Melanie Cornelius, hit the mark when she said that for such a small club our standard of photography was extremely high. This was borne out by the fact that our club came fourth in this year’s Interclub. Melanie, in speaking to her choice of ‘Image of the Year’ awards, was full of praise for the quality of the top three images.

A big thank you to Peter for setting up the slide show, and Keith and Evelyn for taking the photos, and to you all for making the evening so enjoyable.

Geoff

 

From your editor

Given the howling south easters we have had to contend with over the last few weeks, I thought I’d post this just to show you that they’ve always happened and will always happen. Nothing photographic, just for a smile.

Of South Easters and Bluebottles

(First published in www.fullstopediting.co.za/blog)

This morning I woke up miserable. No reason, no problems, just plain mis, with a 65 k south easter blowing outside my window that told me I couldn’t go for my morning beach walk. Sulk, sulk.

But I forced myself down to the beach in the howling gale. The only one there, the only one stupid enough to be there, I took off my sandals and blew along barefoot over a carpet of bluebottles almost an inch thick, trying to avoid their trails. Mutter, mutter. Until halfway down, ahead of me I noticed another person on the beach – a frail looking little lady, probably around 80 or so, bent against the wind and proceeding down the damp sand in the most intriguing way – step, step, jump onto one foot and stagger a bit. Step, step, jump – and after each jump it took a while for her to recover an upright position. Step, step, jump …

Light dawned – she was jumping on bluebottles and laughing as they exploded. As I drew up next to her, her grin said it all: “Fun, isn’t it? You should try it!” So I did – and the two of us proceeded down the beach step, step hop, step step hop, laughing our heads off together and separately!

She taught me something, that little old dear. And I blew home feeling a million dollars!

 

Prize-giving

After two very long years of Zoom meetings and almost no human contact, the dinner and awards presentation at the Galley Restaurant last Saturday, organised and decorated by Evelyn and Coral, was an event to remember! Aside from the food, comradeship, laughter and teasing, the awards presented to recipients drew loud applause for each one, and the winners deserve hearty congratulations from us all.  Here’s wishing you all a wonderful, healthy, restful festive season with family and smiles all round, and may 2022 be an even better one for us all.

The awardwinners are:

Grimes trophy (most progress in a 1 star): John Engle
Waite trophy (most progress in a 2 star): Peter Franklin
Surtees trophy (most progress in a 3 star): Derek Goldman

C.O.M. trophy (most photographic progress): Peter Brandt

PSSA cup (dedication to club): Peter Brandt

Top scoring image at interclub: Les Crookes, “Floating on ice”

Eric Barnes trophy (most digital theme points):
1st place: Peter Brandt
2nd place: Derek Goldman
3rd place: Dante Parisi

Johan Kloppers trophy (most digital points):
1st place: Dante Parisi
2nd place: Lorne Sulcas
3rd place: Peter Brandt

Image of the year contest, judged by Melanie Bentley Cornelius:
1st place: Dante Parisi, “You are not welcome”
2nd place: Peter Franklin, “Ambushed”
3rd – Derek Goldman, “Bolt”

 

 

Winners of Image of the Month

EVALUATION OF THEME PHOTOGRAPHY NOVEMBER 2021
Title	Category	Author	Star	Score	Award	Points
All in a row	Theme	Geoff Jamieson	4	9	Silver	2
Arum	Theme	Maureen Miller	3	11	Gold	3
Autumn fall	Theme	Lynn Toms	3	12	Gold	3
Fiscal flycatcher	Theme	Betzi Pierce	3	9	Silver	2
Help, I need a dentist.	Theme	Didi Franklin	3	9	Silver	2
Lyrical	Theme	Peter Brandt	MB	12	Gold	3
On Point	Theme	Derek Goldman	3	11	Gold	3
Pine cone	Theme	Ceridwyn Jamieson	3	8	Silver	2
Portrait of a fowl	Theme	Peter Franklin	3	12	Gold	3
Seriously Spotted	Theme	Dante Parisi	4		#N/A	#N/A
Simple stretch	Theme	Lorne Sulcas	4	11	Gold	3
Simply espresso	Theme	John Engle	2	9	Gold	3
Untitled	Theme	Jane Bursey	3	11	Gold	3

 

Salons

Salon dates for the following year are available from the PSSA website under the tab Salon Calendar and Results for the Year Ending June 2022, or from www.photovaultonline.com

All the brochures containing details are available on both the PSSA and Photovault websites.

Themes and Outings

Click here to view our themes and outings for 2021.

Formats and sizes of photo submissions, and naming conventions

Click here to find see the specifications for digital and print submissions.

Our committee

Click here to view our 2022 committee or to get hold of them.