Sharp Focus December 2022

CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE 

Greetings, everyone

At the beginning of November it looked as though there would be no End-of-Year dinner on the 3rd December. Even though we had tried to generate some enthusiasm about getting together the numbers stayed low. We needed 24 people to make it worthwhile for the caterer to even think about getting out a frying pan – but all we could muster was 19. Then when all seemed lost, Evelyn came to our rescue. Going to her friends at the Galley she arranged for us to have a venue no matter how many attended – and what a success it was. Even with two last minute cancellations we still had 28 members/ visitors at the dinner.

I want to thank all those who made it such a success – Evelyn for arranging the venue, Coral for the wonderful table layout and decorations, Peter for putting together the slide show, Keith for the photos, and Kim for being our judge for the evening. Also I want to thank everyone who submitted images this year as this is what the club is all about.

The programme for next year has not been finalised by the committee yet, but the themes for the first two months are:

• January – ‘S’ Curve – Photos have to be in on Monday 16th January (that’s very early so don’t get caught out), and club meets on Monday 23rd at 7:30 pm.
• February – ‘The Beach’ – Photos have to be in on Monday 21st February, and club meets on Monday 28th at 7:30 pm.
• We are planning to have an outing late afternoon/ early evening on Saturday 4th or Sunday 5th February, on Fish Hoek beach. Please diarise

I wish you all a wonderful Christmas, and a New Year filled with good health, great memories and superb photos.

Geoff

From the Editor’s desk

I’ve often wondered why people decide, perhaps early on in their lives, to develop a passion, an addiction, for art in a particular genre – why some write, some paint, some carve, and in my life in particular, why do I love photography? Especially since in a full life I’ve missed the development of electronic magic, photographs becoming art through various programmes that turn colour into black and white, dull pics into vibrant landscapes. And had to learn very quickly that “You don’t take a picture, you make a picture!”

Have any of you heard of Vivian Maier? I hadn’t until I was given a biography of her, written by Pamela Bannos, Professor of Photography at Northwestern University. Maier had a fascinating life, almost every move dictated by photography. Booklist describes it thus: Bannos portrays Maier as nothing less than a consummate, prolific, world-traveling, uncompromising and fearless artist. We hear the proof of this in the fact that in the age of film, she left in storage thousands of boxes of undeveloped film and negatives, and they stayed in their boxes until researchers interested in her life tracked them down and fought over who had the rights to purchase this treasure. Maier was a street photographer, capturing everything and anything that caught her attention, and had no money to have these negatives developed, hence the decades-long storage.

I mention Maier now because at stages through her life she was dirt poor and worked as a nanny just to stay alive and fed. But the passion for photography never left her, and if there was a choice between a photograph and some porridge, the photograph won hands down. So much like our club members …

I think now that I’ve been a club member for more than a decade I’m happy with where I am. I’ve learnt a lot from those generous members of our club who are willing to share, I’ve met lovely people, and I have some great pics to hang on a wall or to give as gifts. Like us all, I imagine, I’d sometimes like to punch a judge in the eye, but when we calm down, we recognise that what he or she has said is valid. And so on we go, having learnt yet another lesson.

For me, as I’m quite an impatient person, photography is easier than trying to draw what I see – it’s much quicker and gives as much pleasure in the final product. And on we go, the sunrise and sunsets call to us, and sooner or later those beautiful colour prints are hanging on a friend’s wall.

And so, dear comrades in photography, I wish you all a wonderful festive season, with family and love at the forefront of your days. And if you happen to click a button or two, well, who could blame you – that would be the cherry on the top. See you in January, bright eyed and bushy tailed, and don’t forget your camera and tripod!

Sincerely,

Maureen

 

IMAGES BELOW: THE WINNERS OF THIS MONTH’S  IMAGE OF THE MONTH (NOVEMBER)  CONTEST – CLICK ON IMAGES TO SEE ALL AND VIEW DETAILS

 

Winner of Theme Image of the Month

IMAGES BELOW: THE WINNERS OF THIS MONTH’S THEME IMAGE OF THE MONTH (PORTRAITS) CONTEST CLICK ON IMAGE TO EXPAND IT AND VIEW DETAILS

Evaluation of Theme Photography
Digital Entries
Title	Category	Author	Star	Score	Award	Points
An intimate moment	Theme	Didi Franklin	3	10	Gold	3
Are they getting it	Theme	Betzi Pierce	3	10	Gold	3
Arsenal supporter	Theme	Geoff Jamieson	4	10	Silver	2
Cool glasses guy	Theme	Derek Goldman	3	10	Gold	3
Dawid	Theme	Kate Graham	1	10	Gold	3
Elmar & Lucy	Theme	John Douglas	3	11	Gold	3
Linda’s child	Theme	Mike Wesson	1	10	Gold	3
Maternus melancholia	Theme	Greg Williams	1	11	COM	4
Me and my hat	Theme	Ceridwyn Jamieson	3	12	Gold	3
Next generation	Theme	Lynn Toms	3	10	Gold	3
Portrait grizzly in action	Theme	Dante Parisi	5	10	Silver	2
Tattoo portrait	Theme	Peter Brandt	MB	12	Gold	3
The age of innocence	Theme	Peter Franklin	3	10	Gold	3
Wistful gazer	Theme	Marian Shinn	1	9	Gold	3