MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN
Greetings, everyone
On Saturday, 4th February, seven of our members met at Fish Hoek beach to try to capture the perfect ‘Beach’ photo that everyone would ‘oooh’ and ‘arrr’ over when it was shown at our next club meeting on the 27th.
I found it fascinating watching the different styles our members adopted as they went about photographing the people and animals who were running, jumping, swimming and playing on the beach and in the waves. John D had his camera mounted on a monopod and was trying some low angle shots, Jane was casually strolling up the beach taking shots here and there, Coral was talking nicely to a Muslim family before getting their agreement to a family photo, Ceridwyn was hunched over photographing a snail. To make the evening just that little bit special we were fortunate to see and photograph a ‘Moon Rise’.
Later we gathered around the yellow lighthouse that marks the start of the ‘doggy beach’ section, and enjoyed the wine and snacks that Coral had supplied. As we stood and talked, and watched the people relaxing and enjoying themselves we all agreed that it had been well worth the effort to be there. Also as we stood there one person was deeply missed, and that was Betzi. We know she loves the beach and understood why she wasn’t there. Betzi our thoughts and prayers are with you at your loss.
But that wasn’t all. Then those that were able met on Saturday, 18th to have more wine and snacks and look at a selection of our images and choose what we thought were the best. Each person present had to choose what they thought were the best three. The result will be given out at our meeting on the 27th.
One other bit of news is that our dear editor of the “Sharp Focus’, Maureen, has had to step down from producing the magazine for a few months, due to health issues. Maureen we all wish you a speedy recovery. The good news is that Peter has stepped in and is acting editor – thanks Peter.
Geoff
From the Editor’s desk
Hi, all – apologies for the lateness of this edition; I have had to stand in for Marian whose monitor has deserted her, and Maureen who has to step back for a while, and have myself been swamped.
The themes for the year have been updated on the themes page, and I will be inserting the outings and workshops as well, as soon as I have them from Betzi or Geoff (some heavy hinting here). Please let me know if I have gotten any of the dates wrong!
In other news related to the newsletter, I will return to my tradition of several years back of giving an interpretation, or description, of what is required for the upcoming theme. It is too late to do so for February’s theme, but fortunately this one is pretty literal – looking forward to seeing your beach photos 🙂
Cheers
Peter
Winners of Image of the Month (October 2022)
Evaluation of Digital Photography |
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Digital Entries |
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| Title | Category | Author | Star | Score | Award | Points |
| A Winters Walk | Landscape | Lynn Toms | 3 | 10 | Gold | 3 |
| Another miss | wildlife | Peter Franklin | 3 | 12 | Gold | 3 |
| Beached on pebbles | open | marielouise cardwell | 2 | 12 | COM | 4 |
| Bluebell carpet | open | marielouise cardwell | 2 | 10 | Gold | 3 |
| Cat contemplation | wildlife | Lorne Sulcas | 4 | 11 | Gold | 3 |
| Coffee corner | Digital | Mike Wesson | 3 | 9 | Silver | 2 |
| Crater in the crater | Landscape | Jane Bursey | 3 | 9 | Silver | 2 |
| Decoy | Wildlife | Didi Franklin | 3 | 10 | Gold | 3 |
| Dewdrops | Open | Lynn Toms | 3 | 10 | Gold | 3 |
| False Everlasting | Nature | Derek Goldman | 4 | 10 | Silver | 2 |
| flowers | portrait | Peter Brandt | MB | 10 | Bronze | 1 |
| Focused flight | Wildlife | Derek Goldman | 4 | 11 | Gold | 3 |
| Halong Bay boats | Landscape | Marian Shinn | 1 | 11 | COM | 4 |
| Leopard and Kill | Nature | Johan Kloppers | MB | 13 | COM | 4 |
| Malachite Sunbird | Nature | Johan Kloppers | MB | 13 | COM | 4 |
| Moving at pace | Wildlife | Peter Franklin | 3 | 11 | Gold | 3 |
| Nature reclaiming | Open | Didi Franklin | 3 | 13 | COM | 4 |
| on the lookout | wildlife | Lorne Sulcas | 4 | 12 | Gold | 3 |
| Saigon River bridge | Scapes | Marian Shinn | 1 | 9 | Gold | 3 |
| Ships in the desert | Open | Jane Bursey | 3 | 10 | Gold | 3 |
| stupa | travel | Peter Brandt | MB | 11 | Silver | 2 |
| Travellator | Digital | Mike Wesson | 3 | 11 | Gold | 3 |
Winners of Theme Image of the Month – Cityscapes (October 2022)
Evaluation of Theme Photography |
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Digital Entries |
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| Title | Category | Author | Star | Score | Award | Points |
| Chicago cityscape | Theme | Lorne Sulcas | 4 | 10 | Silver | 2 |
| City of sand | Theme | Greg williams | 1 | 10 | Gold | 3 |
| Cityscape at dusk | Theme | Dante Parisi | 5 | 9 | Bronze | #REF! |
| Die Strand | Theme | Derek Goldman | 3 | 11 | Gold | 3 |
| Downtown Cape Town | Theme | Coral Surteess | 4 | 8 | Bronze | 1 |
| Dublin modern | Theme | John Douglas | 3 | 10 | Gold | 3 |
| Foggy London town | Theme | Didi Franklin | 3 | 12 | Gold | 3 |
| Hua Lamphong by night | Theme | Peter Brandt | MB | 12 | Gold | 3 |
| Melbourne along the Yarra River | Theme | Malcolm Watson | 1 | 11 | COM | 4 |
| Prague Street | Theme | Marian Shinn | 1 | 9 | Gold | 3 |
| Surreal CT | Theme | Mike Wesson | 1 | 6 | Silver | 2 |
| The bridge into the city | Theme | Peter Franklin | 3 | 9 | Silver | 2 |
Evaluation of Theme Photography |
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Digital Entries |
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| Title | Category | Author | Star | Score | Award | Points |
| A Sinuous Plume | Theme | Lynn Toms | 4 | 9 | Silver | 2 |
| Descent to Plaine des Sables | Theme | Jane Bursey | 3 | 9 | Silver | 2 |
| Double S | Theme | Didi Franklin | 3 | 10 | Gold | 3 |
| meander | Theme | Peter Brandt | MB | 10 | Bronze | 1 |
| Natural grace | Theme | marielouise cardwell | 2 | 10 | Gold | 3 |
| Nature’s subtle constructs | Theme | Peter Franklin | 3 | 11 | Gold | 3 |
| S Bend | Theme | Derek Goldman | 4 | 11 | Gold | 3 |
| S_trunk | Theme | Lorne Sulcas | 4 | 9 | Silver | 2 |
| Sweeping surf | Theme | Marian Shinn | 1 | 10 | Gold | 3 |
