Sharp Focus February 2026

From the Chair

Can you believe we are already at the end of the second month of the year? The calendar may be sprinting ahead, but so is our club – and what an exciting year we have mapped out together.

We have six outings and six workshops scheduled, thoughtfully aligned with upcoming themes to give you practical opportunities to learn, experiment, and stretch your creative wings. Whether you’re chasing golden light on location or fine-tuning your post-processing skills, each activity is designed to support your photographic journey and steady development behind (and sometimes far beyond!) the lens.

An important part of that development is submitting your images for judging under the guidance of Photographic Society of South Africa (PSSA) standards. Judging is not about numbers on a scoreboard; it is about growth. A score provides a benchmark, while constructive feedback offers direction. Together, they form a roadmap for progression – helping you see not only what works beautifully in your image, but also what small refinements could elevate it further.

Every image entered is a step forward. Every comment received is an opportunity. Over time, those incremental steps translate into visible improvement – in technique, in storytelling, and in personal style. That is the real purpose of judging: progression, confidence, and the pursuit of excellence.

For those who feel inspired to deepen their understanding of the judging process itself, I’m delighted to share that the JAP (Judges Accreditation Programme) course will open for admissions in July 2026. If you have ever wondered what happens on the other side of the scoring table, this is your opportunity to develop your judging skills and contribute even more meaningfully to our photographic community.

And while you are opening diaries, please mark 4–6 September for the Western Cape Photographic Forum Mini Congress, taking place in the beautiful town of Tulbagh. The programme promises several workshops focused on landscape photography, an interclub competition to spark friendly rivalry, and – just as importantly – plenty of time to socialise, connect, and network with fellow photographers from across the region. These gatherings are energising, educational, and always great fun.

In short: keep shooting, keep entering, keep learning. Growth happens when we participate fully – and this year offers ample opportunity to do exactly that.

Warm regards,

Betzi

Photo Walks

Our walks are normally prompted by suggestions from members – so keep your Strictly Photographic lines of communication open.

March Theme – Transport – submission date 16th March

March – Transport – Open – (colour or mono) – manipulation allowed.
Showcase transportation in any of its forms.

There is an outing scheduled for the 7th March to the Wijnland Auto Museum. This is an amazing place to explore with everything from pristine classic cars to wrecks. Primarily servicing the film industry “The museum’s exhibits provide a stunning backdrop for photography enthusiasts, with their intricate details old and new cars adding depth to every shot.”

Notification of an associated outing will be posted on our WhatsApp group and Full details on each months topic can be found at https://fishhoekphotoclub.co.za/themes-and-outings

Use your Theme outing to expand your library

When shooting for your monthly topic, or going on one of the Photo Walks, look for opportunities to create other images for an upcoming theme. We are often told to think about the image we want to create before picking up the camera. So its important to consider all the opportunities.

For example – on 8th March the City of Cape Town Cycle race provides multiple opportunities to capture images for Sport, Transport, Street, and pictures of those tortured and triumphant faces would surely add to your portrait portfolio? So plan where you want to be to get the best light, interesting perspective and creative portrait.

Grow our Club through Social Media

Please ask interested friends, family and work buddies to follow our club on Facebook, Instagram and Flicker as a way of getting interested photographers who may join us and add to the clubs skill set (we need educationalists and organisers as well as talented photographers).
You can even invite them to attend any of our club meetings for the tiny fee of R30 – which gives them the right to vote, Plus coffee and treats!

Upcoming Salons

There are 5 salons with a March deadline including the 10TH PSSA NATIONAL SALON with 2 interesting categories;
OUR COUNTRY – Manipulation is allowed – Colour
VISUAL ART – Manipulation is allowed – Colour

The full list of PSSA Salons, entry criteria and the winning images can be found at https://pssa.co.za/category/salons/calendar-results-for-year-ending-june-2026/