From the Chair
Dear Members, Photographic Friends,
As we gather in the heart of winter following our June meeting, I am reminded once again of the warmth, creativity, and enthusiasm that make our club such a special community. Despite the chilly weather outside, our members certainly brought plenty of light and inspiration to the evening through their beautiful image submissions.
This month’s theme, “Bridges,” proved to be more challenging than many of us anticipated. In our search for suitable subjects, we quickly discovered that impressive bridges are not exactly abundant in the Western Cape! Many of us became focused on finding and recording a bridge as an object, rather than exploring the artistic possibilities that the theme presented.
Yet that is precisely the value of our monthly themes. They encourage us to step outside our usual photographic habits, view familiar subjects differently, and stretch our creative muscles. Even when the results are not quite what we initially envisioned, the learning journey is invaluable. Reviewing the images together highlighted just how much we can learn from both our successes and our challenges.
With that in mind, I would like to encourage every member to participate in the monthly theme category whenever possible. These challenges often take us well beyond our comfort zones and into genres or techniques we might never otherwise attempt. The result is growth, discovery, and often a great deal of fun along the way.
Congratulations are due to Lynn Toms on her well-deserved progression from 3-Star to 4-Star status. At our meeting, we also agreed to adjust our club schedule by starting meetings 30 minutes earlier. This change will particularly benefit those members who are often out at sparrow’s light capturing the best photographic opportunities. We hope the revised timing will make our evenings more relaxed and enjoyable for everyone.
Finally, our thoughts are with two members of our club family who have recently experienced personal loss. We extend our deepest condolences to Jane Bursey on the passing of her husband, and to Maureen Miller on the loss of a beloved family member. Please know that you remain in our thoughts during this difficult time. We hope that the support and friendship of the photographic community may bring some comfort in the days ahead.
As always, thank you to everyone who contributes to making our club vibrant, welcoming, and inspiring. May the coming month bring good light, fresh ideas, and plenty of photographic adventures.
Happy shooting!
Betzi Pierce
Chairperson
Fish Hoek Photographic Society
Warm regards,
Betzi
July Theme – Environmental Portraiture – Submit by 20th July
An environmental portrait is more than simply a photograph of a person. It is a portrait that places the subject within a setting that tells us something about who they are, what they do, or what matters to them. The environment becomes part of the story.
Rather than filling the frame only with the person, consider including elements that provide context and meaning.
Examples:
• A fisherman mending nets on the harbour wall.
• A baker surrounded by trays of freshly baked bread.
• An artist working in a studio filled with paints and canvases.
• A gardener among blooming flowers.
• A musician seated among instruments in a rehearsal space.
• A grandparent reading to a grandchild in a favourite corner of the home.
Tips:
• Think about the story you want to tell before taking the photograph.
• Include details in the background that support the narrative.
• Use light to draw attention to both the subject and their surroundings.
• Keep the environment relevant – every element in the frame should contribute to the story.
• Engage with your subject and capture them naturally within their space.
The goal is to create a portrait that answers the question: “Who is this person, and what is their story?”
I think the bridge theme actually provides a wonderful lesson for members: photography is not always about finding the perfect subject – it is often about finding a fresh way to see an ordinary subject. That ties beautifully into environmental portraiture, where the challenge is not simply photographing a person, but telling a story about them through the world around them.
Colour or Mono, manipulation allowed. pssa
Club Outing 5th July – Kalk Bay
Kalk Bay Photo Walk with Emile Grundling – Sunday, 5 July 2026 (07:30 – 09:30)
We are delighted to announce that Emile Grundling has very kindly agreed to lead our upcoming photo walk.
Many of you will already be familiar with Emile’s beautiful and inspiring photography through social media. This is a wonderful opportunity to spend a morning shooting alongside him, learning from his experience, and picking up valuable tips and techniques.
To make the most of the magical golden hour, we will meet at the Kalk Bay Harbour parking area at 07:20 on Sunday, 5 July.
This outing offers something for everyone:
🌅 Stunning sunrise and seascape photography
📷 Environmental portraits (July theme)
🚶 Street photography (September theme)
🎨 Creative inspiration and practical guidance from Emile
Whether you’re an experienced photographer or just starting your photographic journey, come along, enjoy a morning with fellow members, and challenge yourself to see familiar scenes through fresh eyes.
Bring your camera and tripod, your enthusiasm, and your sense of adventure. Kalk Bay is always full of colour, character, stories, and photographic opportunities- and with Emile leading the way, this promises to be a memorable outing.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Salons
New Book Released – How to win at Salons – IF ONLY!
Salons must be the most frustrating part of growing as a photographer. Having people who don’t appreciate how great you are, how much you’ve progressed, and how difficult it was to get the shot, etc, etc. Remember, its subjective. But it is a part of a recognised world wide process so persevere and earn those medals.
New to Salons? please ask on the chat group if you are want to take those first steps and need a helping hand to join PhotoVault (no charge!) or have the process explained.
June Results
Special thanks to Peter F and Betzi for collating, interpreting and delivering the judging panels decisions in a succinct and kindly manner. Direction from the judges is always welcome as we try and improve our images.
You can view all the submissions by going to Flickr – just click here
Evaluation of Digital Images – June 2026
Winning Images
Please click on images to enlarge.
Evaluation of Theme Images – June 2026
(Theme: Bridges)
Winning Image
Please click on images to enlarge.
