February 2013 Gold and COM awards

Congratulations to everybody that entered photos for our February 2013 club competition.


Here is a gallery with all the COM and Gold awards that was given during the evening.


Webalbum: February 2013 COM and Gold Awards

Message from the President - 2013/01

We have decided to publish news, events, etc. on our blog, which we feel will make it much easier and quicker to get news out to you all as soon as possible. Also the news won't necessary always come from me, if you have something that you would like to publish on the blog, please send it to midrandclub@gmail.com for publishing. In this way we are all communicating with one another, which hopefully is seen as a team effort for the club.

Into February already and hopefully it has really been a good start to you all in the photographic environment and we look forward to those images coming through every month so that we can enjoy and appreciate one another's images.

We once again have had interest shown from potential members in joining our club, this is very encouraging and we look forward to welcoming these people to Midrand Camera Club. Two members from the PE area will be joining as virtual members so we will only see their images, but hopefully if they are up in this area, it will coincide with a visit to the club.

The deadline for upload of the open entries is Wednesday 13 February and for the set subject, which is "Wildlife" is Saturday 16 February. Our speaker and presenter this month is John Coumbias, APSSA, AFIAP, EPSSA. John was born in Alexandria, Egypt and is of Hellenic heritage but has resided in South Africa since 1968. John comes with a lot of photographic experience behind him having purchased his first photographic camera in 1970. John says that South Africa has given him endless photographic opportunities through its majestic beauty and richly woven landscapes. We look forward to welcoming John to our club on the 20th of February.

The beginners workshops will start again on 16 February, so please contact Ken van Wyk on 082 387 3448 to confirm your attendance and for any further information.

Our outing to the Rhino\Lion Park on 20 April is a must for a good get together and for sharing and helping one another with our photography. Please contact Ken for further information to secure your booking.

Looking forward to seeing all of you at our next meeting on the 20th of February at 19h00 at the Nikon Headquarters.

Evelyn Gibson

February 2013 Event - 20 February 2013

This is just to remind everybody of our next club event taking place on 20 February 2013 at 19:00 at the Nikon House in Midrand.

Our set subject for this month is "Wildlife".

Entries for the Open competition closes at midnight on Wednesday 13 February 2013 at midnight.

Entries for the Set Subject division closes at midnight on Saturday 16 February 2013 at midnight.

Please get those entries in early to avoid disappointment.

All entries must done through Photovault (http://www.photovaultonline.com/photovault/index.php?r=memberevententry/selecteventforclub&type=2)

Good luck.

Primary Photographers Workshop

The new primary photographers workshop will start again on 16 February 2012 at 2pm.

There is still space available for one primary photographer that wants to learn more about photography. All that is required is a camera and notebook. The workshop will run until 5pm and there is no cost involved and only require enthusiasm for our wonderful hobby.

Please contact Ken van Wyk (kp@bendet.com) if you are interest and to reserve your place.

Reminder of the Weekend Away

We just want to remind everybody of the weekend we are planning to go to the Rhino\Lion Park on the 20/21 April.

We have reserved 5 log cabins, each with 2 rooms and 2 bathrooms, braai area and Jacuzzi.

Cost will be R450 per person excluding food and drinks. We plan to braai and party on the evening of the 20th April, and be out shooting at sunrise on the 21st. It will actually include 2 full days, since we can gain entry into the Park on Saturday am, then book into our cabins at 2pm and have the full Sunday available for photography and all the other amenities (Lions, Cheetahs, Wild Dogs, Crocs, Vulture Show and Restaurant).

Please let us know on midrandclub@gmail.com if you are interested. Bookings are filling up fast, so remember to move quickly.

Hasselblad H1 Gear for Sale

One of our members, Paul Vet (paulbjvet@gmail.com) has some Hasselblad H1 gear that he is not using and that he wants to sell.

The equipment is:

• 150 mm lens (R25 000)
• 120 mm macro lens (R28 000)
• Extension tube h32 mm (R2 700)
• Extension tube h13 mm (R2 300)
• Viewfinder HV 90 (R7 000)
• Camera H1 Body with HV 90 prism (works but trigger bit sensitive) R14 000)
• Battery charger and battery grip for H1

Please contact Paul directly if you're interested in any of the items he listed.

PSSA Club Winning Picture Janaury 2013 - Update

Message from the Public Relations Officer of the PSSA 
Petro Bosman


We start our new year the same way we ended it! Once again Ettienne van Niekerk from Boksburg Camera Club is our winner! Ettienne's image "Barn Owl" was by far the favourite with our judges: Koot Marais, Francois Loubser and Evelyn Gibson.

"Barn Owl" by Ettienne van Niekerk - Boksburg Camera Club

Ettienne is no newcomer to this competition. He won in September 2012 as well as in November 2012. His September winner "Bearded Vultures" was voted "Best Club Winning Picture of the Year 2012".

Club Winning Images - 2012

We have decided to divide this competition into a Junior and Senior Category. The majority of the clubs have a senior and junior category and in the past it was usually the senior winning image that was entered. Photovault has been changed to accommodate a junior and senior winner and my spreadsheet has been altered accordingly.

Anne d'Oliveira and her Central Gauteng Region came up with a great suggestion. They asked if it will be possible that the scores that each image received can be published (in total - not per individual judge) so that each club can see how they fared. From next month on the spreadsheet will make provision for a junior and senior winner per club as well as the scores out of 45. If your club does not have a junior category it does not matter. At the end of 2013 there will be a Club Senior Winner as well as a Junior Winner.

Since the PSSA website has become 100% functional, I want to make use of it in every way. All new information and news has to go onto the website. That is why this letter and stats will also be published on the web under Galleries. The other great news is that all the January entries are already uploaded. There were 37 in total - all worthy of a place on our website! (Click here)

Website Picture of the Month (January 2013) was won by Dyan Ford from Alberton Camera Club with her image "Drip". Laetitia Kenny was the judge. The 15 entries for this competition are also under Galleries.

"Drip" by Dyan Ford - Alberton Camera Club

Go the Gallaries menu tab at the top of the PSSA homepage. Click fro the drop down menu and you will find both the Club Winning Image and the Website Winning Picture articles and all the images that were entered.

The 2 winning pictures of these two competitions are (as usual) on the home page of the PSSA website.