Message from the President | October 2013

Hi Everyone

I cannot believe it is the beginning of October already, hope you all have started your Christmas shopping and have put in that request to Santa for that special camera.

It has been a busy spell for many of us on the Committee; I guess that is why we are there as they say you should always give the jobs to the busiest people.

I attendted the PSSA Congress in St. Lucia which was as always wonderful, to listen to the presenters on varying themes, to experience photographing with like-minded people, to have "lekker kuier" and great fun with these people is something very special and talked about for many months to come. I was once again after a few years break appointed as the Regional Director for Gauteng North, this involves me communicating and visiting clubs in this region. It is a pleasure for me as I do enjoy the club environment and the people involved in the clubs and we all learn from one another in many ways. Congrats to Francois Rousseau, a member of our Committee being elected as the 1st Vice President of PSSA.

It was so wonderful on the first night when the PSSA Showcase took place to see and hear Midrand Camera Club came 1st equal to Westville in the Senior Club Section. You will see the results on the Blog and the website. In the overall results we actually came 4th. This is a great achievement for Midrand Camera Club having only been going a year and first time entry into this competition. WELL DONE SENIOR AND JUNIOR PHOTOGRAHPERS.

I would urge you all to join PSSA, it has many benefits and challenges your photography to another level. If you would like to hear more about the benefits of PSSA, please, if you can come and listen to the spot I have been asked to do at the Photo and Film Expo at the Coca Cola Dome  on Thursday, 31 October 2013 at 13:00 to promote PSSA. During next year I will also be giving fuller inputs on the various aspects of PSSA and how you go about entering salons and the competitions. Please do yourself a favour and visit the PSSA website, www.pssa.co.za where you'll find lots of information and it is updated on a daily basis, thanks to our ever efficient Melanie Loubser, the webmaster and our just as efficient PRO, Petro Bosman.

Our end of year function will take place on Wednesday 20 November during our usual club meeting and at our usual venue. Bibi is busy organising the catering with Nikon for us so you will be required to email Bibi if you and your spouse will be attending as we need to know these figues for catering purposes. Her email is bibi@eject.co.za . The EOY images, bearing in mind these were the images from July 2012 to June 2013 (our financial year), were judged by Franshoek Camera Club and the certificates will be presented at the function. An AV is already being produced which will be shown at the function just before the presenting of the prizes. Then we will pary and "kuier" and enjoy each other in a social environment. NO CLUB COMPETITION WILL BE HELD THAT EVENING, OCTOBER WILL BE OUR LAST CLUB COMPETITON FOR THIS CALENDAR YEAR.

October's presenter is Ken Van Wyk, our Vice President. His presentation is on "Movement and Motion". The closing date for the Open Categories on  Photovault is on 9 October and for the Set Subject, 12 October. The theme for this month is "Movement and/or Motion". Photovault is open and if you struggle, please contact Nico (nico.strydom@implats.co.za) or Pierre (pierre@smithphotos.co.za).

I will be in the bush for 5 days from 10 October and Nico is also going to Zimbabwe for a week on business. If you have any problems, please contact Ken on kp@bendet.com or on 0833873448. Please refrain from calling after hours or on weekends, as we all have other lives to lead other than photography.

Ken is busy setting up our set subjects for next year and we would like to ask you to send him a mail with some suggestions. PLEASE DO THIS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE do that we can get our programme together for next year and you can start shooting the subjects as you go along.

It has been a great year for Midrand Camera Club and well look forward to next year. I must ask you that if you've got contacts at schools that you know are doing photography, or you have children doing photography, the Youth Section of PSSA is growing fast and furious, you must contact Sarel Naude at sarelnaude@gmail.com as there are many exciting things in the pipeline there and Sarel, which is a member of our club, is the Director on the Board of PSSA responsible for this.

Well that is all from me at this stage, good luck with your entries for October, have fun doing them, challenge yourself to the limits, even think out of the box. I wish you all good luck.

Evelyn Gibson

3 October 2013