FOCUS CERPS WINNERS 2018 AND 2019
Edenvale Photographic Club - NEWSLETTER Sharing Visual Art since 1950
February 2020
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ABOUT THIS COVER IMAGE “This photo is probably one of my favorite portraits from India. It was taken in 2017 walking through Udaipur in the Province of Rajasthan and came across this hardworking tailor who didn’t even look up when I photographed him.” Stephen Kangisser
Cover Image by Stephen Kangisser
CONTRIBUTE TO FUTURE ISSUES ANY MEMBER CAN SUBMIT MATERIAL FOR CONSIDERATION IN FUTURE PUBLICATIONS PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT IMAGES HAVE A MINIMUM RESOLUTION OF 1080 x 1925 pixel. Of course, we also have to adhere to the regulations for data protection and the rights of use according to the copyright law, therefore, we ask you to supply a declaration of consent of the person or website that you extracted your submission form. Please use the following email address to send contributions and consent letters hanlis54@gmail.com Proof reading of this magazine Kindly done by Heidi Broschk
EDENVALE PHOTOGRAPHIC CLUB IS A PROUD MEMBER OF THE PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY OF SOUTH AFRICA
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DEAR MEMBERS Yet another year for EPC and this is going to be a bumper year. Welcome back everyone. Although we have had a few meetings this year already, this is the first newsletter. I hope you all had an amazing break and are totally rested and recovered for the new year. We kicked off this year with a revised scoring system. Not only will this will bring us into line with salon scoring but will also improve and simplify promotion scoring. Once everything is in place, PhotoVault will be the score keeper. The added advantage is that you can check your scores for any image in PhotoVault at any time. This includes club scores as well as salon scores. I would like to thank you all for assisting us in this process and a big thank you to Jorge for the many hours you have dedicated into getting this sorted. Entries are now only via PhotoVault and this has reduced the admin of preparing the laptop for club evenings substantially. Images are also now correctly named and sized in dimensions as well as KB, without exception We are also hosting our 5th Salon this year and it is our 70th Anniversary. Yes, EPC has been running since 1950, so a major achievement and one to be proud of. There is a medal for the highest scoring EPC member in each category as well a ribbon for the best author in each club and a special yellow ribbon for the best overall author.
Chairman: David Wolstencroft 083 229 8066 davewol@gmail.com
Support from EPC members for our previous salon was outstanding. Let’s exceed all expectations with this salon. Robbie will be holding an image resizing and preparation for PhotoVault workshop shortly which will help all those who would like assistance and guidance in entering salons as well as image preparation in general. To go hand in hand with this, we are also hosting the CERPS congress this year, which will take place on 31 October 2020. This congress is held every year, hosted by a different East Rand club. It is an event to diarise. There are guest speakers, presentations, photographic opportunities and networking with fellow photographers. This year, we plan on making CERPS a bumper event and planning is already underway. If anyone would like to assist, we are forming a sub-committee for CERPS, so please contact Hanli should you be interested in helping with this event. We are in a transition phase in some areas, such as scoring, and there are bound to be issues. I would like to ask every member to please bear with us and to come forward with any ideas, complaints or suggestions on making this as best and as smooth as possible. Everything is for the betterment of EPC and its members, so let’s work together to achieve our vision and make the EPC the best it can be. Dave
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Committee Members Chairman:
MEETING TIME AND PLACE 2ND AND 4TH WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH AT 18H30 FOR 19H00 EDENVALE COMMUNITY CENTRE COR. VAN RIEBEECK & 2ND STREET, EDENVALE
David Wolstencroft 083 229 8066 davewol@gmail.com
Salons, Judges and Outings: John Coumbias 079 1732 825 jcoumbias@telkomsa.net
Marketing and Secretary: Natasha Bird 082 920 8898 mnktrad@mweb.co.za
Newsletter Editor & Graphic Design: Hanli Smit 083 253 1034 hanlis54@gmail.com
Treasurer: Ted Kinsman 083 461 2350 tkinsman@global.co.za
Certificates & Awards Des Alexander 083 226 1452 neoncomp@webmail. co.za
New Members, Social Media & Website Clare Appleyard 083 234 0247 clare.appleyard@gmail.com
Scoring & Promotions:
Training:
Jorge Borralho 082 337 9575
Robbie Aspeling 082 309 7470 rob@raphoto.co.za
Jorge.borralho@vodamail.co.za
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IN THIS ISSUE HENRY PEACH ROBINSON Early examples of photomontage during film days Page 6
January Winners Page 18
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ETHICS OF STREET PHOTOGRAPHY Page 32
February Winners Page 23
MEMBER FOCUS Bianca Holburn Page 28
VISITING JUDGE Page 38
Trip down memory lane 70th Anniversary year Page 12
Mario Bracco...our very own Past Master Page 12 MEMBER PRESENTATION Page 30
NEXT SET SUBJECT Parallels & Lines Page 40
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06 / FEBRUARY 2020 PAST MASTERS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Henry Peach
Robinson Henry Peach Robinson (9 July 1830, Ludlow, Shropshire – 21 February 1901, from(Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent) was an English pictorialist photographer best known for his pioneering combination printing - joining multiple negatives or prints to form a single image; an early example of photomontage. He joined vigorously in contemporary debates in the photographic press and associations about the legitimacy of ‘art photography’ and in particular the combining of separate images into one. Robinson was the oldest of four children of John Robinson, a Ludlow schoolmaster, and his wife Eliza. He was educated at Horatio Russell’s academy in Ludlow until he was thirteen, when he took a year’s drawing tuition with Richard Penwarne before being apprenticed to a Ludlow bookseller and printer, Richard Jones. While continuing to study art, his initial career was in bookselling, in 1850 working for the Bromsgrove bookseller Benjamin Maund, then in 1851 for the London-based Whittaker & Co. In 1852 he exhibited an oil painting, On the Teme Near Ludlow, at the Royal Academy.That same year he began taking photographs, and five years later, following a meeting with the photographer Hugh Welch Diamond, decided to devote himself to that medium, in 1855 opening a studio in Leamington Spa, selling portraits.
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07 / FEBRUARY 2020 In 1856, with Rejlander, he was a founding member of the Birmingham Photographic Society. In 1859 he married Selina Grieves, daughter of a Ludlow chemist, John Edward Grieves. In 1864, at the age of thirty-four, Robinson was forced to give up his studio due to ill-health from exposure to toxic photographic chemicals. Gernsheim (1962) has shown that thereafter he preferred the easier ‘scissors and paste-pot’ method of making his combination prints, rather than the more exacting darkroom method employed by Rejlander. Relocating to London, Robinson kept up his involvement with the theoretical side of photography, writing the influential essay Pictorial Effect in Photography (1869), Being Hints on Composition and Chiaroscuro for Photographers, published in 1868. Around this time his health had improved sufficiently to open a new studio[8] in Tunbridge Wells with Nelson King Cherrill, and in 1870 he became vicepresident of the Royal Photographic Society. He advocated strongly for photography to be regarded as an art form. The partnership with Cherrill dissolved in 1875, Robinson continuing the business until his retirement in 1888. Following internal disputes within the Photographic Society, he resigned in 1891 to become one of the early members of the rival Linked Ring society, in
which he was active until 1897, when he was also elected an honorary member of the Royal Photographic Society. Robinson was an early supporter of the Photographic Convention of the United Kingdom and took part in this institution’s long running debates about photography as an art form. He was invited to serve as the President of the PCUK in 1891 but, as he described later, ‘I felt compelled to decline, knowing that I could not carry out the duties as they should be carried out, having a defect of voice which would not allow me to read my own address’. He was subsequently persuaded to serve as President in 1896, when his presidential speeches were read out by a colleague. He died and was buried in Tunbridge Wells in early 1901.
“Fading Away” (1858) was both popular and fashionably morbid.
He was one of the most prominent art photographers of his day.
Robinson compared the making of Fading Away with Zeuxis’ legendary combining of the best features of five young ladies from Crotona to produce his picture of Helena.
His third and the most famous composite picture, “Fading Away”,
He was a follower of the pre-Raphaelites and was influenced by the aesthetic views of John Ruskin.In his Pre-Raphaelite phase he attempted to realize moments of timeless significance in a “ mediaeval” setting, anticipating the work of Julia Margaret Cameron, Burne-Jones and the Symbolists. According to his letters, he was influenced by the paintings of J.M.W. Turner. He defended composite photography, asserting that the creation of combination photographs were as demanding of the photographer as paintings were of the artist.
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08 / FEBRUARY 2020 Henry Peach Robinson images
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09 / FEBRUARY 2020 Henry Peach Robinson images
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Henry Peach Robinson images
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Henry Peach Robinson images
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12 / FEBRUARY 2020 TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE
Sharing Visual Art since
1950 This year is a very special year at
Edenvale Photographic Club.... We are celebrating our 70th year of existence, we would love to publish relevant and interesting historical clippings and any news that has transpired over the past 70 years. Send any contributions to hanlis54@gmail.com
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13 / FEBRUARY 2020 Edenvale Photography Club…a view into the early 70’s Natasha Bird The following information has been extracted from historical EPC documents, Committee Minutes and club-archived records. We hope you enjoy this peek into our club history almost 50 years ago. - Long ago, Slides (colour and monochrome) and Cine Films were the categories members had to enter in, and the Set Subject was a constant part of EPC club meetings. Themes for this included, “Travel”, “In and around Edenvale”, “Stairs”, “Machinery” and Available Light”, to name just a few. Senior members did the judging and only on occasion would a guest presenter/judge be invited to the club. Local judges were given R3.00 as appreciation, but if they travelled from afar, they were given a R10.00 cheque as appreciation and to cover travel costs. There is a note on file, in the EPC archives, with the return of a R3.00 cheque from a judge who stated that he simply could not accept payment for an evening’s judging, as he so enjoyed disseminating his photographic knowledge and had received a very warm welcome from EPC members on top of it. Chris Morgan, owner of Kodak Braamfontein, is documented as being a regular presenter of various photography subjects, as well as a guest judge at EPC. Dunvegan and Park Pharmacies sponsored many EPC promotional fliers and printing. Can you still remember visiting the local chemist to develop your roll of film? The Photographic Society of South Africa (PSSA) used to offer clubs recorded photographic lectures. Clubs needed a two-track tape recorder with a speed of 3 ¾ inches per second as these could handle the sound for an average sized meeting room. A slide projector with a minimum wattage of 300W (preferably 500W) was most suited to showing the 2 x 2 slides. The PSSA fee for hiring these lectures was a mere 50 cents for lectures lasting up to 15 minutes, and 75 cents for those lasting longer than 15 minutes. Lecture samples included:
• Colourful California…. Kodachrome transparencies by Fred Hankins (Calif.) • Harbour Photography by Donald Seaton • Photographing Old Cape Dutch Homesteads – Eric Vertue • The Quest for Beauty (kindly leant to the PSSA by the Royal Photographic Society).
The Edenvale Photography Club (EPC) first hosted a photographic exhibition called the EdenExpo in October 1970, to celebrate the club’s 20th Anniversary. During that time, club meetings were held at the Edenvale Library in the auditorium on the last Tuesday of each month. The meetings started at 8pm. One hundred and thirty seven slides were presented at the 1st EdenExpo. In 1971, at the 2nd EdenExpo, His Worship, the Mayor of Edenvale, Councillor G. H. van der Walt, presented awards to the winners of the categories. In those days, photography was considered a “respectable art form”, as opposed to? In 1971, there were several neighbouring photography clubs near EPC, including St George’s Home for Boys, the Germiston Photographic Club as well as the Modderfontein Photography Club. The Modderfontein club struggled to survive, as it was mostly comprised of AECI dynamite factory workers that were often contractual immigrants that returned home after their contracts had expired. Records detail that the PSSA hosted “The PSSA Camera Club Bulletin (newsletter) Contest” as far back as 1971. They awarded two prizes, for Clubs with over 50 members and less than 50 members. Clubs were invited to submit three newsletter copies for judging. A typical EPC newsletter comprised of one typed page. Bulletins were rated on the quality of their editorials and the correctness of photographic information shared. Marks were lost due to presentation and spelling errors. The 1971 PSSA Annual Congress took place in Natal and guests were accommodated at the Lonsdale Hotel in Durban. The full congress fee was R11.00 per attendee, with the Lonsdale rate R3.50 – R4.50 each in a double room with a bath (fancy that!) and single accommodation cost R5.00. The daily rates for the 1971 PSSA Congress were as follows:Wednesday 6th October…….R0.50c Thursday 7th October……….R2.00c Friday & Saturday …………..R3.00c Banquet only ………………...R3.50c.
Best of all, ladies could book a hair appointment as an optional extra to look glamorous for the Banquet! Documents record that written communication (no faxes or emails in those days; letters were penned by hand or typed and then posted the good old fashioned way, placed into an envelope with a paid-for stamp and placed into a red letterbox at the Edenvale Post Office) was received from Agfa Photo (PTY) Ltd in May 1971.
At the time, they were the distributing agents for an international photographic publication called IRIS, and they asked the EPC Chairman to promote their magazine to club members:- “Each issue contains a variety of original articles, thoughtprovoking and up to date, as well as a host of tips and suggestions of practical value to every still and cine photographer. The text is accompanied by numerous black/ white and full colour reproductions; but what particularly appeals to most readers is the absence of advertisements.” FIFTY years ago they were already begrudging the concept of a dvertising - can you imagine their comments today and their experience of the multitude of subliminal, not even direct marketing we are exposed to daily? The cost of IRIS in 1971? IRIS appeared every second month and the annual subscription for six issues was R2.70c. (Fifty years onwards and the price of a quality international photography magazine is R200.00+ per issue). To cover the cost of refreshments in 1971, the Committee sold a page of “Tea Tickets” that each had a value of R0.10c. In 1973, each Committee member took a cake to club meetings, on a rotational basis, as they felt they could not ask club members for this. They always had a “backup box of biscuits” in the cupboard. Fifty years on and the current EPC Committee also keep boxes of “backup biscuits” in our cupboard…some things have not changed! Back to the 2nd January 1973, it was documented in meeting minutes that “practical evenings” would be renamed “workshops”. The focus of these workshop evenings, starting at 7:30pm, was active participation by all members in preference to demonstrations. The first workshop meetings were agreed upon, as follows:Slide workshop……Portraiture Print workshop……Basics of Film Developing. In March 1973, the Committee received an anonymous letter complaining that people should not smoke during the club evening and also that the judging was too strict on beginner workers. It was decided by the then Committee that a title slide warning that smoke interferes with the proper projection of slides, might be a good answer to the problem.
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14 / FEBRUARY 2020 The Committee also investigated ways in which to recruit new members. The ideas of printing bumper stickers (not uncommon right up until the 80’s) and creating a slide that could be screened at the Airport Star and Kempton Park Drive-Ins were both considered for a while, but were eventually shelved due to the high costs involved. The drive-in screenings cost a grand sum of R7.50 per week. A replacement projector lamp in 1973 cost a mere R3.40c, and almost 50 years later, in 2019, EPC was quoted R2000.00 for a replacement. How times have changed! The EPC’s expenses have always needed to be managed with care in order for club members to have the best photographic learning experience at EPC. In closing, I thought it would be interesting to share the club membership fees from 1973: Single Membership R3.00, Married couples R4.00, Scholars R1.00 and Members scholars FREE. The Mayor was invited to hand over the trophees at the year end function 1970 He donated his fee to the club
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Meetings take place on the last Tuesday of every month in the Auditorium at Edenvale Public Library at 8pm. Wives of members are welcome at all club meetings and events and do not pay unless they wish to become active members of Edenvale Photography Club. As at February 2020 we can proudly state that Edenvale Photography Club welcomes all photographers, irrespective of technical skills, prof ciency, age, race, gender (currently we have approximately 60 – 40% male-female split) ….we do not even mind what camera you use (Nikon, Canon, Sony, Fujif lm, Olympus)… even your cellphone is welcome if that is the only camera you own. Fifty years later and Edenvale Photography Club is still growing. This can be attributed to the strong foundations that were laid in the early days by the dedicated photographers that formulated and upheld the EPC Constitution and worked to recruit members in order to both promote and share their knowledge and passion for the art of photography. As part of our 70TH Birthday celebrations, we will be hosting the 4th EPC Salon in April as well as the CERPS Congress in October 2020.
ter of Newslet s u c o F The
1968
The Committee has planned many exciting presentations, outings and workings for our members to enjoy and up skill their knowledge base. Don’t hesitate to sign up for each and every opportunity – you have nothing to lose and absolutely everything to gain. What legacy are we currently creating for future generations of EPC photographers? One thing is for sure, photography is ever-changing and as we hold onto our DSLR’s and observe the mirrorless revolution with both trepidation and/or excitement, photography is here to stay! Keep a look out for upcoming Focus Newsletters, where EPC takes you further along the EPC timeline. Should you have any newspaper clippings, historical photos or even contact details for ex-members, please contact me directly on 082 920 8898 ( Natasha Bird) or mnktrad@mweb.co.za
15 / FEBRUARY 2020 FOCUS ON OUR VERY OWN PAST MASTERS OF EDENVALE PHOTOGRAPHY CLUB
FOCUS on
Mario Bracco As part of our 70th Celebrations we aim to feature the history of EPC and a few of the members that created the foundations of our terrific club. Despite having seen the name “Mario Bracco” in historical communications dating back a good decade or so, there was no reference to the kind of man he is and how his contribution to EPC was so valuable. Hanli and I arranged to visit with him recently and over the most fragrant espresso and chocolate cake we learnt more about Mario and his role at Edenvale Photography Club. He was first a member of Johannesburg Camera Club in the mid-70’s and they used to hold their monthly meetings at none other than Shell House in Johannesburg CBD. Mario then joined EPC as a second photography club back in the late 1970’s. He was an active and avid photographer and entered both slides and prints at that time. He was soon appointed to the EPC Committee and in due course became the Chairman, a role which he held for many years. It wasn’t too long before children arrived and he felt he needed to commit more time to raising a family and he thus left the club for several years until they were teenagers. Upon his return in the early 1990’s digital photography had replaced slides and he soon adapted and embraced this new format.
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16 / FEBRUARY 2020 Unfortunately, EPC had seen better times, as club membership (and morale) was at an all-time low, as could be seen by the small membership number of 10 - 15 photographers. He jokingly added that there were more members on the Committee than those that were ordinary club members. Jack Weinberg had asked him to take up the reins once again and he was duly re-elected as Chairman. He had fond memories of serving with John Coumbias, as well as Jorge Rebelo, who managed the projector at club meets. We asked him the question, that as the club was at an all-time low, what marketing strategy did he implement to attract new members and retain the current ones? Mario: Well, we had Committee meetings once a month and we created and printed cards that we left at every photography dealer in the area and at pharmacies that did film development. We also worked at making the club a social experience and hosted and participated in Inter-Club Competitions and also the annual CERPS event where we usually fared well, placing 1st or 2nd. Eventually word of mouth spread and Edenvale Photography Club started gaining interest from outsiders. Natasha/Hanli: What was your favourite genre and what photographic equipment did, and do, you use? Mario: I established myself primarily as a bird and nature photographer but also loved still-life setups. As time passed, I found I enjoyed altered reality more and more, and the challenge of creating more creative images of birds. I have an older Nikon model and
WORDS BY NATASHA BIRD
Mario Bracco, past Edenvale Photography Club Chairman Natasha/Hanli: Are you not actively shooting anymore? Have you started new hobbies and do you have new passions now? Mario: Since I sold my engineering business and retired some years back, I have taken a break from photography and am spending a lot of quality time with my family and grandchildren. Living in Serengeti, I can often be found cycling around the eco-estate with my youngest granddaughter, who is 4 years old. I am looking forward to the new section opening, as I believe the track will then be a 20km round route. I also love watching movies and sporting events and have created a very comfortable home theatre room, specifically for this reason.
haven’t upgraded in a good few years.
Malachite Take- off Big Tadpole
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The three of us then discussed some of the formats that EPC used to follow, and we discovered that even though many years have passed since Mario left the club during the 2013/4 season, very little had changed. Finding quality judges, even with the then Judges Adjudication Panel (JAP) in place was still a tough task and there was little consistency or creative license employed. Mario believes that having one external judge and two club members judging at club meets could inject a more dynamic and balanced approach to the judging and critique offering. In the case of an inexperienced 5* member being allocated a judging task, he feels that they are capable of judging up to 3* workers and then he suggested letting the external judge and a more senior member judge the 4 and 5* workers. In the past, categories were also divided, for example, the standard club evening started with prints, slides and then digital images were judged according to different categories such as nature, portraiture, flowers etc. This seemed to work well for the club in the past. Today, at EPC, we have a set subject, and three categories, namely Nature, Pictorial and the Creative category which alternates with the set subject and is still “on trial” until members decide whether there is merit in this open category of ‘anything goes’. Our discussion then moved to post-processing and Mario raised digital art versus purist photography with very little manipulation and he told us that he has always believed that very few judges understand altered reality and hence do not always know how to judge this genre. Hanli, a very successful and accomplished artist, and photographer of in this genre, concurred with Mario.
17 / FEBRUARY 2020 Taking a trip down memory lane brought up good memories for Mario, and he recalled a time when Percy Mitchell was elected to the Photographic Society of South Africa (PSSA) and he actively encouraged EPC members to sign up to this national body. The official “newsletter” of the PSSA was a one-page document, that was produced on a irregular basis during that period. Furthermore, these newsletters also got lost in the post... something we are still challenged with decades later, as our postal service continues to be plagued by incompetency and mismanagement.
Sunlight on Rose
Yellow and Red
Gathering Honey
Flamingo
The Path Home
Wet Iris
Before we ended our lovely visit, Mario shared a few of his favourite images with us and Hanli invited him to CERPS on the 31st October 2020 as well as also extending the invitation to visit us during the year at general club meetings. The Edenvale Photography Club is celebrating 70 years of existence this year and it is largely due to the committed and passionate photographers like Mario Bracco, who had the club’s best interests at heart all those years ago. Thank you Mario, we salute you! ‘In the past, a photographer needed to move the needle to the middle point to obtain focus in their cameras, in today’s world we have autofocus, auto ISO with some cameras capable of up to 10 frames a second it really has become so easy in the digital era. Mario Bracco, February 2020
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1 Star Winners
January 2020
Blue Cheeked Bee Eater Linda Carter
Old Rusty
Tahlita Verster
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2 Star Winners
January 2020
Frisky Zebra Calf
Andrew Mayes
Sunrise in the mist Tony Wilson
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3 Star Winners
January 2020
Twins
Stephen
Sunrise
Stephen
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Kangisser
Kangisser
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4 Star Winners
January 2020
A Spot of Sunlight
Clare Appleyard
On the Prowl DaveB
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5 & 6 Star Winners
January 2020
Pygmy Falcon Conflict Natasha Bird
Hands on
Hanli Smit
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1 Star Winners
Charge to the water source Gavin
February 2020
Duffy
Bridge to Fabiola Geeven
Focused on Breakfast Linda Carter
Whispers into the night Kenneth Mukute
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2 Star Winners
February 2020
Lion Paws Andrew Mayes
Green fan Tony Wilson
On The Prowl Andrew Mayes
Norton Rose Tony Wilson
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3 Star Winners
February 2020
Hammerkop Augusto Dias
Rachel Stephen
Kangisser
Heron in flight
Augusto Dias
Dance for the Camera Stephen
Kangisser
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4 Star Winners
February 2020 Mountain Moonrise
Clare Appleyard
Pedestrian Crossing
Clare Appleyard
On Watch
Dave Brown
Fern leaf
Christa Smith
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5 & 6 Star Winners
February 2020
New Born Hanli Smit
Lady with a scarf
John Coumbias
Flemingo1379
Vadivelu TT.
Time never sleeps Hanli Smit
28 / FEBRUARY 2020 MEMBER FOCUS
Member FOCUS Bianca Holburn For as long as I can remember I always loved taking photographs yet it never really materialised until I was in my early 20s when I would take photographs from my phone of all dierent things. Four years ago after seeing some of my photographs, my younger brother surprised me with my first camera, the Canon SX60 Powershot. Nature has always been my first love and in the beginning I would take any chance to go into the Kruger National Park. It was a year later that I joined the Edenvale Photographic Club and through all the guidance and help that I have received, I have now ventured into other genres such as studio, street and opening my eyes to not being afraid to experiment. I have recently bought myself a Canon 2000D DSLR and aiming to learn a whole lot more. I am not one for many words, however, I would like to thank each and every member of the club from the one stars all the way up, you have all been so inspiring and always motivates one to aim just that much higher.
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30/ FEBRUARY 2020 MEMBERS ACHIEVEMENTS AND ANOUNCEMENTS
FOCUS on
Achievements On Wednesday 12th February 2020, before our usual club evening started, we were treated to a PowerPoint presentation by Stephen Kangisser entitled, THIS IS INDIA, starring the people of India. In 2017 and again in 2019 Stephen travelled to India to experience, observe and capture the extremely friendly people, their colourful culture and lifestyles. He arranged the basic details of the trip through a travel agent and personalised his and his wife’s experience along the way by making small changes to the travel agents’ itinerary once they arrived. As they have friends in India this was somewhat easier as they could visit both the typical tourist attractions as well as get a true feel for how the locals lived in their towns and cities. They visited Mumbai, Delhi, varies Cities in the Provence of Rajasthan, Agra, Chenai, Hyderabad, Nigerhole, Bangalore and and Kolkata during the two trips - a mere two years apart.
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31/ FEBRUARY 2020 Can you name one of the highlights of your Indian travels:
On our first trip to India we landed by chance, on a Bollywood set in Jaipur and I managed to photograph a famous actress, Sanjeeda Sheikh impromptu who was starring in a musical. We have subsequently become friends on social media platforms and she was very happy with the photographs I had shot and shared with her. I asked our driver if there was any possibility of repeating this experience on our second trip to India and on this occasion, I was fortunate to capture a few shots from another Bollywood martial arts production. The movie hasn’t been released as yet so I haven’t been able to share my images at this time. It’s clear that you love photography and street photography in particular.
If the driver is able to stop, I will jump out and take the shot, otherwise many images are captured in motion or at a traffic light. The same applies to being in a Tuk Tuk, which is much easier, if one had to do it from a Touring Coach, this would be virtually impossible for me and I’m sure many other photographers, so rather a small SUV.
As the excellent presentation ended and the accompanying music, “This is the World We Live In” by Phil Collins died down members could take a moment to fully appreciate the wonderful insight we had just shared through the lens of Stephen Kangisser.
Can you tell us how this passion came about: From a young child, art was a passion and particularly portraiture. I would often sit with a sketch book and draw people , even when I was on the border in the army, apart from having a small “Point and Shoot” camera that I took with me, I had a sketch book and drew portraits of officers and troops and copied photos of models from magazines. Street photography is just an extension of what I did and another form of art. What kind of gear do you travelwith: I always travel with two bodies. One never knows if you accidentally drop one or something goes wrong. I would hate not to have a camera in my hands when a beautiful photo presents. I am currently using both the Canon 5D Mark III and Mark IV and find Canon lenses 24-105 mm and 70-200 mm most useful out in the field. During the presentation you told us that you captured opportunities as they arose, please elaborate: Most of my images from the Indian experiences were taken while I was walking in the streets. I shoot in Manual with a flash if necessary. If I am shooting whilst travelling from the back of a car/SUV, I use AV (Aperture Priority) not knowing what to expect and always being ready.
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32 / FEBRUARY 2020 CAN WE JUSTIFY ETHICS IN STREET PHOTOGRAPHY
Etienne
Bossot
Those times are streets ! If you follow Pics of Asia on Instagram, I am writing about Street Photography and how it can truly inspire your work as a Travel Photographer ( yes this is what happened to me !). With my friend Andy, we did a short video to share some of our love for Hoian (Vietnam) as a great spot for street photography. Shooting this video was fun and definitely something I want to do more and more in the near future. Let me know what you think about it ! https://youtu.be/6JbNJCwvKwc
Etienne Bossot, Travel Photographer, Founder of Pics of Asia Read on page 33 more about the controversial methods of a Japanese Street photographer
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33 / FEBRUARY 2020 As you might already know, I will be running a unique and exciting 5days Street Photo workshop with my friend Andy Barker in March (check the infos and book it here). This one the perfect opportunity to share some of the reasons which make us think Hoian is the perfect spot around for Street Photography. After (lots of) coffee and (short) brainstorming, the storyboard was in our heads ! Here is the result and I hope you will as much fun watching it as we had while recording the video ! https://youtu.be/6JbNJCwvKwc
Let me know if you appreciate this type of videos and, obviously, if it motivates you to join the workshop in March (some spots are still available, don’t miss it !) I would like to write about my reaction to what happened last week with Fujifilm and Mr Tatsuo Suzuki. I am personally very disappointed with how the situation evolved (like I am with most world situations today) and I’d like to share my two cents on the issue. As a travel photographer and instructor, I’m very often “shocked” by the attitude of some photographers I meet or witness on the streets of Asia. And I’ve already talked quite a bit about some of their “bad behaviors”; not to mention the – often lacking – “ethics of travel photography”. The Story of Mr Suzuki, Japanese street photographer, Tatsuo Suzuki, was recently filmed in action, on the streets of Tokyo. But this doesn’t “offend” me at all. In fact, it shocks me much less than seeing a travel photographer pushing their subjects to the side, in order to “place” them in front of a nice background. ...image on page 32...
The Story of Mr Suzuki Japanese street photographer Tatsuo Suzuki was recently filmed in action, on the streets of Tokyo, for the launch of Fujifilm’s new camera: the X100V. This behind-the-scenes (BTS) video, of him shooting, received a very negative global reaction. The online world went mad, too – and a few days later, the video was removed from the launch. Plus, Suzuki himself was removed from the Fuji ambassador website. Why did people get so upset by his attitude? And the main question: should Fuji have stood behind their ambassador instead of instantly dropping him?! Consumers are weighing in. Consumers have power. So should a company follow its upset viewers? Or should it support its ambassadors? Isn’t it weird that a professional photography company, one that’s supposed to recognize the best of the best, instantly scrubs someone’s title as soon as people get upset?! Here’s What I Think… I’m not a street photographer – so I don’t want to focus on that aspect of the situation. What I do wonder, however, is how come this man’s actions don’t shock me… whereas I’m regularly shocked by how some travel photographers act. What do I feel is “right” about the Japanese photographer and “wrong” about the ethics (or lack thereof) of these travel photographers? Well, I think it’s because Mr Suzuki wants to create an emotional reaction for the viewer. And one of the ways to do that is to create more interesting, personal work. To me, it’s very simple: if you’re a photographer and if you’d like to capture candid emotions on your subjects’ faces in the streets of Japan, there’s no other way to achieve this than by acting like Mr Suzuki. The act itself is pure, real and true. And the images that this process results in are true, too. Real. Suzuki adapts his shooting style to the situation, which leads to unique emotions and images. Here’s an online comment from the BTS video:
“This photographer is obnoxious and lacks ethics of consent”. All right, Fujifilm – but are you really going to pay heed to these comments, the ones that complain Suzuki didn’t receive consent before taking photos? They’re missing the very definition of street photography. The people behind them obviously don’t know what they’re talking about. And you Fuji, blindly listen to them before penalizing one of your own photographers? One of your own ambassadors?! Street photography is about capturing candid (not staged or influenced) moments. On top of that, Mr Suzuki strives to capture unique emotions on his subjects’ faces in order to create a reaction among his viewers. A company like Fuji, who has been electing brand ambassadors like crazy all around the world for the past number of years, suddenly refuses to stand by them when faced with criticism. Why so scared?! Of course, if someone doesn’t like Suzuki’s shooting style, fine! You can’t expect every single person on the planet to understand what other people do, especially in the world of art. Do I understand why a painter feels the need to poop paint on their canvas? No, I don’t – and still, I understand it’s what they want to do to create their own art. So I don’t mind. (And seriously, what do I know about poop painting, anyway? Why should I express my opinion online about poop painting, when I don’t know anything about it?! Maybe people believe they “know” photography because they take a lot of photos; now everyone carries a camera in their pockets. Well, sorry guys – but this doesn’t mean that you know about photography. I still meet pro-photographers telling me that street photography is simply taking portraits of old ladies on the streets! So how can you expect the average Joe to understand what Mr Suzuki does?
Etienne Bossot, Travel Photographer, Founder of Pics of Asia 33 / FEBRUARY 2020
34 / FEBRUARY 2020 Is Street Photography Ethical? an extract from Contrastly.com
Ethics - In this day and age where there is a threat of images falling into the wrong hands, the issue of street photography is coming under fire from public opinion. Ironically, in a time where everything we do is being increasingly captured on camera anyways – whether by security cameras or at the ATM, public awareness – and opinions - on the issue of street photography are also on the rise However some photographers wonder why there is even a debate on the ethics of street photography. Surely ethics aren’t an issue for photojournalists, or something that other photographers have to face. Why are street photographers being singled out and viewed with suspicion? Photography has always come under scrutiny Whether it’s a photographer photographing people in a culture that is superstitious of the camera, or a photojournalist being criticized for photographing the plight of someone – rather than helping – photography of any kind will always involve an ethical dilemma. Photojournalism in and of itself isn’t unethical; however, snapping photos at the scene of an accident can cause the issue of ethics to come into question. In the same way, street photography in and of itself is not an ethical issue. It’s the problems that arise from some of the tactics that are used, the potential conflicting motives that are involved with some cases of photography (should homeless people be photographed for art?), and the public concerns and conceptions of street photography that conflict with the photographer’s opinions, that pose the ethical dilemmas. “There is a fine ethical line between invading a person’s privacy and capturing their true image” Street photographers are artists, whose goals are to capture an image that is artistic, or an accurate record of social history. The ethos of most street photographers is to maintain the right of freedom of expression, and to capture the world through images. Street Photography Code of Ethics The Photography Code of Ethics from the US National Press Photographers Association has some solid points and guidelines. The code says that you should provide context when taking photos of subjects, give consideration to vulnerable subjects, not intentionally stage the scene, and avoid altering your images in such a way that is misleading to viewers or misrepresents subjects.
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Tips for Street Photography
Be Compliant: If you find someone who objects to having their photos taken, delete the photos and apologize. You may have had a legal right to take the photos, but ugly confrontations only increase public negativity towards street photography. Use Common Sense: It may be perfectly legal to photograph children at a playground, but use common sense – it might be wise to avoid the telephoto lens – or at least introduce yourself to parents first. Be Mindful Photographing People Who are Poor or Desolate: Some people photograph homeless people because they feel it makes an interesting photograph. However, be aware of exploiting someone’s condition just for the sake of art. Consider an Open Approach: Erik Kim, world-renowned street photographer and workshop leader, recommends an open approach for street photography: “I think the best way to approach someone is openly and honestly. This means if you take a photo of someone (without permission) you don’t pretend you didn’t take the shot. You then approach the person and tell them why you took the photo and what you found interesting about them. You then take a potentially negative experience and make it into a positive one in which people actually feel humbled to have gotten a photograph taken of them.” – Erik Kim
Dress Appropriately: Wear what everyone else is wearing. This helps you to blend in, and in some cases it’s actually polite – for example, you wouldn’t wear a crazy bright shirt to a wedding. Keep the Gear Light: Think unobtrusive. A DSLR with a fast prime, or even the kit lens, is a great option. Mirrorless cameras are also great for street photography. Shoot with a telephoto if you’re confident enough, but in most cases, pointing a big lens at someone will intimidate them, and may cause trouble. It’s best to avoid obtrusive, up-close flash photography – unless you’re Bruce Gilden. Adjust the Settings: There’s no shame in shooting street photos in auto. Capturing the decisive moment is more important than having to take the time to get your settings right – and missing the shot. If you want to try your hand at manual or semi-auto settings, adjust the settings early. Know the Law: Be mindful of the laws and customs in the country that you are photographing in. The USA and UK allow public photography, it is legal to take photos of people without their permission as long as they are in a public place and the photo is not going to be used commercially. Other countries though, have different laws on photography. Germany, for example, requires photographers to get their subject’s permission before taking the photo. In some countries, it’s good to be careful taking photos that may be deemed disrespectful, and be mindful when taking photos in politically sensitive situations. Don’t Lose Confidence: Eventually someone will tell you that they don’t want their photo taken. In which case, just delete it and move on. Don’t let one person discourage you from pursuing your craft. Street photography, when done with pure motives and consideration for others, is nothing to be ashamed of.
The Value of Street Photography It’s been said that photography is about making photos – not taking them. For street photography, it’s no exception. Street photography is about capturing the subject in context and telling their story. Street photography requires passion, and observation. It’s easy to snap photos on the street, but to get a picture that tells a story, you have to take the time to observe the situation, take in the surroundings, and capture the moment. While street photography is not unethical in and of itself, the issues and the publics’ concerns on street photography should be taken seriously by photographers. While it’s not realistic to ask for permission before taking every single photo, if someone voices a concern about having their photo taken, it is important to treat their concerns seriously, and to delete the photo. The subject’s opinions and wishes should always be respected.
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PSSA Salons What are salons and why do we do them? Wikipedia: “From the seventeenth century to the early part of the twentieth century, artistic production in France was controlled by artistic academies which organized official exhibitions called salons.” To be able to exhibit your work on a salon, you had to obtain the approval of the judges. Today it is still the same in photography that all entries received are evaluated by the jury and only those found acceptable will be exhibited. And this is how we think of a photographic salon today – an exhibition of photography. Photographers are invited to submit their images in various categories for possible inclusion in the salon exhibition. A panel of judges scores all the submitted images and chooses approximately 20% for exhibition. The images that are chosen are known as “acceptances” and these are the “salon acceptanes” that are required for Club promotion. The acceptance rate will be different for each event and is set by the jury but within the parameters set by the organisations which approved the exhibition (salon) and lend their name to it (patronage). In South Africa, PSSA , as the national organisation representing amateur photographers, uses a guideline for acceptances for PDI (projected digital images) salons at between 20 and 25% and up to 35% for prints and Audio Visuals. Overseas you may see rates between 25 – 45%! The prime reason for presenting a salon is to see work that you would otherwise not see and share that with all EPC members and the general public. The entry fee is there to cover cost and if there is a surplus, that is considered a bonus. Salons are either National, where only photographers from South Africa (as well as all members of PSSA worldwide) may enter or International ones where photographers from all over the world compete. A list of salons is published on the PSSA website, in Club newsletters and entry for SA salons is generally via PhotoVaultOnline.
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Current list of Salons as per the PSSA Webpage Get the Salon Brochures on Photovault or www.pssa.co.za
2020.03.07 SASOL Highveld National Audio Visual Salon (Brochure Available) 2020.03.14 - Benoni National PDI Salon (Brochure Available) 2020.03.21 - 6th PSSA National Salon (Brochure Available) 2020.03.28 - Kriel PDI Salon (Brochure Available) 2020.04.11 - Edenvale PDI Salon (Brochure Available) 2020.04.18 - 17th PSSA Up & Coming Competition 2020.04.25 - Boksburg PDI Salon (Brochure Available) 2020.05.09 - Magalies Foto Fun Club PDI Salon (Brochure Available) 2020.05.23 - Paarl PDI Salon 2020.06.06 - Heigel PDI Salon
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FOCUS ON VISITING JUDGE
Francois Ve n t e r Francois Venter – visiting judge (22nd January 2020) from the Pretoria Photographic Society and the 2019 Regional PSSA Director for Northern Gauteng.
What a visual delight we were in for when FrancoisVenter (APSSA) visited EPC to judge at our club meeting and share his wealth of photographic knowledge. On display for all, were two of his three Honours panels; one comprising Nature Colour, and a Specialist 2019 Monochrome panel titled, “Woman”.
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39 / FEBRUARY 2020 CONTRIBUTION BY NATASHA BIRD Francois most generously shared his APSSA Honours journey and experience with EPC, explaining what it has meant to him (including the many hours he dedicated) to achieve these outstanding awards. He discussed the importance of having photographers and mentors to learn from, who also give valuable input on the panel that is being built up over time. Don’t be tempted to think that you can do this without proper guidance and assistance. His speciality is portraiture and he has built up an impressive body of works that he shared with us in print form. During the break members were able to view the prints closeup and also chat with Francois one on one about the images on display.
Francois offered the following tips regarding an Honours’ panel application: You cannot apply for this Honours Panel without proper guidance and assistance. Do not be scared of using a high ISO, as most of the modern cameras can handle it; and once printed, you will be surprised at the lack of visible noise you viewed on your image on a backlit computer monitor; It’s an art to edit skin tones, especially in monochrome. Find the fine balance – somewhere between not too “plastic” and sometimes just too much texture…spend time in getting it to look natural. Francois primarily uses Lightroom for the basic post-processing, as well as Photoshop for minor tweaks, but most of his post-editing is done in Lightroom.
He uses Nik Silver FX Pro for monochrome conversions, as a starting point. His speciality is portraiture and he has built up an impressive body of work that he shared with the club in print form. During the evening’s break, members were able to view the prints up close, and also talk to Francois about his images on display. Here are a few pearls of wisdom from his excellent presentation: Do not discount photographers that offer workshops, build up your skill set and attend those that appeal to you, however, never lose your own creativity; and secondly, try to find a new view of a typical scene – shoot high, get down low, etc.
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SET SUBJECT FOR MARCH
Set Subject
Parallels & Lines Parallel lines appear to converge at the vanishing point. Horizontal lines will meet at a point on the horizon; vertical lines (when the camera is tilted upward) will converge at a point in the sky. Not only do lines help direct the eye into the image, they create a compelling sense of depth. Take a look at the most striking and lifelike landscape images, and you will almost certainly notice a common theme – they all have a strong, three-dimensional quality. The ability to convey an impression of depth is an important one for landscape photographers, but how exactly do you do this? Creative use of perspective is often the key to creating this visual illusion. Your choice of focal length, viewpoint and foreground will help you make a two-dimensional photograph, look three-dimensional. One of the best tricks for creating the impression of depth in landscape photography is to include a leading line, or vanishing point. Leading Lines .are powerful compositional tools that can help direct the viewer’s eye into – or through – the image-space. Our eyes are normally drawn to strong lines and they naturally wish to follow them – something we can consciously take advantage of when composing our shots. The landscape is full of strong shapes and lines, both manmade and forming naturally. Roads, footpaths, hedges, rope, chains, breakwaters, jetties and rivers are just an example of the type of lines found within the landscape. Some lines are less obvious, though, and they can be incomplete or even implied. For example, if you include a person or animal within your shot, we will instinctively follow their gaze into frame; while a trail of rocks or boulders can act like stepping stones, leading the eye into the photo. Once you begin to recognise this, you will begin to identify all types of potential lead-in lines within the world around you. 40 / FEBRUARY 2020
SET SUBJECT FOR MARCH PARALLELS & LINES
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42 / FEBRUARY 2020 SET SUBJECT FOR MARCH PARALLELS & LINES Never underestimate the power of well placed lines within that food photography composition. Using props and food to create lines will drive the viewers eye straight to your subject, they will place action in a still environment and can give symmetry to your photograph. Props and food can help point the viewers eye sraight to your subject. Take advantage of these opportunities when they arise, but be careful not to make it too obvious or staged. Play around and experiment for the next set subject in March Good Luck
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43 / FEBRUARY 2020 EXHIBITION
FEBRUARY SPECIAL SUBJECT WINNER Reflection of a bug
Johann
Harmse 43 /FEBRUARY 2020