I believe the people responsible for creating the means to communicate with members are among the hardest workers in a club – be it to edit the newsletter or magazine, maintain the website or regularly post to social media. At the forthcoming Western Cape Photographic Forum (WCPF) meeting in January we will be discussing a proposal that we institute a Western Cape award for the best newsletter/online magazine.

I really appreciate the newsletters clubs send me as they always contain interesting information and show what the different clubs do to keep their members’ interest.

Fish Hoek report in their Sharp Focus newsletter that they had a very successful year-end function, where Dante Parisi won the Image of the Year Competition, with the image Icy Rumble of pair of eagles fighting. In second place was his wife, Karyn, with City Awakening and in third, Doug Young with Canal Walk. This club not only awards the top achievers, but also the hardest workers and the photographers who made the most progress during the year. For example, newsletter editor Maureen Miller was awarded the PSSA Cup for the biggest dedication to the club.

In a delightful touch, Fish Hoek had a yellowwood Apple trophy carved for the member who delivered the most service to photography and the club – which was awarded to Peter Brandt who was also a nominee for the regional Golden Apple service award. See some of the winning images on their Facebook page.

Cape Town Photographic Society decided out of respect for the judges who give up their time and share their expertise to judge the monthly club competitions, any member who in future disrespects a judge by arguing with him or her about a score or comments, will forfeit the points awarded to them on the evening. Have a look at their November-December Cape Camera,  which is full of interesting news and inspiring images, including a profile of the magazine’s layout artist Andre Mouton..

Tygerberg’s The Bellows, ably edited by Rob Minter, contains an interesting article about master photographer Johan Beyers, who is a regular winner at Interclub. He also won the club’s Photo of the Year  award this year.

Helderberg re-elected Steve Trimby as chairman and Fiona Nell as secretary for 2020. Stephen Roodt has been elected treasurer and a vice-chairman still has to be elected. Other committee members are Helder Ferreira (fundraising), Steve Crane (digital, website and social media), Bernard Seymour Hall, Denise Whiteford and Issi Potgieter.  The club recently moved to new premises at the Somerset West United Church, 28 Bright Street, Somerset West.

Creative Camera Club elected a new chairman, Chris Kinross, at their AGM on 2 December. I hope to introduce him fully in the next issue. The winner of the club’s annual Body of Work Award 2019  was Elizabeth Cook with her very interesting space-ship inspired abstract images.

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