Page 14 - Cape-Camera-May-June-2021

May/June 2021 Cape Camera

Welcome & Introduction of New Members

Ken van Wyk (FPSSA, APSSA (Vers)

Just about all my family and my weekends taking wedding photographs to supplement my
numerous friends have moved hobby.
to the Western Cape recently, I then started Club photography by joining the Port Elizabeth
so who knows what the future Photo Club, my main interest at that stage being portraiture
holds. including weddings. I progressed to a Pentax SV and several
I am presently also a member years later made the change to Canon.
of Pretoria Photographic So- After relocating to Gauteng about 30 years ago, I decided to
ciety and live in the Centurion change to Nikon and now use Nikon D850, and D500, with
Golf Estate with my partner Bibi mainly Prime lenses where possible. I recently also decided on
Andrews who is also a photogra- a much lighter camera for travel/street photography and thor-
pher. oughly enjoy my Fuji T4, with only Prime Lenses.
My Dad, Pierre van Wyk, was a The genre that I enjoy most includes wildlife, landscape and
professional photographer and street photography.
his business was the developing Through my business, I have been fortunate in having the op-
and printing (D & P) for most of the East Rand chemists. portunity to travel to the USA, Europe and Middle East. This in-
My introduction to photography was therefore from a very early cludes many yachting trips to Turkey, Greek Isles and Croatia.
age and I recall the presence of cameras, tripods, flood lights etc. Most memorable Photographic destinations were sailing the
in our home in Benoni, including the smell of photographic de- Mediterranean and visiting China where we were guests of the
velopers in the darkroom where I noted images appearing on Chinese Photographic Society as arranged by Johan van der
white paper that were placed in various trays and at the end in a Walt. I must also include a recent trip to the Masai Mara as a
tank of water, which was absolute magic to a youngster. ‘Wildlife Highlight’.
Many years later I purchased my first SLR which was a S1 Pentax I am honoured to have received an acceptance of membership
and shortly afterwards built my own darkroom in Port Elizabeth. from CTPS, and look forward to visiting Cape Town and your
Those days most photographs were in black and white with spe- beautiful scenery as well as meeting/sharing it with members.
cial hand-coloured Images for special occasions. I was employed
by an international company as a consultant engineer but spent

All images by Ken van Wyk

Mariana Visser (LPSSA, DPSSA)

I have been the Chairperson I have always been interested in photography right from my
for Tafelberg Photographic school days where we had a little club under the mentorship of
Club for the past two years, Len Staples – one of only two photographers residing in Paarl.
but have served on the com- Unfortunately, that did not last very long and although I con-
mittee many times in various tinued to take photographs, it only got much more serious in
other roles. I joined both TAF about 2008, when I got retrenched and my mother pushed me
and TPS back in 2010 and to join a photographic club in order to learn more about this
have been a member of both phenomenal hobby.
clubs ever since. My biggest My passion is surreal portraiture, abandoned buildings and
pleasure from photogra- composites, but I also dabble in all other genres as I feel that,
phy came about when I was as a judge, I also need to know them. I have many people that
awarded my DPSSA (colour) inspire my photography like Brooke Shaden, Sue Bryce, Kelly
and my LPSSA (colour) - both Robitaille, Martin Dudley, Pia Lux, to name only a few.
during this past year. Current- One of my most memorable experiences of my photographic
ly I am waiting to hear about journey was travelling with Nathan Wright in Germany and vis-
my AFIAP results but am also iting abandoned places from WW2 that were used as asylums,
busy with my LPSSA (mono) for which I only need four more ac- training camps etc - not only experiencing the abandoned
ceptances.

13 Cape Town Photographic Society