Page 9 - Cape-Camera-May-2023

Cape Camera May 2023

CTPS members played leading role in WCPF

Until about six years ago, Western Cape club In order to encourage Western Cape mem-
chairs hardly knew each other and the only bers to apply for PSSA Honours, Nicol asked
time most members met were as adversaries Antenie, who had served on the Honours
at the annual Interclub awards. Many clubs Judging Panel, to form an advisory group
were dissatisfied about various issues — es- for members who wanted to submit panels.
pecially the judging at Interclub — but had Several members of the group successfully
nowhere to complain. Many clubs also felt applied for Honours.
the Western Cape was side-lined by PSSA and After she became a Fellow of PSSA (FPSSA)
hardly any Western Cape clubs encouraged - the minimum requirement to become an
their members to participate in PSSA activi- Honours Panel Judge - Kim Stevens was in-
ties. vited to join this prestigious panel of judges.
The CTPS President at the time, Nicol du Toit, She and Evelyn Gibson, a long-term member
persuaded interim PSSA Regional Director of the Judging Panel, subsequently stepped
and also a CTPS member, Alicia Greyling, to in to run the Honours advisory group when
call a meeting of regional club representatives Antenie’s workload prevented him from
where all agreed that a representative body continuing.
for Western Cape clubs should be formed. Western Cape members began performing
While complaints about Interclub was high an active role in PSSA, with three directors
on the agenda, it was agreed that the forum, and portfolio chair from the region, regular
as the body became known, should have a salon and competition participation and of-
wider purpose. It should become a platform ten judging competitions.
where clubs could discuss any mutual or spe- The first objective of the forum was to raise
cific concerns - or share their successes - and funds to pay for the quarterly meeting ven-
that the Western Cape should play a more de- ue (SASNEV) and to have funds available for
cisive role in PSSA.
projects to promote photography in the re-
Nicol was asked to chair a sub-committee gion. CTPS agreed to sponsor the meeting
to draft a constitution, which was formally venue for the first year and two WCPF sa-
adopted in April 2018. He reluctantly ac- lons - the second one with Nicol as director
cepted the position of chairman of the West- and Trudi as administrator - resulted in the
ern Cape Photographic Forum (WCPF). He hoped-for income.
had been elected PSSA Regional Director of The forum income was further boosted by
the Western Cape in 2017, and believed that the proceeds earned from the PSSA Greyton
clubs should determine the role of the forum, Kim Stevens and Nicol du Toit. congress in 2022, where several CTPS mem-
not PSSA directors - but that there should be Antenie Carstens and Evelyn Gibson. bers played a leading role - Jacoba and Mar-
a mutually beneficial relationship between Jacoba van Zyl and Lesley Parolis. ius Stockenstrom accepted responsibility for
the WCPF and PSSA. the time-consuming tasks of making reg-
Another CTPS member, Trudi du Toit, was elected secretary and istration cards and allocating restaurants for delegates’ meals,
Francois du Bois treasurer. JP Bester and Phillip de Lange were Lesley Parolis was responsible for the sound and projection,
co-opted as additional Exco members. Nicol was talked into Kim Stevens gave a lecture, Nicol and Trudi were appointed
chairing the forum for a second two-year term in 2020 and into congress organisers, and Greyton residents John and Lea-Anne
accepting the role of treasurer for the next year. Last year, Lynne Alexander, the invaluable congress local advisors, opted to be-
Kruger-Haye from Ignite was elected chair and this year Michael come CTPS members.
West of Tygerberg took over as treasurer. The WCPF decided that a different club would host the Inter-
Each club may send a maximum of two representatives to the club awards ceremony each year, but that the Exco, assisted by
quarterly forum meetings and CTPS President Richard Gold- the Judging Committee would be responsible for the judging.
schmidt, followed by Jacoba van Zyl, diligently attended meet- Lesley was appointed as one of the two members of this com-
ings and informed the other clubs in the region about CTPS mittee tasked with checking entries and the judges’ scores and
activities - and council about WCPF activities. sending it to the Exco members to verify the scores. With these
Several other CTPS members also contributed time and effort stops and balances in place, the judging at Interclub proceeded
to promote photography in the Western Cape. Antenie Carstens seamlessly for the next four years.
and Alicia Greyling were members of the team that presented This year, the clubs decided to do away with the competition
the first ground-breaking two-year JAP (Judging Accreditation aspects of the Western Cape Interclub and to have a celebration
Programme) course that became the basis for the current JAP of photography meeting instead. CTPS, who was the designated
course presented countrywide by PSSA. As Regional Director, host of the Interclub awards evening, was asked to host the cel-
Nicol also joined the JAP team, and when the original team ebration. The WCPF Interclub Coordinator, however, asked us to
asked to take a break after eight years, a new JAP administration change the date for the venue booked for the event, because it
team consisting of Nicol and Trudi, as well as Lynne, presented clashed with the Ignite Photo Club exhibition in Stellenbosch. A
the 2021-2022 course. new date has not yet been agreed on.

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