Y E S T E R D A Y ,  T O D A Y   &   T O M O R R O W

The Port Elizabeth Camera Club, the Photographic Society of South Africa and the International Federation of Photographic Art

 3 Sep – 13 Oct 2026

The Port Elizabeth Camera Club is the second oldest existing Camera Club in the country, after Cape Town, and dates back to 27 July 1891, when a group of enthusiasts gathered to form the Port Elizabeth Amateur Photographic Society. The Photographic Society survives today as the Port Elizabeth Camera Club (a title assumed in 1934).  Our club badge depicts the lens of a camera with a ship above it – the ship being the Chapman, the first 1820 settler ship to arrive in Algoa Bay.

Initially the Society met in private homes, but within a few years, an attempt was made to establish an Athenaeum. (Athenaeum: an ancient institution of learning.   The Greek goddess of wisdom resided in the Temple of Athena. The name and concept are often adopted by literary and scientific societies). An Athenaeum had existed many years earlier as an integral part of the Port Elizabeth Town Hall (which had been built by the City Council of the time on Crown lands, for the express purpose of housing Municipal offices, a public library and an Athenaeum – the last for the use by scientific and art societies of the rapidly growing town).  However, the space allotted to the Athenaeum had gradually been encroached upon, mainly by the expanding Library, and eventually ceased to exist.

As a result of action by the Photographic Society, the City Council was pressured to re-establish an Athenaeum and offered to erect a new building on the hill.  This was subsequently done in 1896, and an agreement was reached with the City Fathers whereby the Photographic Society paid towards the construction and in return would be allowed to use the premises rent/rate free in perpetuity.

When we were 61 years old, we were a part of the group of photographic clubs that founded PSSA – the Photographic Society of South Africa and have been a proud member ever since.  This led to interaction between photographers from around the country and abroad and strong relationships were formed with international bodies such as the Photographic Society of America (PSA), the Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain (RPS) and the Federation of Art Photographers (FIAP) which is why our exhibition includes photographs from all around the world.

All things change and hybrid (online & in person) meetings have opened another door with membership now possible from anywhere in the world.  The PECC is the friendly Camera Club in the friendly city of Port Elizabeth.  Our interests lie in the art and science of photography.  Our aims are to improve individual creativity and expertise and to share photographic pleasures and knowledge with others. The images in our members’ exhibition include images from the UK, Malta, Cape Town, Zastron, East London, Jeffery’s Bay and of course PE.

COLLECTIONS ON DISPLAY

FIAP BIENNIALS: FIAP is the International Federation of Photographic Art, a global organization connecting national photography associations and promoting excellence in photography. representing over one million photographers across more than 90. Its headquarters are currently in Luxembourg, and it is recognized by UNESCO as the only international photographic organization with such status.

FIAP thus serves as a global platform for photographers to gain recognition, connect internationally, and advance the art of photography.

FIAP affiliates as Operational Members the national associations of photography on the basis of one per country.  PSSA is the operational member for South Africa will Jill Sneesby as the FIAP Liaison Officer.  The PE Camera Club is affiliated to PSSA and is therefore part of FIAP. International competitions called FIAP BIENNIALS are organised amongst all the member countries of FIAP.

Each federation selects the works (the collection) it wants to present. This collection has to be coherent as well for the inspiration and the conception as for the realization and the presentation. The federation has the choice of the subject and the presentation of its works.

Earlier this year PSSA hosted the FIAP Nature Biennial and entered 10 prints in the print section and 20 in the digital section.  These images are all part of this exhibition.  PSSA won the World Cup for the winning country in the digital section.  Four of its members won individual awards – Corine Ross won the PSSA Gold Medal for the Best Action shot, Johan Botha and David Woolf Steyn both won a FIAP Bronze Medal and Trix Jonker was awarded a PSSA Honourable Mention Certificate. Last year PSSA won the FIAP Gold Medal for its panel of sport action prints with Mietsie Visser winning the FIAP Gold Medal and Johan Orton the FIAP Bronze Medal.

PSSA was awarded a FIAP Honourable Mention for its panel of Men with Beards in the Black and White Biennial, which well and truly complied with the requirement of the panel being coherent.  On seeing the panel Ralph West commented:

“Their exceptional quality, fine detail, and striking intensity encouraged me to spend more time studying them. Each image seemed to reveal something of the subject’s personality and emotions, inviting closer observation. It was this combination of technical excellence and human expression that made these portraits so compelling and inspired me to write about them.”

Ralph, who hails from Port Elizabeth where his company Print Wize is situated was compelled to put pen to paper and his brief stories accompany each print.

#JUSTSNAPGQ INSTAGRAM COMPETITION

Port Elizabeth Camera Club hosted an Instagram Competition from 1 June to 30 June, inviting participants to take part in the “#JustSnapGQ” Instagram competition. The aim was to showcase the unique character and beauty of Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth). Their images had to reflect the spirit and atmosphere of our city and could only be taken with mobile devices.

To take part, entrants had to share their photographs on Instagram and add the hashtag #JustSnapGQ to their Instagram post.

PSSA 70TH ANNIVERSARY EXHIBITION

The countrywide travelling photographic exhibition to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Photographic Society of South Africa (PSSA), which was founded on 24 July 1954 in Durban comes to its final stop at the GFI Gallery.

This unique exhibition features work by some of the acclaimed photographers who are current members of this society representing South African photographers and photographic clubs. The exhibition has been curated to showcase the high standard of work produced by its members, who mainly belong to photographic clubs, in a variety of genres. Many of the photographers whose work form part of the exhibition have earned some of the highest honours in the photographic world.

THE IRISH INVITATION

Meeting fellow photographers from around the world is very much what belonging to a federation, association and a club is all about. When chatting to Paul and Gabriel at Vitality Shandong, a FIAP Photo Festival in China, I was intrigued to discover that they still paid as much attention to the types of paper and all things related to printing today as in the days of darkroom work – all their prints exhibited here were individually printed by each of them.

Paul Stanley FIPF EFIAP/p ESFIAP PFIAP & Helen Hanafin FIPF EFIAP/D2 PFIAP are active members of the Dublin Camera Club, Ireland’s largest club and Paul is currently President of that club. They are both Fellows of the Irish Photographic Federation and are on their Distinction Assessment Panel with Paul as Chair. Paul is a member of the Directory Board of FIAP, the first person from Ireland to be on their Board and is the Director of the FIAP Photo Academy Online Events. John Sheridan FIPF & Gabriel O’Shaughnessy FIPF, MFIAP, ESFIAP, PFIAP are both members of the Drogheda Photographic Club which is located approximately 50Km north of Dublin on the east coast in the Republic of Ireland. They are both Fellows of the Irish Photographic Federation and Gabriel is also a Master of FIAP. All four of them participate with considerable success on the International Salon Circuit with John winning more than thirty FIAP Blue Pins, which are awarded to the most successful photographer in an international salon.  They all also judge international salons.

OBIE OBERHOLZER

“Kris Kristofferson sang, “Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose.” I can’t sing—but I’ve dabbled, for the past 55 years, in the freedom I have found in photography. One of my long-standing mumblings is this: After a long gravel road, when you arrive at a T-junction, there’s a certain freedom in not knowing whether to turn left or right. Now, at 78, I’ve arrived at yet another junction—only this one looks more like an intersection of many roads. It took a while for the dust to settle. Standing there, uncertain, that dreaded word “Retrospective” came crashing in, forcing me to glance back at where I’ve been. Old and slightly battered, I decided to explore my photographic timeline in a book titled ‘For the Love of It. Here, I look back at the situations, adaptations, and odd incidents that have shaped my journey in photography.” 

LLOYD EDWARDS

Lloyd Edwards, owner of Raggy Charters skipper, marine guide, photographer, author & conservationist shares his amazing images with. Lloyd has been a key figure in the research and conservation efforts of the Addo Submarine Canyons. His company, Raggy Charters, has been conducting regular cruises to the Addo Canyons, where they have successfully spotted Pygmy Killer Whales and other marine species. Edwards’ passion for Algoa Bay and cetaceans worldwide is evident in his ongoing support for the Baywatch Project and his advocacy for marine conservation.

COPYRIGHT OF PHOTOGRAPHS BELONG TO THE ARTISTS