Nico Smit

MPSSA, APSSA(Vers), AV-APSSA, EPSSA

Nico’s interest in photography started at school (Sasolburg High School), where he learned photography using an all manual camera and practised B&W photography in the school’s darkroom. During his military training, he presented courses on operational photography. He was a member of various photographic clubs (previously AFO in Pretoria and the past 29 years, a member of the Bloemfontein Camera Club). During his membership of the Bloemfontein Camera Club, he served several times on the committee and also held the highest star rating (Galaxy) of the club. He also acted as salon director of various salons hosted by the Bloemfontein Camera Club and was involved in the organisation of congresses of the Central Photographic Society.

Nico is also a long-standing member of the Photographic Society of Southern Africa (PSSA), where he served as coordinator of the honours judging sessions in the central region from 2005 to 2010. He was also responsible for the compilation of the original document on the norms and standards for e-photography of the PSSA, for which he was awarded two service medals from the society. His honours awards include four Associateships (APSSA) (colour slides, colour prints, AV, digital), two Fellowships (FPSSA) (colour slides, colour prints), Expert (EPSSA) and the highest award of Master (MPSSA). All of these were awarded on the first application. He participated actively in National and International Salons and received numerous acceptances and awards, which culminated in winning the Impala Trophy for the most points overall, no less than seven times (three times in the colour slide division and four times in the digital section). Nico also contributes to photography in the form of workshops and talks at camera clubs and congresses.

Nature is his favourite photographic subject, but he also enjoys sport and travel photography. In recent times, he has been focusing on the commercial side of his photography and his images are currently being marketed through various international stock photo agencies. His photos appear frequently in magazines, books, calendars and he also published two books on the Acacia trees of South Africa. Nico is still active as a judge at various camera clubs, as well as National and International Salons, while being a long-standing member of the honours judging panel.