Club History – Photographic Society of South Africa

Current PSSA Club Profiles

Please Click on the headers below to read more about the clubs currently affiliated to PSSA, listed according to their founding dates.

The oldest photographic club in Southern Africa, has been active since it was founded on 30th October 1890 in the St George’s School room in Wale Street, Cape Town Since then, the club has grown and achieved many unique milestones. Click here to read more about the history of this club, which has played a leading role in the Western Cape and, and the many memorable members who also served PSSA.

1891 Port Elizabeth Camera Club

The Port Elizabeth Camera Club (PECC) is the second oldest existing Camera Club in the country, after Cape Town, and goes back to 27 July 1891, when a group of enthusiasts gathered to form the Port Elizabeth Amateur Photographic Society. From the start, PECC made photographic history and some of its prominent members played significant roles in PSSA and global photographic circles. Click here to read a summary of the club’s history.

1921 Durban Camera Club

The Durban Amateur Photographic Society was founded on 19 August 1921 and celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2021. During the second half of the 1920’s the club changed its name to Durban Camera Club and it has been that way ever since. Click here to read the history of the club and its memorable members. In 1996, Durban hosted the PSSA national congress, and in the Congress Program it provided an overview of its history and the role of other Kwa-Zulu Natal clubs. Click here.

1930 Krugersdorp Camera Club

The Krugersdorp Camera Club was founded in 1930 and has been active ever since. Records show that the club existed as early as 1931. A photograph was entered in a competition during 1931 under the name of Mr. Cecil Coath … winning him the first prize! Read more about this prominent club and its members here.

1931 Midlens Photographic Club

Midlens Photo Club is an amateur photography club in Middelburg, Mpumalanga, which is one of the oldest photography clubs in South Africa. The aim of the club is to promote photographic interest within our community and provide a place for everyone with an interest in photography to meet and exchange ideas and share experiences. See more on their website and Facebook page.

1932 Pretoria Photographic Society

Founded in l932, the Pretoria Photographic Society (PPS) is one of the longest surviving photographic clubs in South Africa. The society was formed by interested photographers as a means of getting together in congenial circumstances to discuss their hobby and learn from each other. Read more about the society, its milestones and memorable members here.

1934 Maritzburg Camera Club

One of the longest surviving clubs, Maritzburg Camera Club (MCC), is based in the beautiful valley of Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal. Their mission is to create a place of sharing and exploring of all aspects of photography. All beginners, novices, intermediate and advanced photographers welcome! Find more information about the club here including about “challenges” in which members can compete against other clubs.

1935 Camera Club of Johannesburg

Commonly known as CCJ, the Camera Club of Johannesburg has a rich history, to which many talented and exceptional members contributed. One of the oldest photographic clubs in South Africa and the longest surviving Johannesburg club, its founding statement “to foster pictorial photography in a club where originality was not stifled by conventional judging” set it apart from other clubs from the start. Michael Meyersfield’s MA dissertation, “Situating the Camera Club of Johannesburg in the South African Histories of Photography 1960-1989” explains why the club is unique. Read a tribute to renowned CCJ member Hendrik Ferreira here and to Dan Swart here.

1953 AFO Fotografieklub

AFO Fotografieklub is one of the leading clubs in South Africa, with some of the top photographers as members. The club is usually a strong contender for the annual Premier Club Competition trophy, awarded to the club whose members earned the most points in salons during the year. One of its most famous members was the late PSSA President, Louis Marais, who was so popular that he was elected for an unprecedented two consecutive terms. His son, Koos Marais, is the current chairperson of the club. Towards the end of 2024 and in the beginning of 2025, he hosted two exhibitions of the PSSA 70th Anniversary Travelling Exhibition on behalf of AFO. Read more about the history of the club here.

1954 Helderberg Photographic Society

Helderberg Photographic Society, which meets in Somerset West, celebrated their 70^th anniversary at the end of December 2024 (See more here). In a delightful AV (watch here), explaining the inspirational influence of a Kamieskroon workshop by Freeman Patterson and Colla Swart, the philosophy and history of the club is narrated by members like Nicole Palmer, JJ van Heerden, Steve Trimby, Nettie Warncke and others. It also explains why the club’s emphasis is more on evaluation than competition and why they don’t have star ratings … even though Helderberg dominated the Western Cape Interclub competition for about 25 years.