Send your best wishes and impression of the exhibition to the pro@pssa.co.za (see below)
On 24 July this year PSSA turned 70 and we decided to show the whole country the excellent quality of work produced by our members with a prestigious travelling print exhibition. We would like to offer you a preview of the images that are being exhibited. Click on the link to download the PSSA 70th Anniversary Travelling Exhibition 70 Images by 70 authors for PSSA 70th Anniversary.
Follow the PSSA Express (the image is kindly supplied by Rob Minter of the Tygerberg Photographic Society).
23-27 September: The Eden Photographic Club in Mossel Bay is launching the PSSA Express at the Mossel Bay Music and Arts Festival on 23 September and will host the exhibition until 27 September.
1 – 4 October: Next stop is the PSSA Congress in Parys, where delegates will be able to admire the prints until congress ends on October 4th.
9-22 October: The Southern Gauteng region will next host the exhibition in the beautiful, rejuvenated old mill, now operating as the Snowflake gallery and event venue in Potchefstroom. The exhibition will be opened at 6pm on the 9th and the prints will be on display until 22 October.
1 to 3 November: PE Camera Club will host a mini-exhibition of 12 images as a foretaste to the full exhibition they will host during their 2026 Congress that will end the journey of the PSSA Express.
Please contact archives@pssa.co.za if you would like to be the next club or region to host the exhibition. If space is a problem, you are free to select a few images for a mini-exhibition of 10-20 images.
An exhibition to make us proud
PSSA members responded magnificently to the invitation to submit entries for the exhibition. More than 200 members submitted 850 images, from which 70 images by 70 photographers were selected. It was extremely difficult to select fewer than 10% of the excellent submitted images. The main selection criteria were to show unique images that illustrate the wide variety of photographic genres favoured by PSSA photographers and their diversity of skills. Only one image per photographer who entered could be selected.
Many of the photographers whose work form part of the exhibition will be known to those who follow salon and the Impala Trophy results, e.g. the current PDI Impala Trophy leader, Martin Barber, as well as runner-up, Alta Oosthuizen. Impala Print leader Gonnie Myburgh and runner-up Kim Stevens are also featured.
Work by members who earned the top MPSSA honour are also on exhibit, namely, Jill Sneesby, Francois Roux, Laetitia Kenny and Johan Botha, as well as images by sixteen members awarded Fellowship of PSSA (FPSSA). But images from all levels of photographers were selected, even one from a 14-year-old scholar from Pretoria, Martin Walters.
Most PSSA regions have committed to host the travelling exhibition. Remember, clubs are welcome to apply to pro@pssa.co.za for a suitable date if they wish to host it.
PSSA set Benchmarks over 70 years
The aim of the exhibition is to demonstrate that the benchmarks of excellence set by PSSA members over the past seven decades continues.
PSSA founder, the late Dr Kin Bensusan was named in a British publication as one of the finest photographers in the world during the 1950’s. He was awarded Fellowships by the Royal Photographic Society in the UK as well as the Photographic Society of America. He was acknowledged as the foremost authority on photographic history in Southern Africa and his book, Silver Images, is still considered the authoritative work on Southern African photographic history. Read more here.
In the publication Photograms of the Year 1958 British critics described Will Till of the Johannesburg Photographic Society as one of the great landscape masters in the world.
Dr Joseph Denfield, a PSSA director, is world-renowned for creating a visual history of ethnic communities in South Africa during the 1950’s and 1960’s. Read more here
The first editor of the PSSA magazine, Eric Vertue, served on most of the conservation and heritage societies in the Cape and was awarded a rare gold medal by the National Monuments Council and a silver medal from the Simon van der Stel Foundation for his photographs of old homesteads. Even the Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain awarded him an Associateship for his photographs of South African historical architecture.
The legendary photojournalist Dr Peter Magubane, who became an Honorary PSSA member in 2000, received honorary doctorates from five universities, a Fellowship from the Royal Photographic Society in the UK, the Order of Meritorious Service Class II from President Nelson Mandela and just about every other prestigious media award across the world. He died in January 2024. Read more here
Several other well-known press photographers have been PSSA members, most notably, the renowned late Drum photographer Alfred Khumalo, who was awarded Honorary membership in 2000, and the late chief photographer of Rapport, Jan Hamman, who was a chairman of the Boksburg Camera Club. Current top sport photographers Johan Orton and Christiaan Kotze are both Fellowship members of PSSA.
International role of PSSA
The founding of the Photographic Society of South Africa (PSSA) on 24 July 1954 in Durban, was welcomed by leading international photographic associations and photographers.
According to the Port Elizabeth of Yore website the Canadian portrait master Yousuf Karsh submitted an exhibition panel of 14 prints for the Port Elizabeth club’s 75th anniversary salon in July 1966, but unfortunately Ansel Adams’ prints arrived too late for this exhibition due to the British seamen’s strike.
PSSA continues to play an influential role in international photography and the contribution of PSSA directors have been acknowledged by some of the major international photographic associations.
Current director and former President Jill Sneesby was awarded a Fellowship by the Photographic Society of America for her service to international photography. She served as International Vice-President on the American society’s board and as country representative for FIAP (Fédération International de’l Art Photographique) with representation in 92 countries.
The late Barrie Wilkins, a former PSSA President and long-term board member, became the first non-American to be appointed a Director by the Photographic Society of America. Read more here.
PSSA regularly competes in international competitions as a “club” – for example, it has been the winner of the German International Photocup (GIP) for the past eight years and three years ago its colour panel came third in a FIAP Biennial supported by clubs from across the world.
Individual members regularly win medals in international salons and also earn international distinctions with salon acceptances. Over the years PSSA members earned 132 FIAP distinctions – 41 of them on the high EFIAP level.
PSSA promotes Youth
Judging by the outstanding performances by PSSA Youth members, there is a bright photographic future for the next generation. This is due to the high standard set by the active PSSA Youth Division.
An image submitted by a 14-year-old Pretoria scholar, Martin Walters, was selected as one of the 70 images by 70 photographers for the PSSA travelling exhibition.
PSSA Youth, entering as a club, was this year awarded the German International Photocup (GIP) Youth Cup and a PSSA Youth member, Daniel Conradie, was chosen as the Best Youth participant in this prestigious international competition. PSSA Youths came second in a Russian competition and individual members have won numerous medals in some of the top international Youth competitions.
Another scholar, Jeanine du Rand, won the U16 as well as U21 sections in a FIAP Youth Contest in consecutive years and one of her images, Longing, was selected as the “Best of the Show” in a Photographic Society of America Youth Showcase.
Several of the photographic clubs at schools are mentored by PSSA-affiliated clubs for seniors. The Youth Division administers monthly, as well as several annual, competitions where juniors can earn awards. They can also submit panels to earn Certificates of Excellence, which many schools consider when awarding colours.
Together we are stronger – PSSA formed
After many failed attempts to form a unifying body to represent all the South African clubs and photographers, a campaign spearheaded by Dr Kin Bensusan of the Photographic Society of Johannesburg, culminated in a founding congress in the Durban City Hall on 24 July 1954, attended by delegates from 26 clubs.
During the successful campaign Dr Kin mailed 4 000 letters to photographers across the country, finally convincing the doubters that they would not lose their identity and would have a stronger voice when united. He also emphasised that a representative body would offer the best vehicle for promoting high photographic standards in the country.
There are currently 116 senior and Youth clubs in eleven photographic regions affiliated to PSSA. In addition, the society has more than 1 100 active individual members.
PSSA has succeeded in realising its main objective, promoting high photographic standards in South Africa, through various means.
- The society was this year invited by the MICT SETA to assist with formulating a curriculum for photographic training.
- It promotes the skills of members by offering a countrywide competition base against which to measure their work through national and international salons. One of the toughest photographic competitions, the Impala Trophy, won by the salon entrant with the most points during a year, is a true test of skills. To win this trophy requires entering award-winning images in all 24 salons hosted during the year.
- Members are encouraged to work towards earning honorary titles on various levels by submitting panels representing their best work. PSSA also assists members to earn international distinctions from the international photographic federation, FIAP.
- At the annual PSSA and regional congresses speakers, who are experts in their fields, share their knowledge and workshops are offered where delegates can learn new skills.
- A year-long national training course, referred to as JAP, is conducted to train judges who are expected to enhance photographic skills at club level by offering constructive comments on images entered at club level.
- Clubs benefit from the access PSSA offers to an online entry system for salons and competitions, and the various guidelines for running successful clubs.
Send good wishes for the PSSA 70th Anniversary and Travelling Exhibition
Cape Town Photographic Society, the oldest South African photographic club and a founding member of PSSA, is proud of the prominent roles so many of our members played in the history of our society. Happy birthday, PSSA! May you grow from strength to strength – Cape Town Photographic Society.
Tafelberg Fotografieklub (Tafklub) congratulates the PSSA on its 70th birthday. We are a proud member of the PSSA. PSSA plays an important role in developing and promoting photography in South Africa. It is time to celebrate it!! – Quintus Heine, chairman of Tafklub.
Wishing the PSSA a Happy 70th Birthday! Congratulations on this amazing milestone! – West Coast Photo Club.
Congratulations today to the Photographic Society of South Africa on their 70th Anniversary. As PRO of this Society for many years, it has been a pleasure to work with the members of the Society in many aspects. PSSA keep inspiring us for many many more years. – Evelyn Gibson, PSSA PRO.
Just want to congratulate the PSSA on its 70th birthday… what a proud moment and 70 years of outstanding excellence…and so proud to be part of such a great organisation…wish you just the best for the next 70 years – Geo Jooste, Bloemfontein Kameraklub.
Congratulations to the PSSA on reaching 70! – from CTPS member Ivan O’Riordan based in Ireland.
I am so proud to belong to a society with such a wonderful legacy and such outstanding members – just have a look at “Remember our Members” under About Us on this website. May the next 70 years be as memorable! – Trudi du Toit, PSSA Archives.
Congratulations PSSA on your 70th birthday celebrations. Thank you for promoting Photography and giving us a place to grow together and flourish as photographers!!! – Juliane van Dyk, Tafelberg Fotografieklub.
Congratulations and Happy 70th Birthday, PSSA! Keep up the good work – John Arseniou, Queenstown Photographic Workgroup.
Views: 1378
