The Photographic Society of South Africa would like to encourage young people to develop their photographic skills. The youth division of PSSA also provides the youth with a platform to measure their skills and compete against other children of their age nationally and internationally. These competitions also provide schools with a means to assess the skill levels of the children external to the school as a means of awarding school colours.

Here is some important information regarding the PSSA Youth Division and its activities and deadlines for 2024.

1. Annual PSSA Youth Division Salon

This salon (6th PSSA National Youth Salon) is open to all youth members of the Photographic Society of South Africa (PSSA) worldwide, as well as all photographers younger than 21 years old residing in South Africa.

Entrants need to be younger than 21 years old at the closing date.

The Salon will be conducted within the requirements and practices as prescribed by PSSA. There is no entry fee for this salon.

Closing Date to be confirmed.

2. Certificates of Excellence (COEs)

This opportunity is open to youth members (under the age of 21) from any of the PSSA clubs and school photography clubs in South Africa. In order to recognize photographic skill in this division PSSA offers these COE awards – Certificates of Excellence.

Applications for COEs take place twice a year. The dates for 2025 are as follows:
• Friday 1 March 2025
• Friday 2 August 2025

For more information on how the application process works, click here under the Youth Division menu on the PSSA website.

3. German International Photocup 2025

This is an International Circuit Salon where the Youth can enter as a combined group as the PSSA Youth Photographers of South Africa.

Entries are limited to four projected images per category.
The four categories for each section are:
1. OPEN COLOUR
2. OPEN MONOCHROME
3. NATURE
4. PLAY AND FUN – COLOUR

For more information on the category definitions go to Section Definitions – German International Photocup (germanphotocup.de)

The competition closes on 23 March 2025. I will assist all schools with their entries and therefore I will need all Digital images and entries by  16 March 2025. Phillip de Lange can be contacted here for help on the entering of the images in the competition.

4. PSA Youth Showcase

The goal of the Photographic Society of America (PSA) Youth Showcase is to involve the Society and its Chapters, clubs, councils, and federations in the promotion and education of photography among young people by highlighting outstanding photographs from high school age students.

The Youth Showcase is open to all students worldwide, ages 14 through 19 and attending high school or its equivalent. The Showcase is an excellent opportunity for eligible students to share their work across all boundaries and receive recognition for their efforts.

Entries are limited to eight projected images, from any one high school. The school can enter no more than two projected images from any one student. The students may enter two images in Digital and two in the Print section.

There are six categories (Print and Digital)

The six categories for each section are:
1. ARCH – Architecture
2. PORA – People or Animals
3. SCAP – Scapes
4. PJOU – Photojournalism
5. CCHOI – Colour Photographer’s Choice
6. MCHOI – Monochrome Photographer’s Choice

For more information on the PSA Youth Showcase Rules, click here.

I will assist all schools with their entries and therefore I will need all Digital images and entries by the 31 March 2025. The entries for the Print section must be entered and delivered to me by 25 February 2025.

The deadline for this competition is Saturday 5 April 2025.

5. PSSA National Up-and-Coming Photographic Competition

PSSA invites junior members of an affiliated PSSA Club (1 Star to 3 Star) and scholars, whether or not they are PSSA members, to enter.
The main purpose of this competition is to create an opportunity for club members and scholars, who do not yet feel ready for National Salons, to compete in a national competition with their peers.

The competition includes a separate section for scholars up to the age of 19 whether they are from a recognised scholastic institution or are home-schooled.

For more information on this competition and the detailed competition brochure, please click here under the Salon Calendar menu. The detailed brochure will contain all the detail about this competition.

• 27th PSSA National Up-and-Coming Photographic Competition
• closing date  Saturday 21 June 2025
• 28th PSSA National Up-and-Coming Photographic Competition
• closing date TBA

6. PSSA Youth Division Monthly Website Competition

All individual youth members are invited to enter images into this competition.

All Scholars/Students (up to 21 Years) may enter this competition which is running with the PSSA Youth Website Competition.

There is a set subject announced each month here on the PSSA website.

The categories are Open Colour, Open Monochrome, Nature, Photojournalism and Set Subject.

The images will be judged and a monthly winner will be announced.

The competition uses the PhotoVaultOnline.com online entry system. Type the address http://www.photovaultonline.com in your browser and log in or register if you are not already a user.

The competition closes on the 20th of each month.  Click here for the set themes.

The monthly results will be available here on this page under the Youth menu.

7. International Youth Photo Contest 2025 – Luxembourg

This competition, organized under the patronage of the FIAP and the FLPA, is open to all young people less than 21 years old on the closing date.

Each entrant may submit up to 4 digital photos. The subject is free.

There are 2 age groups :    

A) up to the age of 16 (born after 12/10/2009)
B) up to the age of 21 (born after 12/10/2004)

No entry fee.

Closing Date: TBA

8. Certificates and awards

The PSSA Board approved the issuing of certificates of participation to be awarded to each individual whose images are entered as part of a panel entry into an international competition.

The PSSA Board also approved the issuing of certificates of achievement for the annual top achiever from each youth club/school club. The details on how this will be awarded will be communicated soon.

Furthermore, the PSSA Board approved that schools may award full colours of honour and half colours of honour during the schools’ annual awards evenings.  Click here for the guidelines. 

As more information becomes available regarding competition opportunities, it will be communicated. 

I can be contacted here or on my mobile (078 863 9184)

Phillip De Lange
APSSA, DPSSA(Vers), DPSSA(Cls), AFIAP
PSSA Director: Youth Division