General Information for Prospective/New Members

Committee

The MCC committee meets once a month to discuss the affairs of the club. The 2023 committee and the various portfolios is as follows:

PhotoVault Competition Steward - Terry Burne/Derek Brittain
Competition Steward  (non-committee) - Leon Heyes
Challenges Steward - Terry Burne. Deputy: Connel Adey
Finance Steward - Tracey Rhodes
Chair and Meetings Steward - Des van Tonder. Deputy: Connel Adey
Laptop Driver - Heidi Taylor/Corné Appel
Outings Steward - Heidi Taylor. Deputy: Leon/Tracey/Corné
Social Media Steward - Heidi Taylor. Deputy: Corné Appel
Website Steward - Des van Tonder
Vice-Chair and Administrator - Corné Appel
Vice-Chair and Training Steward - Corné Appel. Deputy: Des van Tonder
Studio Setup - Connel Adey. Deputy: Bertie Price
Committee Elder - Bertie Price

MCC Salon Committee
Leon Heyes – Director
Des van Tonder – Administrator
Tracey Rhodes – Treasurer
Terry Burne – PhotoVault Steward

Club Meetings

The Club meets on the 3^rd Wednesday of each month at the MOTH Hall, Alan Paton Avenue. All meetings commence at 18h30. The evening ends at approximately 21h00.

Entries for Competitions

Entries for the Monthly Competition and the Technical and Marville Challenges are submitted via PhotoVault Online by midnight on the 10th of each month for the next month's competition.

The Competition Steward compiles all entries and sends them to judges throughout South Africa. Monthly competitions are judged by non-member, qualified judges. Technical and Creative challenges are typically judged by MCC Members.

A member must have paid subscriptions for that competition year, in order to enter any competitions. Should subscriptions not be paid, the Competition Steward will disqualify their entries.

The Monthly Competition

Entries are entered into several categories, i.e. Action and Sport, Nature Birds only, Nature no birds, Portrait, Photojournalism, Creative/Visual Art, 'Scapes, and Open. Each category and sligthly different criteria - it is critical for members to understand these to escape the dreaded DQ...

Technical and Creative Challenges (Club)

These challenges are to facilitate members learning and practicing new techniques. Outings are arranged when needed, sometimes with the Challenge in mind, so that members can learn from experienced photographers. This will also encourage members to become more involved in club events.

Outings and Workshops

At least One official outing is organised each month. These vary from Nature and Birding at Pmb and Durban Botanical Gardens, to Dezzie's Raceway in Port Shepstone, The Hare Krishna Temple in Chatsworth, the Hilton College Estate, Cumberland, and various sports at schools in the midlands, as well as workshops and trainings. Workshops are typically done at the NWO Studio, for the exclusive use by MCC members.

Fees

Individual membership: R450.00 per annum
Scholar membership: R230.00 per annum
Family Membership: R675.00 per annum
Country Membership: R320-00 per annum
Please pay to: Maritzburg Camera Club
Banking Details - Current Account
Bank - First National Bank, Midlands Mall
Branch Code: 257 355
Account Number: 6219 0777 543

Please use your name as a reference.

Grading

• • • • Members are graded into one of the following: 1 star, 2 star, 3 star, 4 star, 5 star. 1 to 3 stars are called "Juniors" and 4 to 5 stars are called "Seniors".

• • • • Extra gradings have been added beyond 5 star: 5 Star Bronze, 5 Star Silver, 5 Star Gold, 5 Star Platinum, 5 Star Diamond and Master.

• • • • New members, who do not hold a star rating, start at 1 star. If you have previous photographic experience you may submit a panel and the committee will asses your images and place you where appropriate. Those members, who transfer ratings from another club, are required to submit a panel of images and a reference from their previous club's Chairperson, to the MCC committee for assessment.

Awards

The judges at their absolute discretion will rate the image and make the awards. The decision of the judge in all competitions is final. The PhotoVault Steward will credit members with the appropriate number of points on PhotoVault.

Points awarded summary

Points are earned for each award you gain at regular Monthly, Technical Challenge and Marville Challenge competitions. The table below shows the points and awards:

• • • • 0-3 No award

• • • • 4-6 Bronze

• • • • 7-9 Silver

• • • • 10-12 Gold

• • • • 13-15 Merit

Star Progression

 

Bonus Points

Additional points are awarded for being named Junior and Senior Winner of the monthly competition, the Technical Challenge and Creative Challenge for the month and the Marville Challenge for the month. Points from Salon Acceptances are also added, whether they are Acceptances, COMs, or a medal position. Our members also enter International Salons, and those awards are recognised too.

Annual Awards

We hold an Annual Awards meeting at the end of the year, where various achievements are celebrated and awarded.

The Marville Challenge with Westville Camera Club

This is an annual event. The two clubs choose a subject alternately. The members have approx 9 months to collect images. The committee chooses the final 20 junior images and 20 senior images to submit for judging. The winning club receives a trophy.

The Mamba Challenge with Amber Camera Club

This is an annual event. The two clubs choose a subject alternately. The subject is announced on 1 June. Images must be submitted on 10 October - the winning club receives the Mamba Trophy.

Salons (National and International)

A Salon is an exhibition of images. A panel of judges assess images accepted into the Salon. These Salons are advertised on the PSSA website www.pssa.co.za and this website. Entry forms and rules are available on this website, from Photovault and on the PSSA website.

PSSA

The Photographic Society of Southern Africa is the officially recognised body representing photographers of Southern Africa. It is affiliated to the Photographic Society of America (P.S.A.) and the Royal Photographic Society (R.P.S.) and affords members contact with international photographic affairs.

PSSA aims to weld together the associated efforts of individuals and the clubs into one strong unit. They provide medals for, and participate in, the organisation of National and International Salons.

Honours are bestowed and awards are made by the society. These honours are respected throughout the world.

A photographic congress is held each year in conjunction with the Annual General Meeting of the Society. The congress affords photographers a platform to meet fellow photographers from around the country, and hear speakers who are recognised as leading authorities in their particular field.

PSSA publishes a magazine called IMAGE, which covers all aspects of the Society's activities and photography in general.

Honours/Awards - Photographic Society of Southern Africa

• • • • LPSSA - Licentiateship of the Photographic Society of Southern Africa

• • • • APSSA - Associateship of the Photographic Society of Southern Africa

• • • • FPSSA - Fellowship of the Photographic Society of Southern Africa