What is EPC?

The Edenvale Photographic Club (EPC) is not a formal photographic school but it is a great place to start, improve and learn the skills of your hobby. We have several highly experienced members who have been in photography for many years, as well as beginner members and everything in between.

The basic format of club meetings is that members bring along their images to be evaluated by a visiting judge, who will usually make a presentation on some aspect of photography. Members are split into Star ratings, ranging from 1 – 5*. Inexperienced members (1 star) are judged along with other 1 star members and 2 star (a bit more experienced) with other 2 star people and so on where 5 star photographers are evaluated like with like. Members submit up to 3 images per meeting in any combination of nature and pictorial.

How do you get promoted from 1 to 2 star and above? The judge/evaluator awards points for each image based on meeting the criteria of that member’s star rating. Members are promoted as they accumulate points to target levels for each star rating. As a beginner you would be a ‘1 star’. In 1 star the judge is looking only for a sharp, correctly exposed image with some element of composition (e.g., don’t cut off the giraffe’s head) whereas a lot more is expected of a 5 star! It usually takes some time to be promoted so you won’t be rushed into competing against a 2 star or above.

Much of the learning comes from the visiting judges constructive comments on your own pictures, as well as the evaluations made on the images of other 1 to 5 star members. Most of our experienced members are happy to give advice to their less experienced fellow members. We place great emphasis on promoting skills in photography while having fun in a social and friendly environment.

Things you’ll learn:

Correct image focus

88

Image composition

98

The exposure triangle

93

Shooting on manual

79

Ideal camera settings

79

Why should you join EPC?

  • Belong to a photography group that promotes, sustains and honours the highest standards of art and artistic expression in photography.

  • Affiliation to the PSSA, the only South African  photographic society affiliated to the world’s major photographic organisations.

  • Local competition nights to gauge and measure your development as a photographer, with critique and valuable feedback on each image presented.

  • Explore growth opportunities exist to expand and improve your photographic skills in many different genres through workshops and lectures.

  • Share, communicate and learn with like-minded photo enthusiasts.

  • Tap in to a national network of photographers at regional and national photographic congresses.

EPC’S 2025 COMMITTEE

Brian Shaw
Brian ShawChairman
Dave Wolstencroft
Dave WolstencroftVice Chairman
Hanli Smit
Hanli Smit
Andrew Mayes
Andrew Mayes
Debra Russell
Debra Russell
John Hosking
John Hosking
Johann Hofmann
Johann Hofmann