Long time Nikon shooter and professional photographer, Evelyn Gibson, has been re-elected onto the board of the PSSA, and we at Nikon would like to congratulate Evelyn on this honour.
The Photographic Society of South Africa is the officially recognised Body representing photographers in Southern Africa. It is the South African equivalent of the Photographic Society of America to whom it is affiliated. PSSA is an autonomous Society and through its affiliations affords members contact with the international affairs of photography. More info here: www.pssa.co.za
We asked Evelyn a few questions about her photography career and involvement with the PSSA.
- How did you get involved with photography and then with the PSSA?
I got involved with photography when I retired from business in 1999. My husband gave me a Film Camera for my Christmas as I was always a relatively good point and shoot photographer, I think I took after my father who had his own darkroom etc. and was a very good black and white photographer.I decided to study Photography which I did for two years at the Open Window Academy obtaining a distinction for my Portfolio. I am so glad that I did that as I studied in film and slides which I feel was a huge plus for me as I always tried to get it right in camera but now with digital I feel I have become more creative.I got involved with PSSA in 2007, first of all as the Regional Director for Gauteng North and then as the Public Relations Officer which is the job I really enjoy as it is basically promoting PSSA and helping and dealing with the members of PSSA. I have been in this job now for many years. - What does your role at the PSSA involve?The Public Relations Officer’s Portfolio is promoting the Photographic Society of South Africa in as many ways as possible, getting sponsorships, encouraging photographers to join our Society in giving back to photography in as many ways as possible. PSSA runs a monthly competition for the Senior and Junior winners in our clubs around South Africa plus our web site competition which is for members only of PSSA – I am responsible for getting the judges every month for these competitions and the winners are then put on our web site with the author’s stories attached to the winning images. I am also responsible for the monthly newsletter that goes out to members every month.
- How did Club photography influence your career as a photographer?
Club photography is what we term as the learning process in photography. This is where members of the clubs have their monthly meetings where they enter images to be judged. Through this, we experience and see the different approaches to photography through the different genres in photography e.g. nature, landscapes, portraits, macro, still life and altered reality/creative/digital art. etc. Obviously, the camaraderie of people with the same interest/hobby adds great value to us all. I have been a member of a photographic club for over 20 years and this has had a strong influence in my photography and what I have achieved over the years. - Do you have a favourite camera and lens in your bag?I have a few favourite cameras and lenses in my bag. I just love my D850, D500 and the Z6 and the lenses that work well for me are the 24-70 and the 70-200.
- What advice can you give to young photographers?Many schools do have Photographic groups and PSSA is involved with some of them and the work and the images coming now from the Youth are certainly getting very artistic in many ways and the younger generation of course also using cellphones as well now are producing also some great images. We would obviously encourage the young photographers in all ways possible to take up photography as a hobby as they are our photographers of the future.
We also featured Evelyn Gibson in 2019 during Women’s month. Click on the link to read more:
https://www.nikonsa.co.za/news/portfolio/womens-month-feature-evelyn-gibson/
Image credit: Evelyn Gibson
