New Member Q & A

We have found that members have a lot of questions about the club.  This page should hopefully answer most of the questions, but if there is any additional missing information, please feel free to send us an e-mail from the Contact Us page.

• Where do I get an application form?
  You can apply online here
• Are there any requirements to join the club?
  No, if you are excited about photography and interested in improving your own photos, you have qualified.  We have a healthy distribution of beginner members to experienced members.
• What is the membership fees and where do I pay this fee?
  A detail explanation of the fees can be found here.  It consists basically of an annual fee and new members also pay a registration fee.
• When and where does the club meet?
  The club calendar is updated online and can be found here.  Click on a specific event to get more detail about the event.  Details about the event location can be found here.  We have two monthly meetings.  On the second Monday of the month, a competition evening and on the fourth Monday a “Kuieraand” where we discuss topics to assist you growing your hobby.
• What is the demographic of the club members?
  The club members come from a broad spectrum of the local Centurion community.  We are a bilingual club, but meetings are predominantly conducted in Afrikaans.
• What equipment do I need?
  The minimum requirements are very basic.  You will need a digital camera and some access to a computer for editing photos and submitting photos for the competition.  You might find that the technical limitations of your camera could hold you back as you progress in the club.   The reality is therefore that you will eventually move from a “Point and shoot” camera to a “Bridge” camera or an entry level DSLR camera.  I would however not recommend that a beginner buys a new camera cold.  Join the club and understand to what level you want to develop your hobby before you dip into your savings.  You will need a proper editing program(s) for processing your photos.   The choices here are enormous and can range from free to very expensive.  The advice is the same for beginners, don’t spend any money now.
• How do I enter my photos?
  All photos to the club competition evenings are entered electronically, using our EMMA on-line system.  Members can enter 3 photos in a category of his choice and one photo under the theme for the month.  Members can therefore enter a maximum of four photos per month.  The open categories are: Nature, Altered Reality, Pictorial and Photo Journalism.  The photos must be in JPEG format, less than 500kB in size and maximum pixels of 1024 pixels wide and 768 pixels high.  Details about the rules and format of the photos can be downloaded here.  You will also benefit from the sample photos as shown in our Gallery.
• Can I visit as a guest?
  You are most welcome as a guest at any of the meetings.  We have many guests visiting us for different reasons.  Please introduce yourself to allow us to make you feel welcome as we would not recognize you as a visitor amongst all the other members.  If you prefer to visit just to observer, you are also welcome.
• What happens at a competition evening?
  Members enter their photos electronically prior to the closing date, usually the Sunday before the competition.  Three judges are appointed for each event.  They are normally senior club members and at least one visiting judge.  Photos are randomly projected on the screen and each judge awards a point out of 5 for the photo.  The total score is then used to classify the photo in the competition.  The name of the author is then displayed in cases where the photo has achieved a gold or better rating.  Depending on time available, judges will give some comment on the photo to assist the author to improve their photos.  During the evening various winning photos are selected as best in a category or best of the evening.
• How does the point system work?
   Members are given a star rating when they join.  New members will start as a 1* member.  Points are then awarded on a sliding scale by three judges for each photo entered into the competition.  As a member compiles points, they will progress to the next star level.  The detail of the scoring system and sliding scale used is available on the download page.
  Judges award each photo a Bronze, Silver, Gold Or certificate of Merit (COM) grading.  As the sliding scale is used, it is therefore easier for a 1* member to get a gold rating than what it would be for members with a higher star rating etc.  Additional points can be earned if a photo is judged best in the star clas, best junior/senior or best of the event.
• I have relocated and was a member at another club associated with PSSA.  Can I get credit for this when joining CCC?
  Yes, it is possible.  It is not an automatic process, the credit will be decided on a case by case basis.
• Can I join more than one camera club at a time?
  Yes, you can.  You must however decide which club is your “home club”

Hoping to see you soon