Talented members of the Howick Photographic Society (HPS) have celebrated another successful year with their 2024 prizegiving and Christmas function.
The event was staged at their regular meeting place, the Howick Bridge Club behind the Howick Leisure Centre in Pakuranga Road.
The Society’s vice-president Sheryl Williams says the organisation has been a stalwart of Howick’s photographic community since it was formed in 1956 by a core group of enthusiasts.
“The seeds for the formation of the then-Howick Camera Club were sown by Laurie Longstaff, an Englishman and keen amateur photographer who came to Howick in the early 1950s.
“Along with the local grocer, Doug Webster, they held a public meeting to encourage like-minded people in Howick who might be interested in forming a club.
“This meeting was held on Thursday, April 19, 1956 in the commercial rooms of land agent Norman Gibbs in Cook Street, Howick.
“The meeting was attended by 27 people. Thus began a club known today as the Howick Photographic Society Inc, which has become a firm fixture of the eastern suburbs’ community.
“It currently boasts a strong membership of 93 and continues to foster and grow the love of photography.”
The Society’s year runs from February to November. Members are encouraged to enter two competitions run each month, prints on the first Monday and digital on the third.
Members are placed into grades according to their ability, being A grade – Experienced, B Grade – Intermediate, and C grade – Novice.
“There are also five ‘special competitions’ held every two months with the first in May and the last in December,” Williams says.
“These are designed to challenge members with their specific subjects and are mostly non-graded.
“Whilst the Society has several of its own qualified judges, other judges are invited to critique and award points to the images.
“The person with the most points in each grade becomes that grade’s champion of the year.
“Members are then encouraged to enter their best prints and images from the current year into the final two December special competitions to choose the champion print of the year and the champion digital image of the year from the three grade champions.
“All trophies and certificates are then presented followed by the Christmas function.”
Among the members recognised for their work during the year were Andrew Cornwall, Susan Townson, Shona Kebble, Ian Barrow, David Morley, Margaret Jones, Ann Ellwood, Brian Duncan, Doug Mitchell, Heather Arthur, Torben Nielsen, Caroline Chapman, Tony Gorham, Sheryl Williams, Bob McCree, and Peter Feuerstein.
