Appointed as a judge by Nikon

I feel honored that Nikon approached me to become a permanent member of the judging panel of the soon to be launched Nikon Photographic Club of South Africa. The Nikon Photographic Club is just another wonderful initiative by the South African Nikon team and the partnership with Oxford Scientific Library is nothing short of revolutionary. www.nikonclub.co.za

This was the short interview between NPC and myself: Here are the link.

NPC : Johan tell us a little bit about yourself and how you started off in photography

JP :My studio is based in Bloemfontein were I live with my wife Anneri, my daughter Guinevere (6) and my son Delarey (3) . I started Photography 25 years ago and turned professional 4 years later.

NPC : What inspired you to take up Photography as a profession ?

JP : As a young guy I saw the most amazing Sports Picture taken during the 100 meter Mens final at the 1988 Los Angeles Olympics. That inspired me to become a professional Sport Photographer although portraiture is a important part of my work.

NPC : Tell us about your preferred equipment ,what particular feature you like and what is your favourite accessory.

JP : After more than a decade using Canon equipment the D3 inspired me to change to Nikon in the beginning of 2008. Will I do it again ? Yes- with the drop of a hat !I am stunned by the seamlessness of the Nikon System. There is simply no weak links from Camera to Lenses to Flash and other accessories they all simply produce stunning result first time. Because of this the time I spend on digital workflow is now 20 % of what it used to be. The D3 with 600 mm F4.0 VR lens attached to it is by far my favourite camera lens combination. The WT4 Wireless transmitter is my favorite accessory and the Auto ISO Shutter Speed feature on my D3 surely the most under estimated feature on any camera.
NPC : Johan you have won numerous Wedding Photography competitions over years but do you have a absolute all time favorite photograph?

JP : Yes I do. In the good old film days I was commissioned by Touchline to photograph the 1995 Rugby World Cup Final. My image of Joost van der Westhuizen flattening Lomo is my all time favourite image. As Touchline is the Copyright Holder of the image and it was shot on film I don’t even have a copy!

NPC : Do you have future goals and aspirations in your photography ?

JP : Certainly. I would like to get more involved in teaching photography and shooting picture stories in the winter months when my studio is not so busy. Aids ,poverty and conflict are all very great topics to photograph.

NPC : What would your message be to aspiring photographers?

JP : Read,study and practice photography all the time. If it is in your blood then you are set for the future. Don’t be a camera junky …It is just a tool. Rather concentrate on the fundamentals of the world’s most popular hobby and your photography will grow.

And a link to the portfolio on the Nikon Site is here.