World Photography Day spotlight: Springs’ award-winning photographer
At 73, Rodney Cory proves age is no barrier, his photography wins national acclaim and the hearts of many.
World Photography Day is celebrated annually on August 19. First developed in 1991, it is a day to celebrate the art, science and history of photography.
This year, we shine a light on Springs-based photographer, Rodney Cory. The 73-year-old received the Impala Trophy as the overall winner of the competition hosted by the Photographic Society of South Africa in Cape Town this past weekend.
With over 1 000 entries from South Africa and around the world, winning an award at this prestigious event has been the highlight of his journey in photography.
“It is a massive achievement. I started doing photography in 2019 as an amateur. I was up against professionals in this competition, so winning meant a great deal to me,” he said.
Cory joined the Springs Photography Club in 2019, a club which he says helped improve his skills. He is now the chairperson of the club and an inspiration to many. He encouraged beginners to join photography clubs, stating that it helps enhance both skill and knowledge.
“We meet once a month and share photos with one another. It is amazing to have a group of like-minded people in the same place. It inspires and fuels you as a photographer,” he said.
In the competition, he won second place in the open colour category and first place in the open monochrome category. He also spoke about the technical side of taking photos.
“With my Canon camera, I use the 100-500mm lens for wildlife photos, the 24-105mm for portraits, and 15-35mm for landscape photos. Good lighting and a steady hand are essential, and you must always check the composition,” he added.
According to Cory, technology has introduced many changes in the way photos are taken and edited.
“Cameras have evolved. Developing was once a tedious process, but now things have become digitalised. You can process the photos yourself. To me, World Photography Day is a celebration of the preservation of history. Photos create memories, they capture history, our diverse cultures, and they tell stories.”
He shared a special moment during the event when one of his photos was displayed on the screen and received a collective reaction from the audience.
“That picture received the biggest reaction of the evening. It was the highlight of my night. It was the story the picture told, the nostalgia that captured the audience’s hearts. That’s what I want my photos to do, to tell stories that people can connect with,” he said proudly.
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Fun facts about photography according to Fotographee:
• The word “photography” originates from Greek, meaning drawing with light.
• The world’s first photo was taken by a French scientist, Joseph Nicéphore Niépce, with a camera obscura in 1826.
• Scottish physicist James Clerk Maxwell produced the world’s first colour photograph in 1861.
• The film used to capture the photos on NASA’s Apollo 11 moon missions was manufactured by Kodak.
• Apple released its first digital camera in 1994, the Apple QuickTake.
• The word camera originates from the Latin word “camera obscura” which means “dark chamber”.
• The chemicals used in the early days to develop photographs were poisonous and could be fatal if consumed.
• The digital camera was invented by Steve Sasson in 1975 at Eastman Kodak.
• Kodak was founded in the 1890s and became the world’s largest photographic equipment manufacturer.
• Photoshop was created by the Knoll brothers in 1987 as ImagePro. It was later bought by Adobe to create what we now know as Photoshop.
