Member Bios
Hans-Werner Griepentrog, MPSA, EFIAP
Hans-Werner was born in 1952, lives in Lehrte/Germany, and is a pensioner. He has been a member of the PSA since April 2020 and photographs at sporting events, rugby, hockey, American football, marathon, and triathlon. He is also interested in macro, nature, birds and travel photography.
He has been taking photographs since 1985, analog until 2003 and digital since 2004. He earned the QPSA and PPSA distinctions in 2020, the EPSA distinction in 2021 and MPSA distinctions in 2023. FIAP distinction EFIAP in year 2022.
He shoots with Canon EOS R5, EOS 5D MKIII, and his preferred lenses are RF 4,5-7,1 100-500mm L IS, EF 2.8 70-200mm L IS II, EF 2.8 300mm L IS, and EF 2.8/ 180mm Macro.
Ronald Davis
Ron Davis is an amateur photographer who takes mainly sports photographs, sometimes travel when able. He started sports photography in a simple way about 1973, when as a player, he experienced a lot of injuries and found with a camera, he could still be involved. From about 2016, he restarted sports photography again, concentrating on suburban sports clubs. Nearly all of his photos are distributed to the clubs and players involved. He is a member of Ivanhoe Photographic Society, a local club, and has been granted Associate Membership of Australian Photographic Society by panel judgment, submitting mainly sports photos. He enjoys sports photography, as it is one of the few areas in our daily lives in which people express their emotions, especially through the face.
Dr Isaac Vaisman, APSA, PPSA
Dr. Isaac Vaisman, PPSA
I am a native of Caracas-Venezuela, born and raised there. I still am a semiretired physician (Radiation Oncologist) and a self-educated photographer since the mid-sixties. As a teenager I was the youngest member of the Foto Club Caracas. Winner of the first price in black and white prints in all three camera clubs of Venezuela, the same year. Did my own black and white processing and printing for many years, until I finished medical school and came to the US for postgraduate training in the 70's.
After a very long gap, started with digital photography in the early 2000's and more involved since I acquired my first digital Nikon D300 . I am a "Nikonian" by conviction. Have participated in many competitions and received several awards.
I joined the first Camera Club in Florida in 2008: Broward Camera Club, of which I was President for four years (2013 to 2016). Also was a member of the Pines West Camera Club, and currently I only attend the Coral Springs Camera Club that offers activities of interest.
I joined PSA in 2011. Completed the course of Image Evaluation a few years ago, and most recently (March 2021) the Advanced Photo Travel Course and was an instructor for a while. Appointed as 2nd Vicechair of the PSA Photo Travel Division in 2021 as well as Director of all the Photo Travel Image Discussion Groups. Now I am the First vice-chair pf the PTD.
I am an active member on five of the PID Digital Dialogue groups: 04 (General Photography), 58 (street Scenes), 59 (Sport), 72 (Nature +) and now group 15 (Birds). I am the administrator of groups 15, 58 and 72. I am also a member of the PSA PTD (Travel Photography) group 04 and the PJ (Photojournalism) of Human Interest group 5 of which I am also the Administrator.
Early in 2022 I obtained my ROPA distinction QPSA, and in October 2022 my ROPA distinction PPSA. I hold 3 stars in Nature Exhibitions, 3 stars in Monochrome Class, 3 stars in Color Class, 3 star in Photo Travel Exhibitions and 1 star in Photojournalism. On September 2024 I was awarded the APSA Certification.
Bruce Benson
Name: Bruce Benson
<br />Location: Tacoma, Washington
<br />Age: 72
<br />Occupation: Retired, 32 years elementary PE teacher Tacoma School District;
<br />Owner/Director "Benson Soccer USA" international soccer tours and soccer camps. We took over 1000 young soccer players around the world to participate in tournaments and training camps. Countries visited, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria, England, Russia, Thailand, Argentina, Brazil.
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<br />My interest in photography began around 2004 photographing my grandkids' soccer games and making posters for them. IN 2005 a visit to Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge sparked my interest in wildlife and long lenses. My first entry into a PSA competion ,the NW International Exhibition of Photography resulted in a gold medal Best of Show image and I was hooked. I started studying Photoshop and used the internet to find the best locations for wildlife. My sports photography was providing some income selling posters to soccer players allowing me to purchase a 100-400 lens and a Canon 20D camera. Selling my beloved Mazda Miata sports car
<br />provided the money to by a 400 2.8. My travels around the world provided the opportunity to photograph images for soccer tournaments in Sweden, Denmark Spain Uganda and England for use in their brouchures. In Sweden, I met the editor of Svenskdam Fotboll, a national magazine for female soccer.
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<br />I have been providing images and articles for him including covering the womens world cup in Vancouver.
I was raised near Yellowstone National Park and soon realized how fun it was to photograph wildlife. My favorite subjects are foxes, grizzly bears, and birds, especially owls and eagles.
Http://www.pbase.com/brucebenson
Andre Magarao
My interest in photography began during a time I was also really into mountain biking. So I was mainly shooting the landscape of the places I got to go on my bike. Since biking is a sport that teaches you the importance of waking up early, I've also learnt to appreciate the beauty of that early morning light.
Since I've always been into sports it was a natural step to start shooting my friends doing sports. I quickly noticed that shooting during "the golden hour" led to shots I liked more. But then I started shooting sports like skateboarding and it's very hard to talk skateboarders into waking up at 5am to get that good light. That was when I started studying artificial light.
Nowadays I travel with a pretty big amount of gear and place flashes where I probably shouldn't be placing .
Group Admin
Gerald Emmerich Jr, HonFPSA, GMPSA/P
I enjoy photographing almost all subjects, and I particularly like sports photography. The fast-changing action is always a challenge, and it’s very satisfying to get an image with peak action.
I am a long-time member of the Photographic Society of America (PSA). My service to the Society has covered many positions, including PSA Wisconsin Chapter Chair, PSA Conventions Vice President, and PSA Secretary. In 2012 I received the prestigious PSA President’s Award. I was awarded PSA’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017 and received Honorary Fellow (HonFPSA) honors in 2018. In 2020 I received the Sophia Cheung PSA Volunteer of the Year Award. I served on the PSA Board of Directors from 2003 to 2013 and served as a member of the PSA Executive and Finance Committees from 2009 to 2013.
I am a multiple-galaxy or -diamond exhibitor in four PSA Divisions – Projected Image, Nature, Photojournalism, and Photo Travel, with 11,400 acceptances in PSA-recognized international exhibitions, including 55 gold medal or best of show awards. I was awarded the GMPSA-Silver Distinction in 2021.
Don James
I started developing a love for photography at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020. Everything was shut down and my kids were not able to get something as simple as their school pictures. I started taking online classes and when things started to open up, in-person classes. I took school pictures not only for my kids, but for other kids in the neighborhood. It was a way to give back to the community and help others during such a difficult time. My focus today is primarily on sports photography. However, I do professional head shots, nature shots and portraits.
A little background on me - I'm a Furman University alum. I also have an MBA in Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Marketing. I currently reside in Fort Mill, South Carolina with my bride of 21 years. We have 6 precious children, from college age to kindergarten. My primary job is leading a marketing team in biotech for a new product that treats an ultra rare genetic disease. I enjoy capturing special moments for my family and for others so we can look back on life's journey and the blessings we've been given. I am the team photographer for the local high school where my son is a starting right winger. My other son plays striker. I enjoy taking pictures of special moments on the field of play not just for my boys, but for all the parents on the team. It captures a special moment in time forever - freezing these special memories to be seen by generations to come.
You can see my work on: Donald James Photography