YPS International Salon 2025

MR. CHRISTIAN KIEFFER

GMPSA

Christian Kieffer is a Luxembourgish artistic and portrait photographer who has been practicing photography over the past two decades. His numerous roundtrips to Latin America sinces the late 90's have openend and shaped his photographic style into a photographic approach. With black and whites portraying indigenous people to street photography scenes, the photographer directly confronts us with his subject. During the past years he has been engaged in developing a more artistic portraiture.

MR. JACKY PANHUYZEN

EFIAP/p, GMPSA/b

Living in Belgium (EU), Jacky had always been interested in photography, but other interests kept him from pursuing it seriously until his retirement. After retiring, he began taking photography lessons, joined a local photo club, and became a member of FIAP (Fédération Internationale de l'Art Photographique) and PSA (Photographic Society of America) to participate in national and international photo competitions.

What began as a hobby gradually evolved into a deep passion. His photographic interests span Nature (especially Macro), Landscapes, Cityscapes, Architecture, Sports, Streetlife, and Travel photography—with a particular affinity for India. In Streetlife and Travel photography, he focuses on capturing people engaged in their everyday activities.

MS. JENN YEOKKIAN KOH

GMPSA, EFIAP, GPU VIP 5

Jenn Yeokkian Koh is a Malaysian photographer and businesswoman whose passion for photography began in earnest in 2015, when she completed a three-month course in digital and basic photography organized by the Photo-Art Society Batu Pahat (PSBP).

Since then, she has actively contributed to the photographic community, currently serving as Vice Secretary of the Photographic Society of Kluang (PSK), and as a committee member of both the Photo-Art Society Batu Pahat (PSBP) and the Photographic Society of Malaysia (PSM).

Encouraged by her mentor, Jenn began participating in international photography salons in 2017. That same year, she earned the Proficiency (PPSA) distinction from the Photographic Society of America (PSA). Her achievements continued with the Excellence (EPSA) and Master (MPSA) distinctions in 2018, followed by the Grand Master PSA (GMPSA), EFIAP, and GPU VIP 5 distinctions between 2021 and 2023.

To date, Jenn has received over 500 awards and more than 6,000 acceptances in international photography competitions. She has served as a judge for national photography competitions since 2020 and has been invited to jury international exhibitions since 2021. She currently holds the role of Star Ratings Director (PTD) for the Photographic Society of America (PSA).

Jenn’s photographic journey began with a fascination for macro photography—particularly insects—and has since evolved to include a wide range of genres including landscape, minimalism, and travel photography. Her work is driven by a desire to tell visual stories and capture moments that evoke emotion and curiosity. For Jenn, photography is not only a form of creative expression but also a meaningful way to find joy and release from the stresses of daily life.

MR. MOHAMMED ARFAN ASIF

FPSA, MPSA, FRPS, EFIAP/d3

Mohammed Arfan Asif / Arfan, 60 years of age is an Indian residing in Dubai, UAE for the past 31 years. He began his photographic journey in the mid - 1980s with a TLR Yashica Mat 120 Film Camera in Bengaluru.  

Arfan’s primary photographic subjects include portraits and landscapes with a preference for the monochrome medium. Over the course of his 40 – year photographic journey, he has regularly exhibited his work in photography exhibitions and galleries worldwide. He has also won numerous awards including the Grand Prix in Serbia, the Trierenberg Gold medal, Photo of the Year in Germany, Al Thani Gold Medal, The RPS Landscape Photographer of the Year Award, the Best Entrant in the FIAP Competition “Sense of Humanity”, and several FIAP blue-pin badges, among over 1000 awards. 

Arfan was awarded the Fellowship of the Photographic Society of America (FPSA) in 2023, The Fellowship of The Royal Photographic Society (FRPS) in 2021, and the Excellence Diamond 3 of Federation of International Photographic Art (EFIAP/d3) in 2023, Many photographic organizations have awarded him honorary titles. 

Arfan currently serves as the Director of the Photographic Society of America’s Portrait and Landscape Competitions and as the Chair of the Pictorial Image Division Board of PSA. He has delivered talks, presented workshop, and online lectures, in addition to judging International salons. He has also featured in group exhibitions, curated 15 photography exhibitions and organized 6 International photography salons. Arfan has been a prolific writer on photography and previously served as columnist for Photography Middle East and Connector magazines. 

In 2009, Arfan founded the Shutter Bugs Creative Forum in Dubai, where he mentors photo enthusiasts. Although he retired from is career in Pharmacy in 2024, photography remains his passion. He believes that photography has the power to bring  people together and foster a sense of humanity. 

MS. PREMA KAKADE

ESFIP, EFIAP, EFIP, cMoL, E.CPE, GPA.PESGSPC, Hon.PESGSPC, Hon.CPE

FIP MEMBER ID : LM013667

Ms. Prema Kakade is an artist by nature having dabbled professionally in various forms of art like Batik, Tanjore and Mysore paintings. These pieces of art have reached innumerable countries through the prestigious Karnataka State Handicrafts Development Corporation. 

During her childhood she was exposed to photography by Mr. E Hanumantha Rao, the renowned wildlife photographer. Joining YPS in 2016 catapulted her passion for photography and brought her UP Lalit Kala Academy Award, Karnataka Tourism Award as well as many awards from national and international salons. Her works have won Acceptances from over 40 countries. She has been a jury member in many national, international salons and competitions. Her pictures and articles have been published in several digital and print media. 

 She says "Photography to me is not only an extension of my art form, but goes much deeper as a meditative media."

Her interest in photography includes various genres like pictorial, nature, wildlife, macro and travel. She has served as Chairperson for YPS Salons. She is presently serving as the Secretary of Youth Photographic Society, Bengaluru. 

MR. SUNIEL MARATHE

MPSA, ARPS, EFIAP/Silver, GPU-Hermes, cMOL, FFIP, Hon. CPE, Hon. FAIM, Hon. GPA-PESGSPC, FPSI/c, FPSI/m, FSoF

Suniel is a globally recognized photographic artist and educator with over two decades of experience. He has served as a jury member for 125+ international exhibitions and chaired 20+, showcasing his deep commitment to photographic art and ethics.

He has conducted 60+ workshops across India, focusing on Portraits, Fashion, Glamour, and Fine Art Nude photography, alongside leading distinction programs and image evaluations for major clubs like PSI and FFPC.

Suniel holds several prestigious honors, including:

GMPSA (2020) – youngest Indian recipient

ARPS (RPS, UK) and EFIAP (FIAP) – both in 2013

GAIUP (IUP, China, 2019)

Dual FPSI Fellowships – a unique distinction in PSI history

FFIP from the Federation of Indian Photography

With 1,300+ international awards from 65+ countries and 15,000+ exhibited images, his work has global reach. He has also held key roles in PSA, including Director, ERD, and ROPA Assistant Director.

Suniel continues to inspire through his mentorship, education, and global engagement in photography.

MR. VENKATESH BS

EFIAP/s, GMPSA/s, GPU CR4, c**MoL, GFIP

Venkatesh BS, is a passionate amateur photographer, traveller and also an avid reader/writer based out of Bangalore, India.
He has been regularly participating in Salons worldwide, and has got over 8000 acceptances & 1000 awards. He has served as a jury extensively. He is the Chair in PSA Annual Photo Travel Exhibition 2025.
In PSA he is currently serving in multiple positions: 2nd Vice Chair of Photo Travel Division, Photo Travel Interclub Director, Exhibition Recognition Director, PSA Exhibition EDAS Assistance Coordinator, & PSA Exhibition Website Standards Coordinator.
He also serves as the Captain/Chair of FIP's Nature Digital Quarterly Contest of Federation of Indian Photography (FIP) since 2021. 
His various articles on Photo Travel & Nature have been published in PSA's Travel Newsletter, in FIP’s Viewfinder magazine & also in YPS’s Dristi magazine multiple times.
He is a life-member of YPS, where he serves as Salon Lead.

MR. VIKI GAUL

FPSA, PPSA, GPSA, AFIAP

Viki spent her adult life as a potter/ceramist/painter. About 24 years ago she was gifted the Nikon FE2 and many rolls of film by her father, Fred Greene, Hon PSA, GMPSA. He said when she learned how to use it, he would give her a digital camera and mentor her in the art of post-processing using Photoshop. She joined the Photographic Guild of Nova Scotia, and soon after, the Photographic Society of America and the Canadian Association for Photographic Art. ‘Competition Photography’ became her passion, and 20 years later, it continues to fulfill her need to be creative.

Viki has held several roles at her club, and in the Photographic Society of America. She has received many awards through the years but is most proud of the ten times her name appears on her club Photographer of the Year trophy, and her most recent

achievement, the Gold level of the PSA Portfolio Distinction Program.

Viki will tell you, “It is important to immerse yourself in a photography club or organization, and … ‘putting in’ what you expect to ‘get back’, is the perfect combination for success.”

She believes that photography is the best hobby in the world!