‘Today I think the split between black and white in South Africa is irreconcilable. The whites are certain that it is our heart’s desire to be integrated into their society as social and economic equals, but they are wrong. The cruelty of apartheid – separateness – has infected us as well as them: We believe as fervently as they that there should be as little contact between the races as may be possible. For only by a separation more absolute than the most ardent racist could wish does there seem to be a chance of freedom from the suffering and oppression that living beside white men inflicts upon us.’
These were Ernest Cole’s opening lines for his book House Of Bondage when it was first published in 1967. They couldn’t be more devastating or less full of hope, and reflect the depth of his despair at the system that was crushing non-white people in his country – a culture that was ingrained in each new generation of whites and which dehumanised each new generation of blacks. Through his pictures, Cole showed, and shows, the world just how horrific and degrading the situation was in South Africa in the early and mid-1960s – and not the slightest power has left them. When one looks at his pictures and reads his written accounts of his experiences, it’s almost impossible not to fully sympathise with the sentiments expressed in those opening lines. It’s only with our retrospective viewpoint and the knowledge that the apartheid era did eventually come to an end that we can see hope did have a place, though tragically not within Cole’s own lifetime.
Bu hikaye Amateur Photographer dergisinin December 13, 2022 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Amateur Photographer dergisinin December 13, 2022 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
John Wade considers...World War II: Home Front 1940, by A.J O'Brien
Say the word 'Wall's' to those of a certain age and two things spring to mind: sausages and ice cream.
Panasonic FZ82D
If you want the flexibility of a superzoom bridge camera, then the FZ82D is a new model to tempt you. But is it any good? Amy Davies finds out
Leica D-Lux 8
Leica's latest advanced zoom compact resurrects a much-loved line, but can it challenge the Fujifilm X100VI? Andy Westlake finds out
Focus stacking for macro
In macro photography, depth of field is a real issue, but Rod Lawton shows how focus bracketing and Photoshop can fix it
Something magic
The official invention of photography is hard to pin down, but it's possibly 200 years old this year. Michael Pritchard takes a closer look at one of its pioneers
Fugue by Lydia Goldblatt
A profound and moving reflection on love, life, grief, childhood and motherhood, Fugue is a wonderful body of work, says Amy Davies
Honor's new phone crush, plus eye-tracking tech
It’s not exactly been a quiet summer for new phone announcements, but the pace is about to get even more hectic, with the massive IFA consumer electronics show taking place soon in Berlin (on 6-10 September).
Final Analysis
Peter Dench considers...'Matt, Border Morris Dancer, Clerical Error, Chester City' by Ryley Morton
Join the Club
PhotoClub247 is an online-only club of 400 friendly members and offers free live webinars
A new light on landscapes
Liam Man's dramatic, drone-lit landscapes have won him international acclaim. He tells Geoff Harris about his approach, and why still images still appeal more than video