As South Africa crept out of the trenches of apartheid towards a democratic state, the late Peter Magubane was one of many photographers on a staunch mission to tell the country's stories through pictures.
Magubane died this week at the age of 91 leaving behind a legacy of unforgettable images. Looking back at his work, here are five fun facts about his approach to photography.
A MESSENGER BOY WITH HIS OWN DRUM
Magubane kicked off his career as a driver and messenger for Drum magazine with the intention of joining the publication as a photographer. Ever resilient, it took him three months to catch the eye of the magazine's layout designer, eventually leading to Magubane's biggest assignment in the Free State to cover the 1955 ANC conference.
A STRUGGLE WITH DOCUMENTATION
As one of many photographers who documented the 1976 Soweto uprising, Magubane was ordered to stop taking pictures by protesting youths. In an interview with The New York Times, Magubane said that he was direct in letting them know that “struggle without documentation is not struggle. I’m not asking for myself only; I’m asking for anybody that has a camera documenting this struggle. You must let them work.”
LABELS AND BENCHES
One of his most famous apartheid-era works was of a girl on a bench separated from her black domestic by a “Europeans Only” sign. In an interview with The Guardian, Magubane explained he never liked to stage images and acted on impulse when he noticed the two on the bench.
“I did not interact with the woman or the child, though. I never ask permission when taking photos. I have worked amid massacres, with hundreds of people being killed around me, and you can’t ask for permission. I apologise afterwards if someone feels insulted, but I want the picture,” he said.
The picture was sent to his editor at the Rand Daily Mail and became a global sensation. Magubane tried to track down the woman and girl and find out who they were but, with no leads, had no luck. “Thank you very much, for not interfering with me when I took this,” he said.
A SLICE OF SOUTH AFRICAN LIFE
A monthly lifestyle glossy today, in the past Drum was never shy to cover the news. Famously, it was the only publication to cover the arrests of a number of women in Rustenburg who refused to carry passes. Having had many run-ins with the police while covering the controversial arrests, Magubane hid his camera in a loaf of bread. Magubane has also used a Bible and milk cartons to hide his photography.
LESS PEOPLE, MORE SUNSETS
Speaking to The New York Times, Magubane shared in his last days that he had switched from covering difficult stories to taking pictures of South Africa's beauty — the sunset.
“I’m tired of dealing with dead people. I now deal with sunsets,” he said, adding, “You see so many — it’s like meeting beautiful women.”
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.