A small time township photographer from Khayelitsha is today a sought after name for brands like Woolworths after his talent was spotted and nurtured by local professional photographer Damon Hyland.
Hyland recently moved back to Salt Rock with his wife and son to have a more balanced lifestyle between work and family.
Sambu was a well known portrait photographer in his township with his very own mobile outdoor studio.
He had a collection of swimming towels with murals of dolphins, a waterfall, a tiger and more which he pegged to the barbwire fence and used as interchangeable back drops for his portraits.
People would pay him R50 for a printed portrait which he printed out on his little battery operated printer.
Sambu became the go-to man for matric dance photos, weddings and any other special events.
He made his living of about R1500 a month with his cheap little point and shoot camera.
Damon Hyland, a well known editorial, fashion and conceptual photographer, moved from Stanger to Cape Town four years after he completed matric.
Hyland had never studied photography but had a keen interest and passion for the field.
He found a job as top fashion photographer Jacques Weyers’s assistant from whom he learned the trade.
Sambu and Hyland’s paths crossed when Hyland began filming and photographing the children from Khayelitsha who play soccer on the side of the N2 highway between the Cape Town Airport and the city.
“I realised his potential and became interested in helping him grow and to give him an opportunity,” said Hyland.
He hooked Sambu up with Nikon cameras and equipment and over two years he mentored him as much as he could.
“I lived 40 minutes away in Cape Town but I made an effort to meet with him regularly to help him develop his business, improve his photography and his confidence. He went from having no clue to now shooting for Woolworths,” said Hyland.
Sambu received a bursary from IMARA investment banking group to study photography at the Cape Town School of Photography.
After his studies IMARA commissioned his first big assignment – documenting life along the Okavango Delta in Botswana.
This was the first time that Sambu had ventured outside of Cape Town and first time flying in an airplane.
Hyland accompanied Sambu on his adventure and made a short film on his journey.
Follow this link to watch Sambu’s heart warming tale.
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