Commercial and celebrity photographer, Xavier Saer, is set to launch his debut photography collection titled “Himba, Lords of the sand” next week.
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His Himba collection will be on exhibition at the historical Rand Club in Johannesburg from Thursday, 5 July 2018 until Tuesday, 31 July 2018.
“It all started last year when I stumbled on an image of a Himba online. From that second, I was fascinated with them, and I vowed to travel there and live with them, to know more about their ways of life and to photograph them in a personal way,” shares Xavier Saer.
Since then, Xavier Saer embarked on a mission to learn about the Himba traditions. He spent a week living amongst them in the Namibian desert, learning their language, building huts, cooking, listening to their stories and photographing every aspect of their lives.
Through this very personal experience of documenting the Himba tribe through photography, 10% of all proceedings that Xavier Saer makes from his collection will go back to the Himba community.
Xavier Saer further adds: “This collection is about showing the beauty of Africa and portraying Africans as the storytellers of their own stories, through my eyes. This is about African Renaissance, strength and beauty. I hope everyone gets to see what I see through these images.”
A prominent name in the photography field, Xavier Saer’s work has taken him to Dubai, Sao Paulo, New York, India, Zanzibar, and Ghana just to name and few. He is known to have shot some of the world’s biggest celebrities and musicians, and has numerous magazine covers under his belt, which are just some highlights of his very impressive resume.
Xavier Saer’s local celebrity portfolio includes the likes of Black Coffee and Enhle Mbali Maphumulo, Nomzamo Mbatha, Basetsana Kumalo, Leanne Manas, Shashi Naidoo, Ayanda Thabethe, Terry Pheto, Lira, Zonke, Kelly Khumalo, Loyiso Bala, Somizi and the late Bra Hugh Masekela and Simba Mhere amongst countless others. His has also done brand campaigns for the likes of FNB, Land Rover, Sun International, Mnet, Timberland, Peermont Global, Sony Music, Growth Point Properties, South African Airways, Danish brand Obaku Watches, and The Fairlawns Boutique Hotel.
With Xavier Saer’s Himba collection, he adds a new dynamic to his photography portfolio and the country can expect a lot more intimate collections like this one from him in the near future.
Image Courtesy: Supplied