Strange but true: one of the photographers who defined the look of London's Swinging Sixties was actually working 5,000 miles away
Born and raised in South Africa, Sam Haskins turned ordinary young women into icons, creating some of the era's most influential images from a Johannesburg studio
Picture London in the Swinging Sixties and the distinctive work of King's Road boutiques and David Bailey come to mind. Sam Haskins, a photographer who helped shape the visual language of the era, was actually thousands of miles away at the time. Haskins crafted photobooks like Five Girls (1962), Cowboy Kate & Other Stories (1964), and November Girl (1967) from a studio in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Living in early 1960s London or Paris as a fashion photographer, one would typically have agencies, stylists, and other resources. However, Haskins had to create his own setups, using non-professional models and even doing his own makeup for November Girl. His unconventional approach, stemming from his background as a circus performer and his studies in art and photography, set him apart.
Despite the geographical distance, Haskins' influence was palpable. After a Yves Saint Laurent shoot in Paris in 2002, Haskins returned to mainstream fashion photography, passing away in 2009 after a final exhibition in Australia.
Written by urgent.news from Digital Camera World's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
