Paul Samuels

Paul Samuels' love for photography grew out of a foundation in fine art, picking up a camera for the first time at just 15 years old. That early start eventually led to his first commercial campaign in 2012,  the same year he was awarded the prestigious Tierney Fellowship and began working under the mentorship of renowned South African fine art photographer Jo Ractliffe.

That mentorship shaped his development into a genuinely versatile photographer, capable of moving between documentary-style shoots and high-end, polished advertising campaigns without losing his distinctive voice. He's also experienced in shooting stills alongside TVCs when projects call for it.

Paul works mostly with portraiture, driven by a belief that the photographic portrait is uniquely suited to expressing both individual and societal concerns — how people live in relation to broader social structures around them. His images frequently explore identity and belonging within society's subcultures, paying close attention to how groups define themselves through shared values and how people present themselves through dress, gesture, and attitude,  ultimately using photography to tell stories of young people across contemporary Africa.