bio

Samora Chapman is a writer, photographer and visual artist. His specialty is getting under the skin of the city he lives in, finding the beauty and the humanity between the hard urban edges, with an artist’s eye. He is a freelancer, based in Durban, South Africa.

He studied a BA in Politics and English at the University of KwaZulu-Natal and developed a passion for photography while assisting renowned documentary photographer, Paul Weinberg.

He cut his teeth as a photojournalist at Mahala – a music, culture and reality magazine – where he served as contributor for three years and Editor for two. As a freelancer, Samora contributes his work to various printed publications, newspapers, websites and journals. He also supplies words and images to marketing, media and corporate clients.

Some of his clients include Red Bull, South African Tourism, The Guardian (UK), United Nations Foundation, Cotton On Foundation, Nelson Mandela School of Medicine, Mondi South Africa, The Lake magazine and Zigzag magazine.

Samora has been documenting the city of Durban for over 10 years, becoming immersed in many different scenes, and telling stories of hope and struggle alike. He recently showcased this body of work at his first major photography exhibition at the Durban Art Gallery, alongside iconic apartheid-era photographer, Cedric Nunn. The show, Revelations – the power of documentary photography, has shown in South Africa, Angola and Swaziland and is in the process of traveling further afield.

Samora is also exploring film-making, and recently produced his first documentary short – Footnotes in the City, an investigation of street art as visual activism in Durban.