Johannesburg - Victor Matom has always found unusual ways to get what he wants.
When he was a child in the 1960s and living with his granny, who earned just R5 a week, he discovered that filling potholes during the rainy season could be a lucrative hobby. Passing motorists would toss him a coin for his efforts and he was able to buy school clothes for his siblings.
Today, this innovative man can be found developing photographs taken on his antique Nikon cameras in a bath of coffee.
Matom has fashioned a way to process his pictures using pure coffee granules to obtain a sepia print with his signature style.
At the age of 55, Matom boasts many years of playful experience with his cameras and an admired portfolio of work under his belt – which happens to be a worn leather strap with a serpent buckle. The tall man’s photographic style is as distinct as his dress sense. A scarf and cap ready him for all types of weather. On the streets he is known as “Meneer” (Mister).
As a young adult, once Matom discovered he could earn a living from the pictures he took of his neighbours and friends, he began to realise the infinite opportunities the small device held in its lens.
“Photography is about feelings – it’s difficult to teach people about feelings but it’s instinct that makes a good picture. You can teach them about shutter speeds and F stop, but there’s a difference between making and taking a photo.”
A bag full of Nikons, each wrapped in aged fabric bags, accompanies Matom everywhere. His favourite is an old mechanical Nikon he bought in Japan.
A childhood growing up on the streets of Soweto forged a deep love for his fellow human beings. Matom calls himself an ambassador for the city and started out in his early twenties teaching children photography under a tree.
“Photography is art and I like to encourage my students to see it that way. They can sell it as art,” says Matom. Self-taught, he shares his skills freely, and thanks to a sponsorship with Nikon, is able to continue giving his time to young photographers.
A close relationship with the Japanese media, and subsequent interest in his philanthropic ventures from the Dutch, generated enough support for him to build a community centre. The building is where Matom’s learning tree once was, in the thick of Soweto life.
Last year Nikon began sponsoring the Sifikile School of Photography. A dedication to the Nikon brand and an impressive 25 years of community work meant Nikon embraced Matom as an ambassador for its I Am a Storyteller campaign, aimed at showcasing inspirational stories of South Africans who, through photography, have influenced change in their communities.
Says Grant Askham, chief executive for Nikon SA: “South Africa is filled with remarkable and inspiring stories. Stories of ordinary people accomplishing extraordinary things through their love of photography and the art of storytelling. With this partnership we aim to afford many future aspiring photographers the opportunity to share their voices.”
An award-winning stringer for many overseas publications, Matom epitomises the Nikon storyteller ideal because his passion lies in teaching. “I’m just a simple photographer, and I like teaching.”
Many aspiring photographers have spent time with Matom under his tree or in his Nikon training academy, including the winner of The Star’s Ken Oosterbroek fellowship, Nokuthula Mbatha.
“I knew nothing about cameras and I tried other career paths, but couldn’t succeed. Then I started taking pictures with Mr Matom and for once I was really good at something,” Mbatha says.
Matom’s office at the school also serves as a storeroom for a huge collection of books and magazines lining one wall of the room.
“There is absolutely nothing I don’t know thanks to those books.”
He has worked with many top South African photographers, citing his greatest influence as Struan Robertson. Matom remembers the violent days leading up to the election in 1994 and has been published in many international journals, such as Time Life.
Matom has two adult children with his Japanese ex-wife. He continues to teach his craft in Soweto, and Nikon has partnered with him to offer photo walks around his community. Nikon enthusiasts spend the morning on the streets of Kliptown, where he shows them life in his community and offers tips on making a great shot.
Matom’s love of the camera and his affection for people are infectious. “We have to look at life like a chameleon. I tell my students to be ‘makers’ not ‘wishers’,” says the gentle man.
The Star