Bonolo Tlholoe: South African documentary and editorial photographer exploring identity, family lineage and everyday life

Bonolo Tlholoe (b. 1995) is a multidisciplinary photographer and visual artist based in Gauteng, South Africa, originally from Pretoria. Working across documentary, editorial, and storytelling photography, his practice explores identity, memory, family lineage, and everyday life through deeply personal visual narratives.

Inspired by family photographs preserved in his grandparents' home, he began his photographic journey in 2017 using a cellphone, developing a passion for creating images that connect personal history with contemporary experiences.

Tlholoe's practice was further shaped through his studies with Through the Lens Collective (TTLC), where he exhibited in Photographers Are Not Facts (2020) and Elela (2021), a collaborative exhibition with Nkhensani Mkhari for the group exhibition Portrait Show.

He later continued his professional development through the Through the Lens programme in 2022 and 2023 while also gaining experience in the film industry, working in roles including Spark, Best Boy, Data Wrangler, and Digital Imaging Technician (D.I.T.).

His ongoing body of work, Legacy of Overcoming, documents three generations of his family, examining themes of heritage, spirituality, labour, resilience, and intergenerational memory.

Through a thoughtful blend of documentary observation and editorial aesthetics, Tlholoe uses photography to preserve stories, reflect cultural identity, and foster meaningful visual conversations.

How did you get started in photography?

I was inspired to get into photography by my family archives at my grandparents' dinner table, which had pictures of our lineage. The table was covered with glass, and you could remove those pictures.

I've always been curious about who took those images and what was really happening then. I then got into photography through my phone by taking pictures with friends, and noticed I had a good potential skill.

How would you describe yourself?

This question always gets me. I don't really know how to describe myself. Growing up, I've always been a curious child, fortunate enough to experience and express most of the opportunities I encountered.

I grew up in a family that is versatile within the arts and also involved in construction. My exposure came through both my parents.

I am a multidisciplinary artist, working in the fields of visual arts and fashion. Funny enough, I tend to doubt myself with the type of work I shoot and often wonder whether people understand what I am trying to say.

The responses I get are quite amazing from different audiences and their perspectives, which reflects how I was also curious about many of the images I saw from my family archives.

What are the main themes that inspire your photography?

There's a process to making your images connect, and everyone has their own way of approaching it. The way I connect my images depends entirely on the subject matter I'm working on, such as a Body of Work or a Series.

The subject matter really guides me in deciding which images are strongest from the moments I've captured within either a Body of Work or a Series. My current ongoing Body of Work focuses on my family lineage, reflecting the journey of the past three generations, transcending not only the past and the present but also the future of the family's ongoing journey.

Legacy of Overcoming is the title of the Body of Work, which reflects themes of generation, environment, family, spirituality, labour, connection, and critical thinking.

What moment in your career are you most proud of?

Getting to study with 'Through the Lens' for two years, in 2022 and 2023.

I got to exhibit at a couple of art spaces and online platforms from 2017 until now. I had the opportunity to work with a team in the film industry alongside Retang Sebeka, who gave me the opportunity to learn about studio lights and grips. I learned what effect different lighting creates on the subject we are trying to achieve.

I had many roles within the industry as a Spark, Best Boy, Data Wrangler, D.I.T., and assisted wherever I could. That was the most wonderful experience of learning from the film industry during 2022 and 2023.

What is the biggest challenge you've faced as a photographer?

I've had challenges with access to equipment and capturing a moment or subject. What I've learned is that using what you have is already a big step ahead. I learned the cameras I had and did test shoots with family and friends, which helped me a lot in understanding how to use light and improve my composition and framing. I started doing more research on cameras and saved up to get something I could use.

What type of photography do you specialise in?

Documentary, editorial, and storytelling photography. This is my strongest skill in telling stories through photography by capturing moments that evoke a feeling of what was happening at that time and place.

I studied fashion back in 2016 and have always been curious about the editorials featured in magazines and online covers. I then started incorporating my own fashion garments and wardrobe into editorial shoots with friends. My shooting style evolved through fashion, combined with a documentary and family archive approach.

How's the photography and art space in South Africa?

Photography in South Africa has a well-documented history of photographers and journalists. The current photography scene is evolving and making an extremely powerful impact on our environment and the perspectives of creatives.

The art space is providing photographers with more platforms to showcase and publish their work in the right spaces, which is encouraging the growth of emerging talent.

What do you think of the 54Ruum platform?

54Ruum is a platform that I see growing into a space where the most relevant and professional candidates are represented and published. Africa has many untold stories that people do not always get to tell in their own voices.

54Ruum is, and will continue, leading the way in sharing the untold stories that we, as visual artists, want to tell. I just hope to see younger emerging artists featured in the coming years.