Bobson Studio was founded by Sukdeo Bobson Mohanlall in Durban, South Africa, in 1961. The studio catered mainly to a Zulu clientele, who posed in their own beadwork and costumes for formal portraits that were also made into postcards, which could be sent to distant relatives and friends. Bobson used two cameras during this time, a Yashica Matt 120mm and a Rolliflex 120mm. The studio became the city’s most famous portrait studio, and attracted clients countrywide. In the late 1960s and early 1970s Bobson Studio began to offer color portraits, which best captured the vivid dress of the clients. Mohanlall’s work is in several private and public collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, and The Newark Museum, New Jersey.
These particular pictures were found by my father many years ago, whilst visiting the Bobson studio in Cross Street. He came across them the other day and here you go…
Such an awesome post. Thank you for sharing these Sara!
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Hi Sarah, I’m wondering if your father or others that you know might be able to tell me more about the history of this studio. I am preparing a book about a photography project that involved making copies of old family photos, many of whom were from this studio. I’m trying to find out more about the history of various of the old Durban, Clairwood etc. studios. Our project is called Breathing Spaces: Environmental Portraits of Durban’s Industrial South -you’ll be able to find some articles on the internet if you put that into Google to see what it’s about, but we combined portrait and landscape photography by photographer Jenny Gordon, old family photos and also photographs by participants in workshops, all members of local communities (Lamontville, Merebank, Wentworth). The book I’m working on is based on our exhibition of the same name.
best wishes
Marijke