London-based photographer Tom Oldham traveled across the highlands of southern Africa to document the mysterious lives of the Basotho sheep and cattle herders. The series of portraits titled The Herder Boys of Lesotho.
Used to isolation and suspicious of outsiders, the herder boys weren’t easy to approach. There’s a reason for their hardened demeanors – the work is physically demanding and the weather conditions are brutal. The blanket each boy carries becomes his armour against the elements, the flag that marks his territory and a statement of his identity – inseparable from his person. The boys work alone or in small bands of four or five, they must always stay with their animals making sure they have food and water. They sleep in make-shift huts, but must stay alert to keep their herd safe from wild animals or bad weather.
Tom was open about his desire to photograph them and wanted them to feel like they were a part of the process, not like they were being viewed by an outsider. They weren’t ever photographed without their knowledge, but were asked to pose using their blankets and other accessories the way they liked. His camera was tethered to a laptop, so the boys could see their images right away. They even picked their favourites.
The exhibition took place in June 2017 and 59deluxe helped to curate the space and also design and install graphics and information about the project. An exhibition leaflet documenting all the portraits was also designed and given away free to the first 500 visitors.
