Andile Bhala is a documentary and street portrait photographer based in Soweto, South Africa. Bhala’s work focuses on the beautiful, the positive and the motivational side of South Africa.

Most of his photography is done in Soweto and around Johannesburg’s business district. “Photography has been a beacon in my life. The streets of Soweto with their bustling life, noise, smiles and legends in the making compel me to traverse this vast space in search of stories,” Bhala says.

He is drawn to moments that tell stories of the duality and contrasts of life in South Africa. “The rawness of the streets is integral to the work. I try not to manipulate the image. The reality in the image must not be lost. I challenge myself to see beyond the cacophony of the environment to capture its beauty,” he notes.

Street photography allows Bhala to exist in the environment alongside the people and to capture life in the belly of townships or the city streets. “Life through the lens is full of splendour and I find my mood being altered by it. I cherish this connection and I will continue to find meaning in both the mundane and complex. What you see in my work is my footprints - the places I have been and the people I seen,” Bhala concludes.