Ian Berry is a British photojournalist renowned for his rare sensitivity in documenting both history-defining events and the quiet rhythms of everyday life. Entirely self-taught, Berry began photographing as a teenager in Preston, Lancashire, before moving to South Africa in the late 1950s. There, he freelanced for Drum magazine, the pioneering publication that gave voice to Black South Africans under apartheid.

In 1960, Berry was the only photographer present at the Sharpeville massacre, when police opened fire on peaceful protesters. His photographs provided crucial evidence in court and remain among the most powerful visual records of apartheid-era violence, work that brought him international recognition.

After leaving South Africa, Berry moved to Paris, where Henri Cartier-Bresson invited him to join Magnum Photos in 1962. Following his induction, he became a key contributor to the newly launched Observer Magazine, Britain’s first colour Sunday supplement.

Over the decades that followed, Berry’s assignments took him across the world, covering events such as the famine in Ethiopia, the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia, and conflicts in Vietnam, Israel, Ireland, and the Congo - creating images that combine journalistic integrity with deep humanity. His archive stands as one of the most significant visual records of the twentieth century.

Image Credit: ©Delmi Alvarez