One of the things I love most about editorial work is discovering the stories behind the photographs.
While photographing Sarel van der Merwe for 000 Magazine, I found myself drawn to one in particular.
Someone saw the potential
Long before sponsorships became carefully engineered marketing campaigns, South African entrepreneur Danny Chauvier believed in Sarel’s talent.
Through his company, Kreepy Krauly, he backed Sarel’s racing career locally before helping secure the support that would propel him onto the international stage.
Then, in 1984, Sarel van der Merwe, Graham Duxbury and Tony Martin won the 24 Hours of Daytona in the now-iconic Kreepy Krauly Racing March 83G-Porsche.
A South African driver.
Backed by a South African entrepreneur.
Winning one of the world’s great endurance races.
There’s something wonderful about that story.
"Behind many remarkable careers is someone who saw the potential before everyone else did. "
The story behind the photograph
It’s one of the reasons I enjoy photographing people.
You arrive with a brief and an idea of the photographs you want to make, but invariably you leave knowing something you didn’t before.
Sometimes those stories change the way you see the person in front of the camera.
And occasionally, they give the photographs a little more weight.
A photograph can capture a moment. It’s the story behind it that stays with you.
Project information
Publication — 000 Magazine
Subject — Sarel van der Merwe
Photography — Charles Russell
Genre — Editorial Portraiture
Location — South Africa