THINKING IN PHOTOGRAPHY
Photo by Thusi Vukani.
In the world of performance, where moments are always live, ephemeral, and transient, how do we go about effectively documenting and representing the work of artists, visually?
The performance photographer is an essential part of the process of archiving both the process of making a work of performance or live art, and the moment of performance itself. But where do they fit into the creative process? How do they align their own practice with the brief of another artist? What are the ethics of editing or changing an image?
The Centre for the Less Good Idea’s Thinking In Photography workshop, and its resultant images and conversations, expand upon some of these questions.
In May 2026, under the banner of SO | The Academy for the Less Good Idea, The Centre hosted this four-day experimental workshop for six professional photographers who work in, or have an interest in, performance, theatre, and live art photography.
Photo by Thusi Vukani.
Over the course of the workshop, they explored what makes a compelling performance portrait, narrative storytelling within photography, photographing performance in a studio environment, and more. We took, as one of our points of departure, performance photography as an act of responsive, impulse-driven decision making. And while these might not always be the right decisions, they teach us something about the act of photography.
Part think-tank, part communally led workshop, Thinking In Photography is a deep investigation into performance photography from a community of practitioners, thinking together about the practice of documenting performance.
The outcomes of this collective investigation are The Open Moment – a public showing, featuring a combination of live performances and demonstrations that were documented by the photographers in real time, and shared and unpacked with the audience – and this publication containing some of the questions, photographs, and reflections from the week.
The Thinking In Photography participants are: Zivanai Matangi, Bash Hops, Stella Olivier, Christo Doherty, Andiswa Mkosi, and Thandi Sibeko.
CREDITS:
PERFORMERS | Lulu Mlangeni, Zara Julius, Mathabo Tlali, Phumzile Sitole, Campbell Meas, Nolwazi Qwabe & Vusi Petros Nkwenkwezi
FACILITATORS | Bronwyn Lace, Marcus Neustetter & Anthea Pokroy
PHOTOGRAPHERS | Zivanai Matangi, Bash Hops, Stella Olivier, Christo Doherty, Andiswa Mkosi & Thandi Sibeko
WORKSHOP & OPEN MOMENT PHOTOGRAPHER | Thusi Vukani
MOMENTEUR FOR THE SO ACADEMY | Athena Mazarakis
WRITER | David Mann
DESIGNER | Marcus Neustetter
Featuring performance excerpts from IsiWula by Aalliyah Matintela, Vakavigwa by Campbell Meas, Beneath the Tuxedo by Lulu Mlangeni & Archival Ground(s) by Zara Julius.
The IsiWula images come out of the exercise ‘Reconstructing the Moment: Slowing Down Performance Photography’, led by guest photographer Anthea Pokroy.
THINKING IN PHOTOGRAPHY PUBLICATION
One of the outcomes of this workshop, besides The Open Moment, is a digital publication containing the images, questions, and provocations that emerged over the four days. This publication, conceptualised by The Centre’s Athena Mazarakis and David Mann, and designed by Marcus Neustetter, finds its form through provocations as questions, images as potential answers, and incidental discoveries as footnotes.