On Saturday 6th May 2023, I interviewed Chester Higgins. He is the renowned African-American photographer who was inducted into the International Photography Hall of Fame on 4th November 2022. He joins other celebrated artists there, among them Robert Capa, Bill Brandt, Annie Leibovitz and Henri Cartier-Bresson. It is no wonder he's counted among the greats: his legendary 4-decade career at the New York Times precedes him; his body of photographic work which extends over 50 years of practice prior to, during and beyond the Times, is a source of pride not only to people of African descent but to the global community of lovers of photographic art. There is a sanctity in the way he documents the African-American and African experience of the world. An ineffable quality permeates his photographs. Chester Higgins would call this quality, spirit. With his lens, he accesses the spirit of his subjects.

Chester Higgins as archaeologist and anthropologist. Click here to read the review of his great work, Sacred Nile. This book, which spans 229 pages, provides the subject matter for Part 2 of my interview with the legendary photographer.