Born in South Africa and raised partly in southern England, Conrad Hechter returned to a complex, divided homeland, studying English and Geography at Stellenbosch University. After teaching in Cape Town and growing disillusioned with the political and educational climate, he left in 1984 to broaden his horizons. Travels through the Middle East, Europe, America, and Asia eventually led him to Sydney, where he studied filmmaking and photography, captivated by the extraordinary quality of Australian light. Later, he settled in California, drawn by its own unique visual heritage, continuing a lifelong engagement with place, light, and perspective.
Conrad has contributed as a correspondent for Studio Magazines (Black and White, Blue) and served as Gallery Director at the David Aden Gallery in Santa Monica and also a stint at the Michael Shapiro Gallery in San Francisco. He was also Business Director of FotoFactory Press, curating numerous catalogues and exhibitions. Currently, he works at Goldsmiths, University of London, and serves as a judge for the Black and White Spider Awards.
His work has been widely published, including in The Male Nude Now (ed. David Leddick), Nude Indexx (Udyat), Ecce Homo (Vertigo Publishers), Naked (FeierAbend Verlag), and selected FotoFactory Press anthologies.
My current photography explores the dance between light and shadow – not as opposites, but as collaborators in shaping meaning. Light reveals, sharpens, and defines; shadow introduces mystery, depth, and pause. As Tolkien wrote, “Light reveals, shadows conceal; both are vital to understanding.”
Shadows in my work are often central, spreading across surfaces to shape space and spark the viewer’s imagination. Carl Sandburg’s advice resonates: “Chase the light but never ignore the shadows that follow you.” Shadow, to me, is presence where memory, silence, and possibility dwell.
A recurring motif in my photography is the self-shadow: fleeting silhouettes of my body moving through space, unintentional yet intimate self-portraits. They remind me that I am both observer and participant, shaping the images I capture. My photographs seek those wandering moments where brightness and obscurity meet, and what is revealed is inseparable from what is concealed.
Instagram: @conradhechter
