A Life In Light: Martin's Story
Days to Live, Fine Art, Philanthropy, Resilience, Renewal, Photography, Portraits
Some lives are measured not in years, but in the light they gather and the wonder they never lose.
Martin has been chasing light since the day he first held a Box Brownie camera at the age of nine. In a childhood spent far from the coast, the ocean was a distant dream—one he would travel days by train to touch.
Those early trips from Johannesburg to Cape Town's Muizenberg Beach left a mark on his heart. When he arrived in Sydney years later, Bondi’s salt air and crumbling art deco buildings felt like a homecoming. A circle completing itself.
After the loss of his wife, Martin found healing in the rhythm of the waves and the company of books. He opened a bookshop near the beach — a tiny, vibrant haven packed to the ceiling — and continued to photograph Bondi over decades. His images evolved from documentary realism to painterly impressions: an artist’s homage to the humanity, transience, and wonder of beach life.
When asked what living life to its fullest means to him, Martin reflected on the immensity of the universe, the mysteries we cannot explain, and the quiet grace of gratitude:
“Accept your position, accept your limitations… enjoy life, love family and friends. I try to be grateful that I’m eighty-nine and still here without too many aches and pains.”
In Martin’s story, we are reminded: living fully is not just about striving forward. It is about standing still sometimes — humbled by the vastness, grateful for the moment, and always, always seeking the light.
:: Rand
