In Memorium: Herman Potgieter 27 / 01 / 1945 - 13 / 02 / 1998

One of the world's top three aviation photographers: Herman Potgieter, was killed in an air crash on the 13th of February 1998, in Kenya. He was 53.

His aviation photographs are legendary to each and everyone interested in Aviation. Aircraft photographs of the South African Air Force was ( and still is ) very difficult to obtain. This made scale modeling of SAAF aircraft very difficult. His publications changed this considerably. The photographs was of such high quality that modeling became far easier for any modeller interested in SAAF subjects. 

In view of Herman Potgieter’s efforts to record the history of our gallant Air Force, the IPMS South Africa Website has been dedicated to his memory since 1998.

Background:

Born in Vryheid, Natal on 27 January 1945, Herman Potgieter matriculated from Northlands Boy's High School, in Durban, in 1962. He graduated in 1966 with a teaching diploma from Durban's Training College. He specialised in art. Taught for a year at Ladysmith High School in Natal and during this time also did the cartoons for the Ladysmith Gazette. He joined Glenwood High School in 1968, where he taught art and Afrikaans. During this time he was also the Cadet bandmaster - it was also the first year the school won a National Inter-band competition!

In 1970 went on to Republican Press as a Layout artist. A year later, married his wife Jackie, whom he had met in College. He always made himself available as a photographer and such was his talent in this field that he was asked to choose between layout and photography. The choice is history!

His interest in aircraft started at the age of 12. Photographing a Harvard at a South African Air Force Base in Durban, a security guard chased him away. The fact that no pictures were allowed made him eager for more. Years later as a professional photographer with Republican Press, he was assigned to cover a squadron of Mirages on a weapons-training course. Potgieter got to know the pilots very well, and in return for pictures of them, they offered him a flip in a Mirage. Well, everybody knew what he had for lunch on that first sortie and was made to clean the cockpit afterwards. He was hooked. Thereafter, at every opportunity, he would wangle his way into the air and, armed with his Nikons, record the changing face of South African aviation. In 1986, his talent was acknowledged internationally. The authoritative Janes Publishing Company voted him one of the top three aviation photographers in the world! Thereafter followed a string of accolades and 11 books on aviation, aerial landscapes and wildlife.

Herman Potgieter had such a love of life that it was highly infectious on everybody around him. He had no airs or graces, alltough he had every right to them. Once asked if he wasn't a frustrated pilot? " Hell yes, I'm often sorry I didn't take up flying, but then again, if I had, I would now be a frustrated photographer." This statement is typical of him - always seeking the best of both worlds.

A few years prior to his untimely death Herman Potgieter switched to Canon EOS. 

He was cremated on Friday 20 February 1998 in Johannesburg. He leaves his wife and his son, Paul aged 11 at the time.