Barry Lategan (7 January 1935 – 11 August 2024) was a South Africa-born fashion, editorial and commercial photographer, best known for his discovery of, and early work with, Twiggy[1][2][3] and for British Vogue and Italian Vogue.[4]
Life and career
Lategan was born on 7 January 1935 in South Africa, and came to Britain in 1955 to study at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.[3] He was called up for national service with the RAF and it was during this period that he discovered photography. He returned to South Africa in 1959 and assisted the Cape Town photographer Ginger Oads.[5] He returned to London in 1961.
Lategan suffered a serious fall in 2006 which caused a serious brain injury and increasingly affected his behaviour. In 2016 he was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) while sectioned under the Mental Health Act, which he and his family discussed publicly to raise awareness of the condition.[8] In 2015 Lategan faced sexual harassment allegations, and was accused of groping two women he scouted in 2013 and 2014 which went to a trial of the events.[9]
His photography has been exhibited by the Victoria and Albert Museum, The National Portrait Gallery, the Olympus Gallery, the Royal Photographic Society, Bath, and the South African National Gallery.[citation needed]
Lategan died in London on 11 August 2024, at the age of 89.[10]
