Paul Alberts, born in Pretoria in 1946, was a leading South African social documentary photographer. After studying briefly at the University of Pretoria, Alberts worked as a journalist at various South African newspapers before turning to freelance photography in 1975, focusing on social documentary and theatre. Over his career, Alberts published seven significant photographic books, including Children of the Flats (1980) and The Borders of Apartheid (1983). His work is known for its depiction of social issues and was featured in numerous solo and group exhibitions in South Africa and internationally. Notably, he held a retrospective exhibition in 2000 at Oliewenhuis Art Museum in Bloemfontein. Alberts was awarded a Medal of Honour for his work as a social documentary photographer by the South African Academy of Science and Arts in 2002.

Image: Photograph by David Goldblatt, illustrated in Paul Alberts (2009) Buite die hekke van Eden, Pretoria: Protea Boekhuis, inside dust jacket.