Too fantastic for words
– Jenny Crwys-Williams (Talk Radio 702)
If your interior decor is contemporary or classical, it simply isn’t complete without an Ed Schroeder!
– Juliet Newell, TV Presenter and Producer: The Home Channel, DSTV 182
If anyone is entitled to photograph Nguni Cattle, and make them come to life on canvas or paper, it is Ed Schroeder. His father Bert Schroeder inspired the book The Abundant Herds, written by Marguerite Poland and illustrated by Leigh Voigt. The publication initiated what can only be called an Nguni trend, the skins figuring in decorating magazines, the colour patterns appearing on aprons, tea towels and trays. Beaded Ngunis were sold on street corners, heads and horns were carved from wood, chairs were covered in the hides and ceramic cows graced mantelpieces from the Cape Town to Musina.
Ed, living in Kwazulu-Natal, the home of Nguni Cattle, has made his beloved cattle the subject of his photographs, each one masterfully crafted to produce a skillful work of art, which, when framed and hung on the wall, gives much pleasure.
– Leigh Voigt, Schagen, February, 2011
Ed Schroeder’s photographs of Nguni cattle capture not only the diverse beauty of these unique animals but something of the essence and spirit of Nguni – their mystical and spiritual significance to the people who own them.
– Dr Marguerite Poland, author of, ‘The Abundant Herds’
Ed’s magnificent photographs draw one into a world of peace and tranquility; his work is of an uncluttered world where simplicity is the key that unlocks the extraordinary. The strength and majesty of his subject’s is not measured by the exterior alone, but is captured in poise and serenity from within. Ed creates a world of wonder where the ‘beast of burden’ is transformed -and so was I. Thank you, Ed, for sharing a world of which I can only dream, for the 3 works I proudly own (very loved), and for the start to my collection. I am a committed fan!
– Annie Macmillan
Wonderful details and an excellent eye for the telling moments…
– Brooks Spector
I was privileged to meet Ed by chance during one of his recent exhibitions. As an avid photographer myself I was immediately impressed with the canvasses he was showing, particularly the beautiful images of Nguni cattle Ed has such a passion for. Ed’s photographs are much more than just a record of the species, they portray how important the cattle are as a part of his life, the history of his family and South Africa as a country.
– John Deakin, Photographer