Photography in Australia
Encyclopedia
The first photograph taken in Australia
, a view of Bridge Street (now lost) is believed to have been taken by a visiting naval captain, Captain Augustin Lucas (1804-1854) in 1841
, as indicated by a note published in the Australasian Chronicle for 13 April of that year. Lucas arrived in Sydney
aboard the Justine, captained by his younger brother Francois Lucas.
The earliest known surviving photograph taken in Australia, is believed to be a daguerreotype
portrait of Dr William Bland
by George Baron Goodman. This portrait is likely to be the one mentioned in the Sydney Morning Herald, 14 January 1845.
They settled in Melbourne, bringing with them a modern aesthetic and new skills from their training at influential schools such as Berlin’s Reimann School and Contempora School of Applied Arts. A vibrant and creative culture emerged with many photographers establishing commercial studios around the thriving arts precinct in Collins Street.
After the war, Wolfgang Sievers and Helmut Newton set up studios in Collins Street and Flinders Lane respectively. Other influential photographers such as Athol Shmith and Norman Ikin set up studios nearby.
Contemporary photography industry in Australia is highly competitive, consisting of about 350-500 small businesses in every major city.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, a view of Bridge Street (now lost) is believed to have been taken by a visiting naval captain, Captain Augustin Lucas (1804-1854) in 1841
1841 in Australia
See also:1840 in Australia,other events of 1841,1842 in Australia and theTimeline of Australian history.- Governors:Governors of the Australian colonies:*Governor of New South Wales - Sir George Gipps...
, as indicated by a note published in the Australasian Chronicle for 13 April of that year. Lucas arrived in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
aboard the Justine, captained by his younger brother Francois Lucas.
The earliest known surviving photograph taken in Australia, is believed to be a daguerreotype
Daguerreotype
The daguerreotype was the first commercially successful photographic process. The image is a direct positive made in the camera on a silvered copper plate....
portrait of Dr William Bland
William Bland
Dr. William Bland was a transported convict, medical practitioner and surgeon, politician, farmer and inventor in colonial New South Wales, Australia.-Early life:...
by George Baron Goodman. This portrait is likely to be the one mentioned in the Sydney Morning Herald, 14 January 1845.
Modern photography
In the mid-20th century, the photographic scene in Australia was shaped by modernist influences from abroad. This period saw an influx of people from Europe, including Wolfgang Sievers, Helmut Newton and Henry Talbot.They settled in Melbourne, bringing with them a modern aesthetic and new skills from their training at influential schools such as Berlin’s Reimann School and Contempora School of Applied Arts. A vibrant and creative culture emerged with many photographers establishing commercial studios around the thriving arts precinct in Collins Street.
After the war, Wolfgang Sievers and Helmut Newton set up studios in Collins Street and Flinders Lane respectively. Other influential photographers such as Athol Shmith and Norman Ikin set up studios nearby.
Contemporary photography industry in Australia is highly competitive, consisting of about 350-500 small businesses in every major city.
External links
- Shades of Light (Australian Photography 1839 - 1988) the online version of the original Shades of Light published 1998, Gael Newton, National Gallery of Australia.
- Online portal to information on Australian photographers
- National Gallery of Australia Photography
- Melbourne post-war photography State Library of Victoria, Australia