Rennie Ellis
Encyclopedia
Reynolds Mark "Rennie" Ellis (11 November 194019 August 2003) was an Australian social and social documentary
photographer who also worked, at various stages of his life, as an advertising copywriter, seaman, lecturer, and television presenter. He founded Brummels Gallery of Photography, Australia's first dedicated photography gallery, established both a photographic studio and an agency dedicated to his work, published 17 photographic books, and held numerous exhibitions in Australia and overseas. He died after suffering a cerebral haemorrhage at the age of 62.
Born in the Melbourne
beachside suburb of Brighton and educated at Brighton Grammar School, Ellis won a scholarship to Melbourne University
in 1959. He left during his first year to work as an office boy at Orr Skate & Associates, a Melbourne advertising agency. He subsequently studied advertising at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology
, but before obtaining his diploma he spent two years travelling the world, having bought his first camera to record his travels, and worked as a seaman en route. By 1967 Ellis was creative director at Monahan Dayman Advertising in Melbourne, but left in 1969 to become a freelance photographer.
His first exhibition and book, formed from work in Kings Cross
, Sydney, followed in 1971. A year later he established Brummels Gallery of Photography above a restaurant of that name in Toorak Road, South Yarra, and in 1974 Ellis went on to form Scoopix Photo Library in Prahran, which later became the exclusive Australian agent for New York's Black Star photos
. In 1975 he opened his studio, Rennie Ellis & Associates, at the same premises, and operated from there for the rest of his life.
Once established as a photographer, Ellis worked, exhibited and published continuously. Magazines that he contributed to were as varied as Playboy
and The Bulletin
; his books and exhibitions were on subjects including the beach, beer, graffiti, Australian railway stations and the Rio carnival.
In 1993 he became a co-presenter on the Nine Network
's lifestyle program Looking Good, continuing in that role for three years and working with Deborah Hutton
and Jo Bailey. In the same year his work was also included in Picture Freedom, an exhibition at The Photographers' Gallery in London.
Since Ellis's death his second wife, Kerry Oldfield Ellis, and his assistant, Manuela Furci, have established the Rennie Ellis Archive, and continue to organise exhibitions of his work. These have included Rennie Ellis: Aussie All, at the National Portrait Gallery
in Canberra (2006) and No Standing, Only Dancing at the Ian Potter Centre
in Melbourne (2008). Ellis's work was included in Candid Camera: Australian Photography 1950s–1970s
at the Art Gallery of South Australia
(2010) which also featured the work of key Australian photographers Max Dupain
, David Moore
, Jeff Carter
, Robert McFarlane
, Mervyn Bishop
, Carol Jerrems
and Roger Scott
.
Ellis's work is held in the permanent collections of the National Gallery of Australia
, the National Portrait Gallery
and the National Library of Australia
(all in Canberra), the National Gallery of Victoria
(Melbourne), and the Art Gallery of South Australia
(Adelaide).
Social documentary photography
Social documentary photography may be defined as the act of recording, with a camera, human beings in their natural condition. Often is also refers to a socially critical genre of photography dedicated to showing the life of underprivileged or disadvantaged people.-Origin of social documentary...
photographer who also worked, at various stages of his life, as an advertising copywriter, seaman, lecturer, and television presenter. He founded Brummels Gallery of Photography, Australia's first dedicated photography gallery, established both a photographic studio and an agency dedicated to his work, published 17 photographic books, and held numerous exhibitions in Australia and overseas. He died after suffering a cerebral haemorrhage at the age of 62.
Born in the Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
beachside suburb of Brighton and educated at Brighton Grammar School, Ellis won a scholarship to Melbourne University
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
in 1959. He left during his first year to work as an office boy at Orr Skate & Associates, a Melbourne advertising agency. He subsequently studied advertising at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology
RMIT University
RMIT University is an Australian public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. It has two branches, referred to as RMIT University in Australia and RMIT International University in Vietnam....
, but before obtaining his diploma he spent two years travelling the world, having bought his first camera to record his travels, and worked as a seaman en route. By 1967 Ellis was creative director at Monahan Dayman Advertising in Melbourne, but left in 1969 to become a freelance photographer.
His first exhibition and book, formed from work in Kings Cross
Kings Cross, New South Wales
Kings Cross is an inner-city locality of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is located approximately 2 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Sydney...
, Sydney, followed in 1971. A year later he established Brummels Gallery of Photography above a restaurant of that name in Toorak Road, South Yarra, and in 1974 Ellis went on to form Scoopix Photo Library in Prahran, which later became the exclusive Australian agent for New York's Black Star photos
Black Star (photo agency)
Black Star is a New York City-based photographic agency that offers photojournalism, corporate assignment photography and stock photography services worldwide....
. In 1975 he opened his studio, Rennie Ellis & Associates, at the same premises, and operated from there for the rest of his life.
Once established as a photographer, Ellis worked, exhibited and published continuously. Magazines that he contributed to were as varied as Playboy
Playboy
Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
and The Bulletin
The Bulletin
The Bulletin was an Australian weekly magazine that was published in Sydney from 1880 until January 2008. It was influential in Australian culture and politics from about 1890 until World War I, the period when it was identified with the "Bulletin school" of Australian literature. Its influence...
; his books and exhibitions were on subjects including the beach, beer, graffiti, Australian railway stations and the Rio carnival.
In 1993 he became a co-presenter on the Nine Network
Nine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
's lifestyle program Looking Good, continuing in that role for three years and working with Deborah Hutton
Deborah Hutton
Deborah Hutton is an Australian media personality. She is a former model, television presenter, magazine editor, and designer of her own brand of home wares, "Deborah Hutton Living." She is a spokesperson for the charity group Models with Arthritis, a patron of Camp Quality, and a supporter of...
and Jo Bailey. In the same year his work was also included in Picture Freedom, an exhibition at The Photographers' Gallery in London.
Since Ellis's death his second wife, Kerry Oldfield Ellis, and his assistant, Manuela Furci, have established the Rennie Ellis Archive, and continue to organise exhibitions of his work. These have included Rennie Ellis: Aussie All, at the National Portrait Gallery
National Portrait Gallery (Australia)
The National Portrait Gallery of Australia is a collection of portraits of prominent Australians that are important in their field of endeavour or whose life sets them apart as an individual of long-term public interest...
in Canberra (2006) and No Standing, Only Dancing at the Ian Potter Centre
Ian Potter Centre
The Ian Potter Centre houses the Australian part of the art collection of the National Gallery of Victoria , and is located at Federation Square in Melbourne, Australia...
in Melbourne (2008). Ellis's work was included in Candid Camera: Australian Photography 1950s–1970s
Candid Camera (Australian photographic exhibition)
Candid Camera: Australian Photography 1950s–1970s was a group retrospective exhibition of social documentary photography held at the Art Gallery of South Australia from 28 May to 1 August 2010....
at the Art Gallery of South Australia
Art Gallery of South Australia
The Art Gallery of South Australia , located on the cultural boulevard of North Terrace in Adelaide, is the premier visual arts museum in the Australian state of South Australia. It has a collection of over 35,000 works of art, making it, after the National Gallery of Victoria, the largest state...
(2010) which also featured the work of key Australian photographers Max Dupain
Max Dupain
Maxwell Spencer Dupain AC was a renowned Australian modernist photographer.-Early life:Dupain received his first camera as a gift in 1924, spurring his interest in photography He later joined the Photographic Society of NSW, and when he left school, he worked for Cecil Bostock in Sydney.-Early...
, David Moore
David Moore (photographer)
David Moore was an Australian photojournalist.Moore was educated at Geelong Grammar School. He began his career in the studio of Russell Roberts in Sydney, moving on to work with Max Dupain soon after...
, Jeff Carter
Jeff Carter (photographer)
Jeff Carter was an Australian photographer and author.-Early life:Carter was born to Percy and Doris Carter in Melbourne in August 1928 in Victoria and attended Melbourne Boys High School. By the time he matriculated in 1946, his three major passions were clear – photography, writing and travel....
, Robert McFarlane
Robert McFarlane (photographer)
Robert McFarlane is an Australian photographer and photographic critic.-Early life:Born in Adelaide, South Australia in 1942, he was given a Kodak Box Brownie at the age of 9 by his parents, Bill and Poppy McFarlane...
, Mervyn Bishop
Mervyn Bishop
Mervyn Bishop is an Australian news and documentary photographer. Joining the Sydney Morning Herald as a cadet in 1962 or 1963, he was the first Aboriginal Australian to work on a metropolitan daily newspaper and one of the first Aboriginal Australians to become a professional photographer...
, Carol Jerrems
Carol Jerrems
Carol Jerrems was an Australian photographer who produced the image Vale Street. She documented the counter-culture spirit of Melbourne in the 1970s...
and Roger Scott
Roger Scott (photographer)
Roger Scott is an Australian social documentary photographer and photographic printer.In December 2001 he published a retrospective of his work, Roger Scott: From the Street, with a foreword by Gael Newton, senior curator of photography at the Australian National Gallery...
.
Ellis's work is held in the permanent collections of the National Gallery of Australia
National Gallery of Australia
The National Gallery of Australia is the national art gallery of Australia, holding more than 120,000 works of art. It was established in 1967 by the Australian government as a national public art gallery.- Establishment :...
, the National Portrait Gallery
National Portrait Gallery (Australia)
The National Portrait Gallery of Australia is a collection of portraits of prominent Australians that are important in their field of endeavour or whose life sets them apart as an individual of long-term public interest...
and the National Library of Australia
National Library of Australia
The National Library of Australia is the largest reference library of Australia, responsible under the terms of the National Library Act for "maintaining and developing a national collection of library material, including a comprehensive collection of library material relating to Australia and the...
(all in Canberra), the National Gallery of Victoria
National Gallery of Victoria
The National Gallery of Victoria is an art gallery and museum in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1861, it is the oldest and the largest public art gallery in Australia. Since December 2003, NGV has operated across two sites...
(Melbourne), and the Art Gallery of South Australia
Art Gallery of South Australia
The Art Gallery of South Australia , located on the cultural boulevard of North Terrace in Adelaide, is the premier visual arts museum in the Australian state of South Australia. It has a collection of over 35,000 works of art, making it, after the National Gallery of Victoria, the largest state...
(Adelaide).