Shooting the Picture

All of my adult life I have been in the photographic industry. Thirty-four of those years were at The Advocate Newspaper. I started as darkroom assistant and worked my way up to the position of Chief Photographer (I left The Advocate in March this year to start my own photography business). I was involved in a multitude of changes during that time. 

It was these changes to the role of photographer, and the industry as a whole, that became the subject of a research project for the National Sound and Film Archive. I was lucky enough to be selected to be interviewed to give my perspective as a photographer working in regional Australia. (the entire unedited interview is now safely tucked away in the archive...and I'm sure it makes for gripping listening...ha ha)

I'm in the book!

Sixty photographers ranging in age from 32 to 94 were interviewed for the project. Each with a unique view influenced by their individual experiences, geographical locations and the papers they work/worked for. Apart from the valuable historical record these interviews make, excerpts from the interviews have been collated into a book, Shooting The Picture. Press photography in Australia by Fay Anderson and Sally Young (with Nikki Henningham). 

And yay! I made the book.

I feel honoured to be included in a book with some of the absolute legends of Australian press photography. And despite being in a regional area, the parallels with the larger papers are quite amazing. Usually it is just the scale of things that changes...bigger events, bigger budgets...bigger pay packets. :)