Photography | National Library of Australia (NLA)

Photography

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White text on a grey background reading 'Fit to Print: Defining Moments from the Fairfax Archive' next to a photo of curator Allister Mills
Curator Tour: Fit to Print exhibition - 7 May

Join curator Allister Mills for a behind the scenes tour of our new exhibition Fit to Print: Defining Moments from the Fairfax Photo Archive.

Event
White text on a grey background reading 'Fit to Print: Defining Moments from the Fairfax Archive' next to a photo of curator Allister Mills
Curator Tour: Fit to Print exhibition - 30 April

Join curator Allister Mills for a behind the scenes tour of our new exhibition Fit to Print: Defining Moments from the Fairfax Photo Archive.

*Booked out*

Event
A rock sculpture with 2 figures

Yves Coffin, Coffin collection of photographs of Bali, Cham, Javanese, Khmer and Thai art, architecture and sculpture, (196?), nla.gov.au/nla.obj-140366892

Coffin Collection

Featuring over 4,700 photographs of ancient art and architecture across Southeast Asia is the Coffin Collection. Captured between 1955 and 1972 by Yves Coffin, this collection highlights Khmer monuments at Angkor, Cham sculptures, and Thai temples, alongside the art of Java and Bali. A valuable visual record of Southeast Asia's rich cultural heritage.

Collection guide
1904 camera

Harold Cazneaux's first camera, 1904, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-141166704

Harold Cazneaux (1878–1953) was perhaps Australia's best-known photographer of the early twentieth century. He purchased this camera in 1904, shortly after moving from Adelaide to Sydney, and made photographs of Sydney's streets and waterways.

In 1909 he became the first Australian photographer to exhibit his works in a solo show.

Cazneaux was a master of the pictorialist style of photography, using soft focus to capture scenes that were - and remain - familiar to many Australians in a new light. He was able to find a timeless, extraordinary beauty in the everyday.

Cazneaux collection

A large collection of glass negatives, papers and photographs dating mostly from 1904 to 1940 depicting many aspects of Australian life and architecture.

Collection guide
Black and white photo of three men on a tractor, one driving and the other two sitting at the back

Jeff Carter, Planting out, Ovens Valley, 1955, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-148667470

Carter Collection

Photographs by Jeff Carter of Australian life dating from the 1950s onwards, plus oral history recordings with about 40 individuals living in rural towns or properties.

Collection guide
Parliament House at sunset, lit up with an image of Queen Elizabeth II and the words 'In memoriam'.
Capturing public reactions to the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Photographer David Paterson documented public reactions to the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.

News article
Four ballet dancers posing with their arms out and leaning in various directions

Bodenwieser Ballet performance of Blue Danube Waltz, with Moira Claux, Elaine Vallance, Nina Bascolo and Biruta Apens, 1953, nla.obj-234841849

Capturing movement: Dance photography and Gertrud Bodenwieser

Explore the dance style of Gertrud Bodenwieser through photographs with 2023 National Library Fellow Wesley Lim.

Blog
Collection guide
Burke Collection

Papers, photographs, ephemera, books and journals from Europe, Asia, America and Australia ranging from 1850-1950 collected by Eric Keast Burke.

Collection guide
On the left is the front cover of the book 'Max Dupain: A Portrait'. On the right is a photo of a woman with short hair, wearing a black tutrtle-neck top and standing in front of a yellow background.
Book launch: Max Dupain: A Portrait by Helen Ennis

Helen Ennis and journalist Alex Sloan discussed Ennis's latest book, Max Dupain: A Portrait.

Event
Video
Map of East India Islands, Dutch colonies, with Thailand, French colonies, Indochina and Malay Peninsula.

Henry Otley Bayer, Malay Archipelag 1:8,500,000, 1942, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-580711626

Beyer Collection

Papers, including manuscripts on Philippine ethnography, books and pamphlets in various languages on a wide range of subjects with a focus on the Philippines, photographs and printed and manuscript maps collected by Henry Otley Beyer.

Collection guide
Map of Antarctica showing territories and dependencies.

Australia. Department of the Interior. Property and Survey Branch. & E. P. Bayliss, J. S. & Cumpston, Antarctica, 1939, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-236895938

Australian explorations in the Antarctic

Diaries, papers, photographs, maps and other material related to Australia's involvement in the Antarctic

Collection guide
A person sitting in a chair with their arm resting on the chair's arm. Behind them is a banner with the image of a dragon and three children on it. In the background is a desk and wall covered with illustrations and artworks.

Anna Zhu, Portrait of Gabrielle Wang, Melbourne, Victoria, 6 September 2022, nla.obj-3129101874

Anna Zhu photographs Gabrielle Wang

The Library recently acquired three photographic portraits of 2022-23 Australian Children's Laureate, Gabrielle Wang.

News article

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