Newsletter Editor: Ian Brown PH 0403 036 119 E: ian@bforbrown.com.au
Page 4 Welcome from the Editor – Ian Brown
Page 16 Cazneaux by Max Dupain – Pondering Pollard 21
Page 40 Obituaries – Dr David Hollands OAM ARPS
Page 48 My camera evolution – Tony Healy ARPS
Page 5 Getting the most from my membership – Ian Brown
Page 28 Competition success for Emma Parker
Page 44
Recollections of Tan Lip Seng
Page 50 What’s on in August?
From your Secretary
Elaine Herbert ARPS
Hon Secretary, Australian Chapter
Vale David Hollands OAM ARPS (1932-2025)
We are deeply saddened at the death of Dr David Hollands OAM ARPS who died on 12 June aged 92 years. David was a long-term RPS member and a superb bird photographer who published several beautifully illustrated books of his images and his observations and experiences when photographing birds. He was a wonderful supporter of the Chapter over many years. See page 40 for a detailed obituary, and a tiny sample of his images. There is to be a memorial service for David in Orbost (East Gippsland, Victoria) on Friday 15 August at 1.30pm. Orbost is a long way from Melbourne, but the service will be live-streamed, so please contact me if you’d like to receive the link.
Tan Lip Seng FRPS (19422025), the RPS representative for Singapore, has died aged 82 years, and the latest RPS Journal, July-September 2025, includes an obituary to him by Dr Michael Pritchard FRPS. Tan Lip Seng was well-known to one of our Australian members, Palli Gajree OAM Hon FRPS. Palli has written some recollections of him and has also included some images he took in Tan’s company. See page 44
And I can add that I also met Tan Lip Seng when he visited Melbourne in 2011. I think Palli had arranged for us to meet up and we had a most interesting and enjoyable chat over coffee one morning.
Safe arrival of your RPS Journal?
Earlier this month one of our Canberra members received just an empty envelope that was supposed to contain the July-September issue of the RPS Journal – but didn’t! The envelope had been neatly slit open and the Journal removed somewhere on its journey from England. So it wasn’t exactly ‘lost in transit’; rather it was ‘taken in transit’!
I reported this to the RPS staff who are arranging a replacement copy to be sent. They commented that it’s the first time a loss like this has been reported to them –although perhaps it’s happened to other members who haven’t reported it, or sometimes the whole package disappears on the journey.
Please let me know if you don’t receive your copy of the Journal, which is now only a quarterly publication so it’s easily missed.
Australian members of the RPS Creative Eye Group
There are seven Australian members in the Creative Eye Group, scattered across Australia from Perth in WA to Mackay in Queensland. We’ve been invited to submit images and some brief text for an article in the November issue of the Creative Eye Magazine to show examples of what Australian members of the Group are doing. It’s a great initiative which helps demonstrate the international nature of the Society, and maybe other RPS Special Interest Groups might consider doing this too.
Stepping down as Hon Secretary
As our Convenor, Rob, reminded members in his Convenor’s Corner last month, I am retiring as Hon Secretary of the Chapter at our next AGM later in the year after many (too many!) years in the role. Rob is also stepping down as Convenor, a position he agreed to take on for this year only. If the Chapter is to continue we must fill these two roles.
I’ve had some nibbles but we need more. Please!
If you love to organise events, or dabble in websites we need people to help here too.
Welcome from the Editor
Ian Brown Editor, Australian Chapter
The size and diversity of articles are up this month. As always, I have the chance to read through the articles as I’m typesetting and designing the pages.
I want to thank all the contributors, especially Palli. To be contributing again so soon after his wife passed away is amazing.
My only concern is that I would love to see more of our members’ work. Palli has contributed to this month's Members’ Gallery, but I would love to see more work from our members. We have seventy or so people. Please, can one or two of you who haven’t sent anything for a while send some of your work through?
This month’s cover was pretty easy again. I mentioned last month how Rob’s Sri Lanka images were outstanding, and I
couldn’t usurp him again this month. Again, I was spoiled for choice, but in the end, the decision was relatively easy. Thanks again, Rob, for your article and your images.
Specifications for contributors
When sending images for the Newsletter, the only requirement is that they are jpeg or png. Images can be 300 ppi and up to A4. Don’t forget you can also add captions for your images. If you don’t include a caption, we’ll assume you don’t need one.
Email images to ian@bforbrown.com.au and keep those pixels and captions coming in! For non-image files (e.g. PDFs), under 5 MB is preferred and never 10 MB or more. If your images are too big to email, I have created a Dropbox folder you can upload your images to. Email me for permission, and I’ll grant access to the folder. I will need to delete your images once I have downloaded them.
Deadline for contributions to the next issue is 23 August 2025.
Getting the most from my membership
Ian Brown Editor, Australian Chapter
I’ve been a member for 12 months now, and apart from reading the Newsletters from the groups I’m in and The Journal, I haven’t taken part in anything. So, I decided to sign up for a couple of the talks that the RPS run online. One was free and one paid. They were both run in the evening UK time. I attended one live session, but I couldn’t make the other. As luck would have it, the one I attended live started at 3 am and the other at 6 am.
Both sessions were recorded. The first was The Art of Abstraction by Simon Ellington, and the second was How to Make the Best Photo Ever by Nat Coalson.
To start, both presentations were excellent. They were informative, engaging and professionally presented. I learned a lot from both and have been able to watch the recording of each session.
The process to sign was easy. Each speaker reached out before the session. I had a few emails back and forth with Nat. I did intend to attend live, but due to work commitments, I had to rely on the recording.
So finally, I have started to do what I intended to do when I joined, and that is to learn from others and improve my skills.
Now all I need is some time to head and practice what I have learned.
I’ve included a screen grab from the intro slide of each presentation. If they come round again, I can heartily recommend them.
Fig. 1: Pilgrims bathing in the Menik Ganga at the Golden Gate.
Sri Lanka Part 3
The Kataragama Festival
Rob Morgan ARPS
As mentioned in Part 1 of this series (in April), I went on a two week photography tour to Sri Lanka in July last year. The tour was organized by Dave Metcalf, a Kiwi based in Bali, with whom I’ve been on other tours. The timing for this adventure was arranged so we could attend and photograph the Kataragama Festival, a major
annual event held in the town of the same name.
Kataragama is located in the south east part of Sri Lanka and is a pilgrimage town for Buddhist, Hindu and indigenous Vedda people in Sri Lanka. During July and August the population increases from under 20,000 to a few hundred thousand when pilgrims arrive for the annual festival, which is fifteen days long. Many pilgrims walk there, but the number of coaches parked near the festival site is unbelievable. The majority of pilgrims effectively camp out in the grounds around the main temple area. Part of their pilgrimage involves bathing in the nearby Menik Ganga at the Kataragama Golden Gate. Of course, no Sri
Lankan festival is complete without numerous dressed up elephants, and so the elephants also had their daily bath nearby. Each evening there is grand procession and this was to be the highlight for us. Thousands of people from all over Sri Lanka come to perform in the nightly procession, dressed (and beautifully made up) in a multitude of traditional costumes. We were well looked after by our local photographic guide, Saman, and had the opportunity to see and talk with many performers while they got themselves ready during the afternoon, in and around their dormitory accommodation. Everyone was so friendly and very happy to be photographed.
Fig.2 top left: Elephant bathing
Fig 3 above right: Preparing a traditional headdress
Fig 4 and 5 right: Make up preparations
Fig. 9 bottom right: Heading to the starting point.
Fig. 10 to 23: The Grand Procession
Fig. 6 to 8 top row and far left: Preparations continue.
The grand procession commences at the main gated arch entrance to the Ruhunu Maha Kataragama Dewalaya temple. There is much band music and percussion as the procession participants come out through the arch, dancing in the most elaborate costumes. Calling it ‘dancing’ is underselling what they actually do. The whole procession takes a sharp left turn once out through the arch, followed soon after by a right turn then goes down a parallel roadway for 200 m. After some considerable time, when you think it’s all over, the procession returns up the wide, grand avenue leading to the temple, and you can see it all again.
The piece de resistance for us
was that Saman had organized ‘Photographer’ passes for all of us, so while most of the pilgrims had a somewhat restricted view of events, sitting or standing, row after row beside the roadways, we were on the roadway opposite the main arch as they first came out, with a completely uninterrupted view. Then as the procession returned we again had an uninterrupted view from the side road. In this second location, the public was also allowed to get closer, but they were all so kind and courteous, making sure those of us with cameras had front position –and a seat! I cannot overstate the kindness we experienced from Sri Lankans here and everywhere else.
After Kataragama we completed our trip in Yala National Park and then areas on the south coast of Sri Lanka, including seeing the stilt fishermen at Koggala, where we were treated to the most amazing sunset. But the highlight of our trip was definitely seeing the grand procession at Kataragama and the preparations for it.
Australian photographer John Pollard FRPS died in 2018, leaving behind not just a grieving family and a substantial legacy of photographic work in public and private collections but also an eclectic collection of books representing his varied interests over his life. In this ongoing column, I hope to stimulate interest and reflection on various aspects of photography based on the perusal of John’s collection of books. In the process, I also aim to periodically shine a light on John’s career and practice.
Dr Robin Williams ASIS FRPS
Pondering Pollard 21: Cazneaux by Max Dupain
‘Cazneaux’ Photographs by Harold Cazneaux 1878 – 1953. Selected and with an appreciation by Max Dupain. Pub. National Library of Australia, Canberra, 1978.
Harold Cazneaux is widely considered to have been the greatest Australian photographer of the early twentieth century. Like John Pollard he was a product of the British Pictorial Movement and its leading exponent in Australia. Cazneaux and Pollard were both members of the London Salon so Cazneaux was of great interest to John and unsurprisingly represented in his book collection.
Harold Pierce Cazneaux, or ‘Caz’ as he was affectionately known, was born in New Zealand in 1878, where his Australian parents operated a photographic studio. His artistic roots ran deep, his father was an English photographer, and his mother was an Australian miniature painter. The family returned to Australia in 1886 and his father, Pierce Mott Cazneau, worked in Duryea Studios in Melbourne and later Hammer & Co in Adelaide. The
Fig. 1 main image: Cazneaux working at Freeman’s Studios, Sydney, 1904.
Fig. 2 above: Cover of the Book
younger Cazneau added the ‘x’ to his name in deference to his French ancestry.
Harold began his working life at age seventeen as an artistretoucher at Hammer’s studio. Cazneaux also studied art at night at the School of Design in Adelaide but at that stage was not interested in photography until seeing the work of John Kauffmann and early pictorialists at the annual exhibition of the South Australian Photographic Society in 1898. Kauffmann’s work deeply impressed the young Cazneaux: ‘This was my start indeed’ he wrote later. ‘The
instinctive urge was now fixed in my mind – henceforth my efforts would be towards using photography as a medium of artistic expression and away from the traditional business side of the professional studios.’
Lacking the financial means to pursue a personal interest in photography Cazneaux moved to Sydney in 1904 (where he would spend the rest of his life) to take a better paid position at Freeman’s studio, first as an artist-retoucher but later as a camera operator. Once in Sydney, Cazneaux was able to begin his own personal photography with his first
Fig. 3 above: Cazneaux’s first camera that he used extensively to photograph daily life in Sydney.
Fig. 4 right: ‘Come In’. 1908.
camera, a Midge Box camera, which he used to take pictures of Sydney while travelling to and from work.
He met other amateurs and was introduced by one of these, Norman Deck, to the Photographic Society of New South Wales in 1907. By 1909 Cazneaux was sufficiently established to mount a one-man show at the society’s rooms. If not the first such show, Cazneaux’s exhibition was probably the first to establish
the idea of the photographerartist, as it was well received by artists and press. Cazneaux gained a reputation for the spontaneity of his outdoor shots. “The Razzle Dazzle” attracted considerable attention at the London Salon. H. Snowden Ward reviewed the show and praised Cazneaux for outstanding work.
In 1914 Cazneaux won Kodak’s ‘Happy Moments’ contest and used the £100 as a deposit on a house in Roseville.
By 1916, Cazneaux co-founded the Sydney Camera Circle, a group dedicated to pushing the boundaries of photography as an art form. Two years later, he left Freeman’s to become a freelance photographer, contributing to prominent journals like Home and Art in Australia. He also wrote columns and published in photographic magazines.
At his one-man exhibition Cazneaux made the acquaintance of Sydney Ore
Fig.5: Nude in the landscape.
Smith. who later, in 1920, appointed him official photographer to The Home magazine. This was just at the time when Cazneaux was attempting to establish himself as a freelance photographer. He had resigned from Freeman’s after suffering a nervous breakdown in 1918. Studios such as Freeman’s were still very Victorian in the clichéd studio portraits they churned out and the sweatshop conditions under which the staff
worked. For Cazneaux, who was interested in fine art photography and preferred to work outdoors, the situation became impossible. He felt unable to leave as he had married in 1905 and by 1918 had a large family to support.
Despite the traumatic circumstances the break from Freeman’s was the turning point in his career; his driving spirit won through. He beat those dreadful circumstances by removing himself and starting
Fig. 5 left: ‘Mail Time, The GPO, Sydney’. 1932.
Fig. 6 centre: ‘The Bamboo Blind’ by Harold Cazneaux. Frontispiece to the first issue of The Home magazine 1920.
out as a photographer in his own right. He had the courage to shed security, even though he carried the responsibility of a wife and family, which he took very seriously. He first worked independently out of Cecil Bostock’s studio in Denman Chambers, Phillip Street, but from 1920 he worked from his own home in Roseville, Sydney. Through sheer necessity he had to handle every kind of subject matter and situation. There was no chance of specializing; in the
middle of a series of home portraits he would be called upon to photograph a BHP industrial complex or an architectural site in the city. Beneath all this work to keep body and soul together was the underpinning passion to produce pictorial personal work. From the late 1920s, Cazneaux’s work showed a remarkable blending of the romantic atmosphere of pictorialism with the dramatic forms, angles and lighting which were part of the
vogue for modernism in art. By the 1930s, his work began to show elements of modernism, particularly in his striking images of surfers, sunbathers, and the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge. Cazneaux’s photography spanned a wide range of subjects, from portraits of children and society figures to landscapes, cityscapes, and even industrial scenes. Cazneaux was heavily influenced by pictorialism, a movement that viewed
Fig.6: Nude in the studio
photography as a form of fine art, much like painting. He specialised in creating soft-focus images and became an expert in the bromoil process, a technique used to create painterly effects in photographs. His industrial pictures and Flinder’s Ranges landscapes of the 1930s have a monumental scale quite uncharacteristic of any other Australian Pictorialist.
In 1938 Cazneaux exhibited with the Contemporary Camera
8 left: ‘The Veil, Blue Mountains’. 1915.
Fig. 9 centre: ‘The Royal Exchange, Sydney. Undated.
Fig. 10 right: ‘Arch of Steel’. 1934.
Fig.
Group but became increasingly disheartened by the modern trends in photography, which he felt were cold and mechanistic. They seemed involved with novelty and not the universal beauty that the pictorialists sought. Younger photographers such as Laurence Le Guay and Max Dupain were producing work in a more vigorous style with nothing of the texture and tonality that Cazneaux and the other Pictorialists had striven for. Cazneaux’s style was now
out of favour.
However, he did receive honours for his earlier work. In 1938, he received an Honorary Fellowship of the Royal Photographic Society.
In 1952 he was honoured with a national tribute evening at the Assembly Hall in Sydney, organised by members of the Sydney Camera Circle.
Cazneaux’s pictures were extensively published in Sydney Ure Smith publications, as well as the Australian Photo-Review
and Harrington’s Photographic Journal magazines and in the British annual Photograms of the Year.
Harold Cazneaux helped bridge the gap between commercial photography and art, proving that the camera was not just a tool for capturing reality, but also a means of artistic expression. His legacy as a pioneer in Australian photography endures, with his work celebrated for its blend of pictorial beauty and modernist
innovation.
Cazneaux continued working until his death in 1953 but the best of his work was behind him. In 1974 Cazneaux’s daughters presented a large collection of his work to the National Library in Canberra. Max Dupain, the Sydney photographer, selected 85 of these works to form the basis of this book along with an ‘Appreciation of Caz’ whom he knew well and greatly admired. The book was published in the centenary year of Cazneaux’s birth.
In the book Dupain finishes his appreciation of Caz with this quote from Harold Cazneaux himself: ‘I do not wish to dwell on the subject of the status of photography as an art – just let us all go forward doing our work sincerely and soundly –the results will speak for themselves.’
Fig. 11 left: ‘The Spirit of Endurance’. May 1937. Described by Casneaux as his ‘most Australian picture’.
Fig. 12 this page top: ‘Doris Zinkeisen’. 1929.
Fig. 13 this page bottom: ‘A Surry Hills alleyway’. 1911.
More member success
One of our newer members, Emma Parker, was recently announced as a finalist in the Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year (under endangered wildlife).
In 2019, a birthday gift changed everything for Emma. Given a Nikon D750, she admits she knew nothing about how the camera functioned beyond simply pointing and clicking. But as an avid traveller with a passion for wildlife, the shift from observer to image-maker came naturally.
Wildlife photography quickly became her focus, with a particular fascination for birds. “Once I started noticing the nuances in bird behaviour – the patterns, the light, the colour – I was hooked,” she reflects. The challenge of capturing fleeting moments and subtle details not
only drew her in but deepened her understanding of the natural world.
Parker’s early influences included photographers Georgina Steytler (Australia) and Andy Mann (UK), whose work combined technical excellence with compelling storytelling. Inspired, she began setting herself creative challenges, especially during the isolation of the COVID lockdowns. With limited travel options, her local environment became a training ground. From macro feather studies to tracking birds in flight, she used these exercises to master her
camera and refine her eye.
As her technical confidence grew, so did her creative ambition. Parker began exploring narrative and composition more deliberately, eventually entering wildlife photography competitions. Early recognition came with success in the BirdLife Australia Photography Awards and the British Photography Awards. These achievements motivated her to keep developing her craft. “Competitions gave me a sense of direction,” she says. “They pushed me to think about the stories I wanted to tell and to build a more focused
portfolio.”
This year, Parker took a bold step, submitting work to the Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year – a competition she describes as “the ultimate wildlife photography award in Australia.” Her chosen image reflects a growing interest in the intersection between human activity and wildlife, and the fragile balance that often goes unnoticed.
While photographing in Western Australia’s Stirling Ranges, Parker observed Carnaby’s Black-Cockatoos – an endangered species – feeding
along the edges of high-speed roads. These roadside trees offered an abundance of native seeds, making them an attractive but perilous food source. “I’d already come across two dead Carnabys,” she recalls. “But instead of focusing on the aftermath, I wanted to capture the moment of danger – where the birds’ lives intersect with ours.”
The image she submitted captures this tension. Just moments before she pressed the shutter, a road train roared past, startling both the birds and Parker herself. “It was terrifying – the noise and wind
were so intense, I rolled further into the bush for safety.” The final image, featuring a smaller car approaching while the birds continue to forage, conveys both the calm and the threat of the setting – a subtle but powerful reminder of the risks faced by Australia’s wildlife.
For Emma Parker, photography is no longer just about capturing beauty. It’s about using her lens to tell urgent stories – about species, about habitat, and about the often-overlooked consequences of human presence in the natural world.
On Place, Memory and Homage
By Robin Williams ASIS FRPS
There are many reasons to take photographs. Gigi and I normally create work to inform or inspire; we enjoy the creative process of making photographs that hopefully others may engage in. The greatest reward is when a viewer connects with our images emotionally; when they say they wish they had been there to experience what
they see and feel when they view our photographs – the peace, the excitement, the solitude, the awe-inspiring visual feast that is the natural world. But on looking through our ‘back-catalogue’ the other day, I was reminded just how wonderful it is to have personal reminders of all the great places we have been and the terrific
Fig. 1 main image: The dining room at Christ Church, Oxford; visited by thousands of Harry Potter fans because it was the model for the Hogwarts dining room.
Fig. 2: ‘Pilgrims’ flock to Pinoak Court in Vermont on ‘Neighbours’ tours every day.
things we have done – basically photography as an aide memoire. But sometimes we have done more than that; we have photographed a place not because of its intrinsic beauty but because of its association with someone we greatly admire – we have sought out places deliberately as an act of homage.
Hero worship is a phenomenon that has existed throughout human history, transcending cultures and generations. It involves the admiration and reverence of individuals who are perceived to possess extraordinary qualities, achievements, or virtues. These heroes often become symbols of inspiration, aspiration, and identity for their
admirers. One of the most intriguing aspects of hero worship is the practice of making pilgrimages to sites associated with these revered figures. Hero worship often stems from the desire to find role models who embody qualities that individuals aspire to possess. They may be historical figures, cultural icons, or contemporary celebrities who have made significant contributions to society. I remember, for example, when I first visited Dallas, Texas, I was compelled to visit Dealey Place, and the section of road opposite the Texas School Book Depository where President John F Kennedy had been assassinated. Piles of flowers were still being laid there; an
ongoing symbol of a Nation’s grief. Although I was only eleven at the time, I vividly remember the moment when I learned of JFK’s death – it seemed as though all hope for the future had died with him. Similarly, I remember clearly the moment I heard on the radio that Princess Diana, ‘The Queen of Hearts’, had died in a car crash in Paris.
The concept of making a pilgrimage is firmly rooted in religious observance; take, for example, the two million Christians that visit Bethlehem every year, or the annual Hajj to Mecca for Muslims that also attracts over two million pilgrims and is the largest gathering of mankind in one place for an event. Today,
pilgrimages are more frequently of a secular nature. Several factors drive the practice of making pilgrimages to sites associated with heroes. Firstly, these sites often hold historical and emotional significance. Visiting the birthplace, residence, or final resting place of a hero can provide a tangible connection to their life and legacy. Secondly, pilgrimages to heroic sites can serve as a form of homage and respect. By visiting these locations, admirers pay tribute to the contributions made by their heroes. This act of reverence can be deeply meaningful, fostering a sense of gratitude and appreciation. For example, visiting the Gandhi Smriti in New Delhi, where Mahatma
Gandhi spent his final days, allows individuals to honour his legacy of non-violence and peace. Such pilgrimages can be seen as a way of expressing admiration and acknowledging the enduring influence of these heroes. Visiting heroic sites can also offer opportunities for reflection and personal growth. By immersing oneself in the environment that shaped our hero's life, admirers can gain insights and inspiration for their own journeys. Such pilgrimages can be transformative, encouraging deeper understanding. Such pilgrimages may be universal, sometimes very personal; often very exciting and powerful, sometimes bitterly disappointing.
Fig. 3: The bridge over the lily pond at Monet’s garden in Giverny, France.
Fig. 4: The coast at Point Lobos, California, in homage to Edward Weston.
Fig. 5: Detail of seaweed on the beach at Point Lobos, in the style of Weston.
Pilgrimages to heroic sites can also provide a sense of community and shared identity. These journeys often attract like-minded individuals who share a common admiration for the hero. This communal experience can foster connections and solidarity among admirers, creating a sense of belonging and unity. For instance, 500,000 fans of Elvis Presley visit Graceland every year; similarly, Harry Potter fans pour into Oxford in their thousands to see the Divinity School, Christ Church dining room and staircase. The residents of the quiet cul-de-sac, Pinoak Court in Vermont, have experienced their sleepy corner of Melbourne as a site of
pilgrimage; hundreds of tourists have arrived every day, for over four decades, just because it featured as the fictional ‘Ramsay Street’ in the television series ‘Neighbours’ (which incidently clocked-up nearly 9,000 episodes and was broadcast in 60 countries). When Claude Monet established his garden at Giverny as ‘a sanctuary of peace and tranquillity,’ he could never have imagined that threequarters of a million visitors a year would jostle for space on his bridge to have their photo taken! The bridge at Giverny holds historical significance as part of Monet's home and studio; he lived and worked at Giverny for over forty years, and the gardens were a source of inspiration for many of his
masterpieces. By being photographed on the bridge, visitors can feel a connection to the artist's life and legacy, adding a layer of meaning to their experience. The act of taking photographs at significant places like the bridge at Giverny is a way for individuals to share their experiences with others. In the age of social media, these photographs become a means of storytelling and self-expression.
We have made many such pilgrimages: from Laycock Abbey, home of Fox Talbot, to the mist-shrouded Point Lobos, where Edward Weston lived and photographed, or the dry Flinders Ranges, where Harold Cazneaux famously
photographed ‘The Spirit of Endurance’ – the River Red Gum tree that defies all odds and continues to survive. Like many landscape photographers, we consider Ansel Adams to be a major influence on contemporary practice and have attempted to re-create many of his famous images of the Southwest USA in homage and awe of his skills and influence. Every day throughout the year, hundreds of photographers can be found at the viewpoint just outside the Wawona tunnel exit in Yosemite National Park, trying unsuccessfully to re-create Adam’s most famous photograph of the Yosemite Valley ‘Clearing Winter Storm’ with El Capitan, Half Dome and
Bridal Veil Falls spread out along the Valley.
We had a more ambitious plan: we wanted to visit the exact location where Ansel Adams recorded his famous photograph of Mount Williamson in the Sierra Nevada that had formed a massive centrepiece at the ‘Family of Man’ exhibition in New York in 1955. Adams’s photograph was taken in 1944, when he was stationed at the Japanese prisoner of war camp near Manzanar – euphemistically called a ‘War Relocation Camp’. We found the prison camp easily enough and, through diligent research, had established geographic latitude and longitude coordinates for the location where Ansel took
Fig. 6: The River Red Gum in the Flinders Ranges made famous by Harold Cazneaux.
Fig. 7: Crowds of photographers gather at ‘Tunnel View’ every day to emulate Ansel Adams’ famous image of ‘A Clearing Winter Storm.’
Fig. 8: Manzanar Japanese prisoner of war camp in the Californian High Sierra.
Fig. 9: The little cairn with ammunition box marking the spot where Adams set his tripod up for the image of Mount Williamson.
Fig. 10: Our version of Ansell Adams’s image of Mount Williamson
Fig. 11: Emulating Ansell Adams, Robin climbs on top of the car, for a photograph of Mount Williamson.
the shot. What we hadn’t realised was how incredibly rocky the terrain was at the back of the prison camp! There was a continuous boulder field stretching from the back of the camp all the way to the foothills of the Sierra. We spent hours trying to negotiate over and around the boulder field; Gigi was reading the satellite
navigation system and calling out ‘left a bit, straight on, right a bit’ whilst I tried to drive our hire car through the boulder field without damaging it! We eventually got to the correct latitude and longitude, but were disappointed that we couldn’t find the little cairn that Adams said he had built to mark the spot. Remembering that Ansel’s
favourite viewing platform was on top of ‘Woody’, his station wagon, I duly mimicked his approach and climbed up on top of our vehicle and took the best shot I could manage. As I was climbing down from the roof, I looked down and just a few metres away in front of the car, I could see Ansel’s cairn. Squeals of delight ensued, and
Fig. 12: The Hardy Family home at Lower Bockhampton in Dorset, England.
dejection turned to elation! Just as described in his writings, here was the cairn – with an ammunition box, piece of pipe and empty bottle of Bourbon – a little time capsule. Back in the 1960s, someone had placed a notebook and pencil inside the ammo box, and generations of landscapers – including us –have recorded their thanks and
admiration to Ansel in that notebook. Our version of Ansel’s image was pathetic in comparison, but it was an exciting and inspiring moment. Not all my pilgrimages have been purely photographic –occasionally, they are literary. Thomas Hardy was an English author with a photographic memory and a true sense of 'place' who could describe the landscape in words better than most of us can with images. He is a personal hero. Hardy was one of England's greatest authors with 15 novels, 50 short stories and over 900 poems to his name. He made 'place' central to his narrative – almost at times a character – and had a unique ability to observe, remember and recreate the details of rural life in Dorset. Often described as a pessimistic fatalist, Hardy believed that he described life as it really was, with luck and chance playing its part in the lives of his characters as they struggled against their passions and social circumstances. His novels were controversial and profoundly challenging at the time of publication. Indirectly, he documented a rural way of life that had changed little in 400 years, but which has now gone forever, save for echoes in folk music and a few country activities like Maypole dancing, or the making of Corn Dollies. Some years ago, together with
my younger brother, we spent an intense week tracing locations relating to Thomas Hardy’s life and work in ‘Wessex’, the ancient Kingdom resurrected by Hardy. From Swanage in the East to Boscastle in the West, we covered six English counties and dozens of locations. Photographing the locations and recalling the relevant books I created ‘A Thomas Hardy Trail’ on our website; not meant as great photographs, but simply to aid others in search of Hardy locations, either physically or virtually. To my absolute astonishment, it remains the most popular part of our website! If you are interested, the site can be accessed here.
VALE DR DAVID HOLLANDS OAM ARPS (1932-2025)
Elaine Herbert ARPS
With the death of David Hollands OAM ARPS on 12 June at the age of ninety-two, we have lost a remarkable and much-valued member of our Australian Chapter. His photographs of birds and their environments were outstanding, but his contribution went much further: he combined his expertise as a photographer
with his skills as a communicator to produce a wonderful series of books about birds and to give memorable illustrated talks.
David was born in England, trained there as a medical doctor, then in 1961 he and his wife Margaret, also a doctor, decided to come to Australia for just a few years, regarding it
Fig. 1: Portrait of David with his camera.
Fi. 2: Cover of Birds of Prey of Australia.
as something of an adventure. And fortunately for us they stayed! In 1963 they took up a medical practice in Orbost, a small town in East Gippsland about 400 km from Melbourne, where they worked for nearly forty years coping with the demanding life of country doctors far from other medical support.
But living in the country has certain advantages too, and David was able to pursue his interest in wildlife and photography, especially of birds. He was inspired from an early age by Eric Hosking’s pioneering bird photography in Britain, and subsequently he met Hosking who later visited them in Australia and encouraged David to apply successfully for an ARPS.
David’s photography started early at about the age of ten, and a couple of years later he was given an old ¼ plate Sanderson Field Camera,
complete with canvas bellows, brass knobs and polished wood. This, and an even bigger 5”x4” Thornton Pickard, became his bird photography equipment until the mid-1960s. He described it as ‘Slow, cumbersome and usable only at close range but capable, within these limitations, of producing marvellous pictures.’ Over the next seventy years he kept up with the huge changes in photography, graduating to digital cameras yet regarding himself as lucky to have experienced that evolution in person.
David was much more than simply a ‘bird photographer’. He had a deep knowledge of bird behaviour across their life cycles, their habitats, breeding and nesting characteristics. Added to this were his patience, persistence and resourcefulness, resulting in his amazing images. He was highly regarded in the ornithological world, not only in Australia but across the world.
He had friends everywhere! And he shared his knowledge and enthusiasm through writing and presentations.
His first book was Eagles, Hawks and Falcons of Australia in 1984. Then, as David said, ‘The combination of writing and photography can be addictive and, after finishing this book, I found that I couldn’t stop.’ His first book was followed by Kingfishers and Kookaburras (1999); a fully revised and updated edition of Eagles, Hawks and Falcons in 2003; Owls: Journeys around the world (2004); Owls, Frogmouths and Nightjars of Australia (2008); and then Waders: The Shorebirds of Australia (2012).
Writing for our Newsletter in 2014, he commented, ‘hopefully I may have one more book left in me’. Actually, there were two more books to come. David Hollands’ Birds of Prey of Australia was published in 2022. And in 2023 came his autobiography, Better Born Lucky than Brilliant: Life of a country doctor and naturalist.
Each book required a great deal of research, patient observation and extensive travel to some very remote places, all of which he somehow fitted in to a busy medical practice. His writing is entertaining – and his photographs superb. What a wonderful legacy.
David was also most
Fig. 3 top left: White-bellied Sea-eagle, hotly pursued by Australian Magpies, which were nesting nearby.
Fig. 5 top right: Beach Stone-curlew taking flight. Roebuck Bay, WA
Fig. 6 bottom right: Female Peregrine leaving nest hollow in living tree, a most unusual nest site.
Fig. 7 top left: Azure Kingfisher with fish.
Fig. 8 bottom left: Male Grass Owl delivering rat to female with chicks. North Queensland.
generous with his time and over the years he gave a number of talks to our Chapter. His great expertise as a bird photographer was matched by his talents as a raconteur, making his illustrated presentations laced with vivid anecdotes entertaining, informative and memorable.
David had gained his ARPS in 1986. His achievements and contributions were further recognised when he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2015 for his services to medicine and to ornithology. And in 2022 he was given the prestigious Whitley Award by The Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales for the best wildlife photography book published in that year, David Hollands’ Birds of Prey of Australia.
David had been in poor health in the last few years but he still maintained a keen interest in the RPS and the Australian Chapter. We in the Chapter have been so fortunate to have had his strong support and friendship over many years. He will be remembered most warmly and very sadly missed.
Fig. 8 top right: Letter-winged Kites. Part of the great movement from the inland to the coast, which occurred in 1976.
Fig. 8 bottom right: Black-fronted Plover at nest. Orbost, Vic
Recollections of Tan Lip Seng FRPS, Hon PSA, Fenton Medalist
by Palli Gajree OAM Hon FRPS
My association with Tan Lip Seng FRPS Hon PSA, who died recently, goes back to over six decades when I was living in Kenya. At the time we both were committed to participating in International Salons around the world.
It was during this time we corresponded with each other and became good friends. This even continued after Shashi and I came to Australia in 1972.
Tan Lip Seng’s images as a Pictorial and Travel Photographer are stunning and
Fig. 1 this page: Singapore Aquarium.
Fig. 2 top right: Rolling Hills of Poowong.
Fig. 3 bottom right: Morning chores.
have received world recognition. The same can be said of his experimental photography in colour, the examples of which are awesome.
I first met Tan in person in
1988 in Singapore when Shashi and I were returning from our extended holiday trip overseas. He was very generous with his time, ready to take us on a city tour and other places of interest. This was
overwhelming, and we talked at length on photography.
When he visited Melbourne in the late 1980s I reciprocated and took him around our city. Additionally, we ventured out together and travelled to Poowong, known for its rolling hills. He loved the area and we both got down to doing some landscape photography.
To bring back old memories, I am including a photograph taken in his good company! It was shot on Ektachrome with my Canon. The remaining examples were taken in Singapore (again in Tan’s company).
In 2009, Tan published a book containing cross-section of his work that extends over a period of 50 years. What a ‘Masterpiece’ publication it is! Incidentally, he gave me an autographed copy which I have always treasured.
Tan, although your physical presence has gone, your legacy in the photographic community will continue to be recognized and remembered. I will personally miss you, Tan.
Members’ Gallery
Palli Gajree OAM HonFRPS
Fig. 1 left top: Distant Hills.
Fig. 3 left: Hills and Heaven.
Fig. 3 above: Big Wave.
My camera evolution
by Tony Healy ARPS
When I saw Max Melvin’s camera collection in the June Newsletter it reminded me of my travels through the world of cameras and how they have changed over the years. My first camera was a Kodak Brownie Folding camera that belonged to my mother. Using a 1 dioptre lens in front of the camera lens I took my first close up image of a baby chicken. My next camera was a Kodak Retina IIa with close up attachments.
My next camera was a Kodak Retina IIa with close up attachments.
Hunting around second hand camera stores I was able to buy a Leica M2 and also a Speed Graphic camera which of course used 4x5 film but also had a roll film back that took 620 film.
The next step was to go for a reflex camera and that was a Leica R3 which also had a motor drive to advance the film quickly.
With the arrival of the digital era I awaited a Leica version. When it did arrive it was a digital back that could be attached to a film model body. Unfortunately the R3 body was not compatible so I had to purchase a new camera that could take the digital back. That was an R9 body. Within about two years Leica discontinued the back as it had limited digital storage, and changed their digital systems to the M series cameras. I can’t say I was happy with that decision.
To join the digital era I had to go to Canon cameras.
This was doubly disappointing in that I had a Leica carrying case for the M series film cameras and a personally built compact container for my physical trips.
With less activity as I aged I decided to stay with my Canon and discontinue my photographic journey with Leica.
What’s on in August?
Festivals & exhibitions
Australian Life Exhibition 2025 – Sydney
Runs 31 July to 24 August in Customs House Square, Sydney. Showcases 30 finalist images from the Australian Life photography prize, reflecting diverse themes of connection, resilience and everyday life. Free and open daily
World Press Photo Exhibition 2025 –Brisbane
On show 19 July to 17 August at Brisbane Powerhouse. Features award-winning photojournalism from the 68th annual World Press Photo Contest, free entry.
Exhibition of finalist works from 17 July to 9 August, hosted by PhotoAccess. Recognizes both emerging and established photographers.
Protest is a Creative Act – Melbourne
At Museum of Australian Photography until 31 August, this group show explores themes of protest, identity and environment across photographic media.
SALA Festival (South Australia Living Artists Festival)
Entire month of August in Adelaide and statewide. Open-access visual arts festival with photography exhibited in galleries, cafes, bookshops and public spaces throughout South Australia.
Competitions to enter
Aust The Capture Awards 2025
Open to photographers from Australia and New Zealand. Categories include Landscape, Portrait, Street, Documentary, Fashion, and more. Entry deadline: 10 August for discounted fee; final entries close 14 September. Winners featured in Capture magazine and over AU$25,000 in prizes.
Friends of the Australian National Botanic Gardens Student Competition
Open to Year 3–12 students, entries accepted until 29 August 2025. Photos must be taken within the Botanic Gardens and will be exhibited later in September.
Crikey! Magazine Photography Competition at Australia Zoo
Nature photography competition: entries accepted through 31 August 2025. Winners announced in October; images exhibited at Australia Zoo and cover featured.
Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year
Annual international competition celebrating regional nature imagery. Winners announced 28 August 2025 at the South Australian Museum. Entries had closed earlier in February.
APS (Australian Photographic Society) National Exhibitions
Multiple salons opening entry periods in August, including:
Queensland International Circuit opens 1 August, closes 26 October
South Coast Camera Club National Print Salon opens 1 August, closes 11 November
These are club-level print salons with exhibitions later in the year.
