The National Library of Australia has invited renowned Australian photojournalist Mike Bowers to select favourite images from the Fairfax Photo Archive for a new exhibition.
Fit to Print: Defining Moments from the Fairfax Photo Archive comprises around 150 photographs that illustrate moments in Australian history from the 1890s until the late 1940s.
Printed from original glass plate negatives featured in the pages of publications like The Sydney Morning Herald, The Sun and Sydney Mail, the images cover a range of themes, including sporting and social events, the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, aviation, rural scenes, industry, celebrities and politicians.
Guest curator Mike Bowers explains how the exhibition highlights the power of photojournalism to encapsulate history. “At its very best photojournalism can define a moment, a movement, an era or even a whole generation,” said Mike. “Many of the images shown in the exhibition are more than 100 years old and exemplify the birth of our profession.”
Before the introduction of compact film cameras, each camera held only one negative at a time. Photographers could also only carry a limited number of glass plates. Every shot mattered, and photographers carefully arranged their subjects to compose a scene that would shape the story or refine the meaning behind an image.
“Most of the photographs that feature in this exhibition were taken with wooden cameras and exposed on glass plate negatives,” explained Mike. “People have written on the glass plates, the emulsion has deteriorated or been scratched, and in some instances the glass has cracked or been broken. These imperfections have been reproduced in these prints. They help to tell the story of how the Fairfax Archive has been used.”
Director of Exhibitions at the National Library, Dr Guy Hansen, is thrilled to be working with Mike Bowers on this exhibition. “The exhibition traces the art of photojournalism from its infancy through to the development of the language of visual storytelling we are fluent in today,” said Dr Hansen.
“We are lucky to have Mike Bowers as guest curator on this exhibition. He has worked with some of Australia’s most prestigious publications and brings a wealth of knowledge and passion about the Fairfax Photo Archive.”
“Through our exhibitions we aim to showcase the strength of the National Library’s collections. We hope people will come to see the exhibition and then be inspired to delve deeper into our photographic holdings, exploring our collection for themselves,” said Dr Hansen.
Mike Bowers is a photojournalist with over 37 years’ experience. He currently hosts the Talking Pictures segment on ABC TV’s Insiders. He has covered 13 federal election campaigns, and photographed conflicts in Cambodia, Kosovo, Bougainville, Papua New Guinea and the Middle East.
Mike has worked for some of Australia’s most prestigious publications, including The Sydney Morning Herald, The Guardian (Australia), The Australian, The Canberra Times, The Age, The Bulletin, The Australian Financial Review, BRW, Time and The Daily Telegraph.
The National Library’s Fairfax Photo Archive comprises approximately 18,000 glass plate negatives from Fairfax publications from 1890-1948. Images from the Archive are also available to be viewed online through the National Library’s online discovery service Trove.
Fit to Print: Defining Moments from the Fairfax Photo Archive
National Library of Australia,
Exhibition: 27 February – 20 July 2025
Free entry
For more information, visit: www.library.gov.au for details.
Images: Six of Inge Stange’s pupils in performance, New South Wales – courtesy of National Library of Australia | Mike Bowers – photo by Alex Ellinghausen