Photograph albums of surfers, Northern Beaches, New South Wales, 1959-approximately 1965 / by Robert Commys

PXA 7519

fonds

1959-approximately 1965

Graphic Materials, Photographs

9660760

2 albums (913 photographic prints) - 23 x 38 cm or smaller - black and white

Albertus 'Robert' Commys (1940-) grew up in the Northern Beaches, Sydney New South Wales. He attended a free photography course, whereby the Dutch photographer gifted Commys a Russian camera and developed the photos in a small wooden room lined with silver paper.

Commys was the photographer for 'The Australian Surfer', Australia's first surfing magazine, which only lasted two issues. Commys was promised £60 for the use of his works, but this did not eventuate.

Reference:
Library correspondence file

Two photograph albums consisting of 913 black and white action and portrait photographs of surfers in the Northern Beaches, 1959-ca. 1965. Locations include Warriewood, Stanwell Park, Palm Beach, Collaroy, South Avalon, Newport, Dee Why and Avoca, New South Wales.

Surfers include John Payne, John Campbell, John Pennings, Jay Dunn, John Dunn, Johnny Letts, Wilbur Smith, Paul Hookham, Jay Kendall, Farrely and David Letts.

Photographs in the felt covered album was taken by a Russian camera. Loose photographs were taken with a telephoto lens.

In copyright:
Copyright holder:: State Library of New South Wales
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

Title devised by cataloguer