MELBOURNE CAMERA CIRCLE

May 15th, 1936  Page 62 - Art in Australia

MELBOURNE CAMERA CIRCLE
PHOTOGRAPHY belongs to two worlds — that of Science and that of Art. Its overwhelming position in the world of Science has rather overshadowed its position in that of Art and caused it to be looked upon with distrust by the average artist, but, that it has a right to such a position, cannot seriously be denied to-day. Its use as a medium of expression in art has further been hindered by the fact that its employment in such a way is extremely difficult, while superficially appearing to be easy. The dividing line between Art and Science is not easily recognized, the essential fact is that a work of art is the product of an artist and not merely of a good technician. And so it is that individuals with but little artistic feeling and a smattering of scientific knowledge can produce prints which do please from the very beauty of their technique, their truth to facts, their textures and their tones. That such work has a value is not for a moment to be denied, but its value is to science and not to art. An artist is essentially a man of feeling and does not concern himself with simple records, his aim being the catching of some mood or effect. The catching of the mood places the resulting work of art far above the plain record of the man who is a slave of his medium and not master of it. That photography can be mastered and used to express the feelings of an artist, is proven by the examples reproduced here.

To those who have the urge of artistic expression but have been denied the power to express themselves in any of the more graphic arts, photography has indeed proved to be a boon. Its great mistake, in the first place, was in not realizing itself as an individual medium and so beginning by aping the pictures and methods of the more conventional artist. However, it had not come on a basis of competition and it was soon realized that, like all media, it had its own personal characteristics, and that it was only by taking the fullest advantage of these characteristics that photography, like any other medium, could hope to make a place for itself in the world of art.

Nearly two years ago a number of photographers, whose work had become known, were called together to consider the possibility of forming a club, for the purpose of holding regular meetings where they could be of assistance to each other in their work. They have never looked back, and here we see the result of their collective progress.

by WILLIAM THOMAS OWEN FRPS

EIGHT STUDIES BY MEMBERS OF THE

MELBOURNE CAMERA CIRCLE

SPRING
W. Broadhead

WANING GLORY
D.E. Rayword

THE BEACH
William T. Owen FRPS

THE CLOISTER
C.R. Hartmann

OUTWARD BOUND
C. Stuart Tompkins ARPS

IN FOLDING HILLS
John B. Eaton FRPS

OVERCAST
A.W. Briggs

THE WISDOM OF YEARS
DR. Julian Smith

Thursday 19th September 1940  Page 13 - The Herald (Melbourne, Victoria)

EXHIBITION OF PHOTOGRAPHIC ART
The Mayor of Prahran (Cr. A.H. Woodfull) today opened an exhibition of photographic art in the Prahran Public Library. It will remain open until October 5th. There are 70 studies, landscapes and portraits, contributed by members of the Melbourne Camera Circle.



Friday 20th September 1940  Page 13 - The Age (Melbourne, Victoria)

EXAMPLES OF CAMERA ART
An arresting and comprehensive display of photographic studies selected for exhibition by the Melbourne Camera Circle was opened at Prahan municipal library yesterday by the mayor (Cr. A.H. Woodfull). The collection includes landscapes, seascapes, still life and portraiture, and covers a wide range of Australian subjects in addition to studies from abroad. Each print has been chosen as expressing a phase of camera art in the highest degree. Cr. Woodfull, in paying a tribute to the Melbourne Camera Circle in arranging the display, expressed the hope that the public would take advantage of the opportunity to inspect it. The prints will be on view until October 5th.

No title (Still life with grapes)
William HOWIESON
circa 1940
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne

AUTUMN STORM
William HOWIESON
circa 1957
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne

March 1949  Page 147 - Australasian photo-review

MELBOURNE CAMERA CIRCLE

1948 MEMBERS EXHIBITION

UNFINISHED SYMPHONY
Louis Williams

THE LONE SURVIVOR
A.W. Briggs

MYSTERIOUS DEPTHS
C.R. Hartman

TOP OF THE CLIFF
John B. Eaton FRPS

A SILVER MORNING
William HOWIESON

MOUNTAIN MORNING
D.H. Wade

THROUGH THE CLOISTERS
W. Broadhead

MONDAY MORNING
John Bilney

THE BARN
William Thomas Owen FRPS

PORT DUTIES
D.E. Rayward

PERILOUS PASSAGE
L.A. Love

Dr. JULIAN SMITH Hon. FRPS
C. Stuart Tompkins ARPS

Thursday 15th October 1953  Page 2 - The Canberra Times (ACT)

A special invitation photographic display to mark "Open Week" at Riverside, will open at the Club rooms of the Canberra Photographic Society tonight.

The display contains about 100 prints from the Sydney Camera Circle, Melbourne Camera Circle, Melbourne Camera Club, Mr. E. Robertson of the Adelaide Camera Club and interstate members of the Australasian Photo Review invitation panel.

The display will open from 7.30pm to 9.30pm, until 21st October, except on Tuesday night, when a Club meeting will be held.

Guest speaker at the meeting will be Mr. C.S. Christian on survey work in North Australia and New Guinea.



Saturday 4th September 1954  Page 16 - The Argus (Melbourne, Victoria)

CAMERA CLUB by F. Keith Manzie

BOX HILL LAUNCHES CAMERA COMPETITION

Professional and amateur photographers will aid the Box Hill and District Hospital with a photographic exhibition and competition in the Box Hill Town Hall at the end of this month.

This has been organized by Stuart Tompkins Studio, in conjunction with the Melbourne Camera Circle and the Cambridge Movie Film Productions, Box Hill.

Trophies, awards and certificates are being awarded to amateur prize winners.

CLASS A: is for landscapes, seascapes and scenes generally.
CLASS B: covers any other type of subject.
CLASS C: is for color transparencies (any subject).

Each entrant's name and address and the class of the entry must be written clearly on each print or attached by cellulose tape, or some other means, to the transparency.

Each entrant must enclose a fee of one shilling, which covers all his entries.

Enlargements are preferable, but not necessary. All prints must be mounted on light-toned mounts.

Closing date of the contest is September 24th. All entries must be at the Hospital office, 960 White Horse Road, Box Hill, by this date.

The best of the amateur prints submitted for the competition will be exhibited in the Box Hill Town Hall, together with a display of photographs by well-known Victorian exhibitors, on Tuesday, September 28th, from noon until 9pm, and on Wednesday, September 29th, from 10am until noon.

The local hospital will benefit from the admission charge of 2/- for each person and from entry fees received from the amateur competition. Trophies are being donated by York Camera Shop, Alpha Photo Service, and Stuart Tompkins Studio.

Cine camera enthusiasts will also be catered for at the display. Cambridge Films will give a demonstration of cine technique.

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