Author Archive for Paula Bray

This silver gelatin print by Olive Cotton provides a rare, early glimpse ‘behind the scenes’ at an outdoor fashion shoot. The photographer is Max Dupain (1911-1992), and the model, Noreen Hallard. Dupain works on the Cronulla sand dunes south of Sydney, on a shot for David Jones Department Store fashion publicity. At the time, Olive Cotton was the photographer’s assistant and Dupain was beginning to establish himself as a leading local commercial photographer.

In the late 1930s it was becoming common practice to take fashion photographs out of doors. We would all go in Max’s small car to a favourite location where he would take the required shots, my role being to help the models with their make-up and changes of costume.

Olive Cotton: photographer, Sally McInerney, National Library of Australia, 1995, p28

Cotton and Dupain were later married (1939-1941). Although the shot was captured in 1937, the year Dupain shot his iconic Sunbaker image, which can be viewed on the National Gallery of Australia website, this particular photographic print (Powerhouse Museum collection 95/317/1; purchased 1995) was printed much later, in 1992, as part of a limited edition series (this print being 8/25) after Olive Cotton rediscovered it at the end of a role of film as she was going through her negatives.

By showing the photographer and model at work on location, and documenting the presence of the photographer’s assistant (photographer, Olive Cotton), the photograph beautifully contextualizes the history and production of Australian fashion photography by not only illustrating the early use of outdoor locations, but also showing the simple production set-ups of the day.

The beach became a popular or preferred backdrop for fashion photographers working in Australia, partly because of the atmospheric appeal of the light, texture and space, but also because beaches challenged the photographer’s skills and ability due to unpredictable circumstances, including light and weather conditions. Many photographers continued the tradition of working on Australian beaches into the forties and through to the nineties – Laurence Le Guay, Helmut Newton, Alec Murray, Bruno Benini, Henry Talbot, David Mist, Graham Shearer and others, and naturally the vogue continues today, (see My Nikon Life).

Post by Anne-Marie Van de Ven, Curator

Photography by Olive Cotton
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