A brief history of The Canberra Photographic
Society 1945-2006
by
Bronwyn Potts Hendy
and Kathleen Fisher
with contributions from Bob Legge, Ian McInnes and Graeme Watson
(text originally prepared for the 60th Anniversary Exhibition brochure)
The Canberra Photographic Society (CPS) was founded on September 11, 1945 after Mr Keith Carnall of Ainslie advertised in The Canberra Times inviting interested people to contact him. Regular meetings began on October 2, 1945 and the Society soon began holding field days, lectures and print competitions for A grade (Advanced) and B grade (Beginners).
Alf Redpath joined the Society in its first two years, having moved to Canberra to work in the Department of Post-War Reconstruction. "At first, a commercial firm printed my photographs. However, I won an enlarger after being published in the Australian Photographic Review and set up my own kitchen darkroom," recalls Alf.
One of the earliest activities for members was movie-making. Members screened their own movies at the second meeting of the Society, and this practice continued, in a non-competitive form, for the first two years. In 1946 a movie competition to run over 12 months was announced. The sponsor was Capitol Picture Theatres and the10 guineas prize was eventually won by Miss E. Holt. By the end of 1947, however, only one member Mr Etiole Norse was seriously making movies, and the 1949/50 annual report made no mention of movie-making.
The first venue for regular meetings was the 2CA Theatrette in Mort Street, Civic, but changes to 2CA in 1951 resulted in a move to the Institute of Anatomy in Acton (now the National Film and Sound Archive). New accommodation in vacant huts at the Riverside Hostel became available in 1952, and provided rooms for a library, darkroom, kitchen, and small and large meeting rooms. The Society's financial statements for 1952/53 include expenditure on Kalsomine (a zinc oxide, water and glue wash for walls and ceilings) and curtains for the hut.
"Mosque, Cairo 1962" by
Alf Redpath
"Sheep Shearing Shed" circa 1954 by Chris Christian
[b.1907- d.1996]