Lloyd Brown

Where have you worked and over what time period?

I have worked in newspapers for forty-seven years, except for three years in the 1950s when I purchased a newsagency. When the Herald and Weekly Times (H&WT) rang about coming back after three years in the business, I did. I was on The Sun News Pictorial from early 1946 through to 1976. I had to retire on my birthday in 1986 after ten years as Photographic Manager.

How did you get into press photography - what was your big break?

In the 1937 September holidays I got a job for two weeks (what they now call work experience). After two days running messages from the 'Boys Room', I was asked if I wanted to start full time. I asked my father and never went back to school. I worked for two years in the Feature Service Department. We looked after country and major city newspapers with stories and pictures, so I was a regular in the darkroom. Watching the photographers processing prints - I was hooked! I pushed the Chief Photographer for a cadetship. He gave me a try and later I got a cadet's job, just as the war started.

So, I joined up to the AIF Australian Imperial Force) and was in the army as a signaler for just on five years. I went to the Middle East and New Guinea. I was with the 9th Division Signals where we landed on Labuan Island, off the west coast of Borneo. I was there until the end of the war.

After the war, I came back to H&WT. I was able to borrow a camera during my lunch hours and would go around the city and gardens taking pictures. I was also taught by a senior man in the studio, using a big stand camera with a dark sheet over one's head, to view the picture on the focus screen at the back of the camera. I also learnt a lot about lighting. My first published picture was of a greyhound in the Sporting Globe.

After the war, while waiting to be discharged and still in uniform, I spent most days in the Herald darkroom helping out. That's where I met (my wife) Marion. She fell for the 'yellow man' in the dark. I was yellow from the tablets to combat malaria!

My first real assignments were for the Weekly Times. I often think of going to Mildura for their first race meeting since the end of the war and being asked if I would take a picture of giving a trophy to a winning owner. The President wanted to make sure he was included! After a while, I was put on the Sun News Pictorial.

I suppose my big break came when Australia was winning Davis Cups. A senior photographer was told he was to go to the challenge round in Adelaide and he had been doing all the tennis for some time. This time, he did not want go so the Picture Editor gave me the job. I did all the challenges (I think) in the other states.

What is your favourite photograph of all those you have taken and why?

My favourite picture is one of John Snow, the English cricketer and fast bowler being grabbed over the boundary fence at a test match in Sydney test. I also had first day pictures (Boxing Day) of Cyclone Tracy.

What is the biggest change you've seen in press photography over your career?

Motor drives on cameras instead of having to make a manual movement to bring the next frame forward on a film. Since I retired, digital photography has meant a huge change to how newspapers handle photographers.

What was the first camera you used and what camera do you use now?

My first camera outside of studio was a 5 x 4 inch film Graflex Camera. The operator had to look down from on top of the camera body to see the image on a glass screen that showed the view through the lens reflected by a mirror that flipped up out of the way for the light to be recorded on a flat film.