Group of people Sydney, ca. 1885-1890 / photographed by Arthur K. Syer
Arthur Syer, brother of the artist Walter Syer, was a friend of cartoonist Phil May and supplied him with 'snapshot' photographs of ordinary people in daily attire. Phil May, renowned for the life-like quality of his illustrations, used the photographs to impart an authentic atmosphere to his cartoons. Syer's low angle photographs were taken surreptitiously, using a 'detective camera'. Such cameras, sometimes concealed in parcels or portmanteau, were made possible with the invention of the dry plate in 1880.
Reference:
'Phil May and his photography', Australian Magazine, 1908. pp 668-677
Format: Photograph
Find more detailed information about this photographic collection: acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/item/itemDetailPaged.aspx?itemID=442936
Search for more great images in the State Library's collections: acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/search/SimpleSearch.aspx
From the collection of the State Library of New South Wales www.sl.nsw.gov.au
Group of people Sydney, ca. 1885-1890 / photographed by Arthur K. Syer
Arthur Syer, brother of the artist Walter Syer, was a friend of cartoonist Phil May and supplied him with 'snapshot' photographs of ordinary people in daily attire. Phil May, renowned for the life-like quality of his illustrations, used the photographs to impart an authentic atmosphere to his cartoons. Syer's low angle photographs were taken surreptitiously, using a 'detective camera'. Such cameras, sometimes concealed in parcels or portmanteau, were made possible with the invention of the dry plate in 1880.
Reference:
'Phil May and his photography', Australian Magazine, 1908. pp 668-677
Format: Photograph
Find more detailed information about this photographic collection: acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/item/itemDetailPaged.aspx?itemID=442936
Search for more great images in the State Library's collections: acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/search/SimpleSearch.aspx
From the collection of the State Library of New South Wales www.sl.nsw.gov.au