Max Dupain : A Portrait, biography by Helen Ennis, 2026

Max Dupain : A Portrait by Helen Ennis, just released book, Sept 2026

Very interested to get hold of a copy of Helen Ennis’s latest published biography, Max Dupain : A Portrait. Max Dupain in my opinion is the greatest photographer Australia has produced. Not only for his work but his influence of Olive Cotton and David Moore who assisted for him. Composition, lighting, tonality and context. Frame within a frame, angles, line and form. The best Australian modernist. I’ve been greatly inspired by his work my whole life and his exhibition at Heidi with Man Ray and recently at Brighton Art Gallery with Ansel Adams. In many respects I was more impressed with Dupain’s work over Adams. His composition, particularly. One of the few regrets is that I never met him, I met David Moore and Wolfgang Sievers several times. I organised the last public talk that Wolfgang Sievers gave at RMIT University before he passed. But I never met Max. Perhaps it’s best not to meet your heroes.

Dupain photogrpahed the light rather than the thing. And from studying his work I believe he not just saw light but felt light.

Reading : Meditations by Krishnamurti

Watching : Apollo has Fallen

Listening : John Field Nocturnes

Eating : yoghurt & blueberries

Drinking : ACV