During the golden years of Melbourne photography, many well-known photographers worked along Collins Street. The upper end of the street became known as the “Paris end”, and it developed into a centre of photographic studios and creative activity.
Jack Cato worked at 259 Collins Street.
Athol Shmith had his studio at 120 Collins Street.
Julian Smith worked from 59 Collins Street.
Wolfgang Sievers established his famous studio at 9 Collins Street.
Other photographers also worked nearby, including Edwin Adamson, Ruth Hollick, Mina Moore and Spencer Shier around 170 Collins Street. The area became a remarkable concentration of talent. Photographers such as Bruno Benini, Henry Talbot and Helmut Newton also contributed to this vibrant photographic culture.
Most photographers in this community worked in portrait and commercial photography, although their careers often evolved in different directions. Helmut Newton later became one of the most internationally recognised examples.
Gordon De’Lisle rented a studio at 9 Collins Street in Melbourne. His neighbours included Wolfgang Sievers, Georges and Mirka Mora and the painter Albert Tucker. De’Lisle soon became friends with Helmut Newton. The two photographers often lent each other camera equipment and shared professional knowledge. Over time De’Lisle expanded his studio practice. New studios opened in St Kilda Road and later in City Road. Although he worked mainly as a commercial photographer, De’Lisle maintained strong creative interests. His clients included organisations such as the Australian Wool Board.
Gordon De’Lisle also produced several publications based on his photography. He collaborated with author Joyce Nicholson on children’s books such as Cranky the Camel and Ringtail the Possum. These books used black-and-white photography rather than illustration. He also photographed material for travel publications, including Introducing Australia. Another significant commission involved the 1959 Hollywood film On the Beach, based on the novel by Neville Shute. The film was directed by Stanley Kramer and starred Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner, Fred Astaire and Anthony Perkins. Much of the movie was filmed in Melbourne. De’Lisle worked on the production as a still photographer and also assisted with film and print processing.
Gordon De’Lisle later became Senior Lecturer in Charge of Photography at Prahran College of Technology. He enjoyed teaching and mentoring younger photographers. Many cadet photographers learned their craft while working in his studio. De’Lisle believed that photography required both artistic vision and technical discipline. He encouraged students to develop their own creative voice while mastering photographic technique. After he left the position, his colleague Athol Shmith filled the role.
Later in life Gordon and his wife moved to Queensland because of health concerns.
Despite working for many years as a commercial photographer, Gordon De’Lisle kept very little of his commercial archive. He did preserve one important body of work. This was a collection of figure studies that he titled Of Woman, Love and Beauty. The project became deeply personal to him. Many photographs were created at Clifton Pugh’s Dunmoochin studio, north-east of Melbourne. The location attracted artists from many disciplines and provided an inspiring creative environment. De’Lisle kept the negatives, contact sheets and prints from this series. He believed these photographs represented his most significant artistic work. He described the project in his own words:
“This book is a catharsis from commercial boredom, satiety of a deep desire to perpetuate some beauty before I go.”
Today the photographs remain an important record of De’Lisle’s artistic vision and his commitment to photographic craft.
Exhibition – Of Women, Love and Beauty, 2025
