Athol Shmith (1914-1990) was a professional photographer specialising in portraiture, branching into the fashion and advertising fields after 1936.
1 portrait in the collection
Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased 1999
Athol Shmith’s photographs contributed to the emergence of a new vision of Australian womanhood.
The Seekers, folk music band, formed in 1962 when jazz singer Judith Durham met Athol Guy, who sang and played bass in a folk trio with Bruce Woodley and Keith Potger.
3 portraits in the collection
Gift of Judith Durham, Athol Guy, Keith Potger and Bruce Woodley 2012. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.
Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased 2005
Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased 2007
Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Gift of Eric Harding and Athol Hawke 2002
Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased with funds provided by Timothy Fairfax AC 2003
The discovery of Dempsey's People, Australian rugby greats, Athol Shmith's progressive pictures, and powerful Indigenous portraits.
Max Loudon was photographic assistant to, and darkroom manager for, Athol Shmith and John Cato before becoming a photographer for Rolling Stone Australia.
1 portrait in the collection
Patricia 'Bambi' Tuckwell (1926-2018) was a leading Australian fashion model as well as a promising violinist.
1 portrait in the collection
Jacqueline Mitelman (b. 1952), photographer, was born in Scotland and moved to Australia with her family at the age of five.
23 portraits in the collection
Janice McIllree (nee Wakely) (1935-2022), fashion model and photographer, began her modelling career in Melbourne in 1954, having graduated from Sydney's Mannequin Academy in 1952.
4 portraits in the collection
George Nicholas CBE (1884-1960), pharmacist and philanthropist, grew up in South Australia and Victoria.
1 portrait in the collection
Rod McNicol (b. 1946), photographic artist, studied photography at Prahran College in Melbourne, where he formed a close friendship with Athol Shmith.
1 portrait in the collection