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Man on Surf Mat (Manly 1975)

Date1975

Object number00027107

NamePhotograph

MediumSilver gelatin print, paper

DimensionsSheet: 511 x 605 mm
Image: 377 x 554 mm
Mount / Matt size: 630 x 866 mm
Display dimensions (Frame): 660 x 895 x 45 mm

ClassificationsPhotographs

Credit LineANMM Collection

Terms

DescriptionBlack and white image by Roger Scott depicting a man holding a surf mat in a breaking wave. Inscription on the reverse reads 'Manly 1975'.HistoryScott's interest in beach photography began in the 1970s while bodysurfing in Manly. He spent hours in the water watching fellow swimmers floating around waiting for waves. At the time Scott was living in North Sydney, frequenting Manly Harboard, Queenscliff and Palm Beach on the Northern Beaches. He later moved to Double Bay, which led to a focus on Eastern Suburbs beaches. The photographs evoke the exuberance and energy of swimmers on the Australian beaches in the 1970s and 1980s. They convey the spontaneity and splash of the surf, and the surge of adrenalin surfers experience when catching a wave. Scott used a Nikon 'Nikonos' underwater 35 mm camera with a wide angle lens. He believed in the full frame, and would not crop out parts of the scene. He swam around with the camera hanging from his neck, seeking out both the odd and the typical. Although he focused on people, his subjects were generally unaware of the camera and he would catch them off guard. In the chaos of the surf the photographer managed to get very close to his fellow swimmers, and Scott describes this method as 'sneaking up like a shark'. He was awarded a Visual Arts Board grant in the mid 1970s, which enabled him to travel to the USA. During the 1980s and 1990s his subject interests broadened, and he held a number of solo exhibitions during this period.SignificanceRoger Scott photographed Australians at rest and play, focusing on the diversity of those who were drawn to the beach. While capturing the exhilaration of the surf and the popular beach lifestyle of 1970s and 1980s Australia, Scott's photographs document an important part of the nation's society and culture.