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Shot of Ron Taylor helping hold a caught fish hung on a rod amongst four others holding caught fish and a spear rod
Shot of Ron Taylor helping hold a caught fish hung on a rod amongst four others holding caught fish and a spear rod

Shot of Ron Taylor helping hold a caught fish hung on a rod amongst four others holding caught fish and a spear rod

Photographer (born 1935)
Date1953-2000
Object numberANMS1459[013]
NamePhotographic slide
MediumColour transparency film
DimensionsOverall (inc carrier) 50 x 50 mm
Copyright© Valerie Taylor
ClassificationsPhotographs
Credit LineAustralian National Maritime Museum Collection Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program by Valerie Taylor in memory of Ron Taylor
DescriptionThis photographic collection represents the career of filmmakers and ocean conservationists Valerie Taylor AM (born 1935) and her late husband Ron Taylor AM (1934-2012). The couple pioneered skin-diving, scuba diving and underwater photography and cinematography in Australia. Valerie was national spear fishing champion for three years in the 1960s, Ron for four years, however the couple soon stopped fishing and shifted focus to shark research, photography and film. They made chain mail diving suits to film sharks and became strong advocates for shark preservation. Early in her career Valerie Taylor worked with the New Zealand National Film Unit in Wellington as an illustrator. She was assigned to an animation studio, and completed drawings of animals and figures for educaional films. This photographic archive profiles a selection of the many illustrations of fish, figures and underwater creatures drawn by Valerie over the years, many of which saw publication in childrens books.