Ian Lever

BiographyIan Lever's photographic career began in 1968, when he became an assistant manager for a commercial photographic lab and fashion studio in Sydney. Establishing a firm understanding of the business side of the industry, Lever moved to Toronto, Canada, and gained experience in a large photo printing lab before heading to London to work for the photographic department of an advertising agency. Lever then moved back to Toronto for a job in a speciality printing lab that focused on murals.

Returning to Sydney in 1975, Lever opened his own 'Black and White' photographic lab, contracting work from advertising agencies and freelance photographers. It was during this period that Ian started taking photographs, entering his first photo competition with an image of Bronte pool in Sydney. Ian recalls - "Bronte was close to home, and gave me a feeling of peace, after a hard day in the darkroom". The photo won the competition, Lever then displaying a collection of his photos depicting Sydney's saltwater pools at Bondi Pavilion Gallery. Following this exhibition, Art Magazine facilitated a display of Lever's photos in Melbourne, Brisbane, and a group show in London.

Lever became widely known for his Saltwater Pools series, and undertook a yearlong project documenting each pool along Sydney's coastline for the National Trust. From 1975 to 1995 Lever held over thirty solo exhibitions and was involved in fifteen group shows, primarily displaying his Saltwater Pools series. Further exhibitions focused on his tugboat series, and profiles of different communities in the inner Sydney region. Lever was an official photographer for Sydney's Mardi Gras festival, and during the late 1980s became an official photographer for the Australia Tourist Commission, progressing to Tourism NSW.

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