Summary

One of a subset of 15 black and white negatives and 2 contact prints taken of the suburbs of Prahran and South Yarra, Victoria. This negative was one of four that were housed in separate photographic paper sleeves.

This subset is part of approximately 3,000 negatives taken by Jim Payens, the Melbourne based aerial photographer, and form part of the Payens Collection. The images span the period predominantly between the 1950s - 1970s.

Jim Payens was one of a very small number of Australian photographers to have specialised in oblique and survey aerial photography. He was also one of the earliest Australian aerial photographers. This collection consists predominantly of aerial views of the city of Melbourne, surrounding suburbs and regional Victoria but also extends to other parts of Australia. The Collection depicts a variety of landmark events and major engineering projects throughout Australia including the Australian Grand Prix, Olympic Games (Melbourne & Sydney) and the construction of Eildon Weir.

The Museum also holds the aerial camera and equipment used by Payens to take these images as well as an oral history interview with the photographer.

Description of Content

Oblique aerial photograph of the suburb of Prahran looking south from Grosvenor Street showing the area bounded by Commercial Road, Bendigo Street, Brighton Road and Upton Road. In the foreground, on the south-west corner of Chapel Street and Commercial Road, is the Charles Reads Emporium (Reads Stores). Further south on Chapel Street is the Prahran Town Hall. The railway line snakes through the image and passes Alma Park West in the background.

Physical Description

negative; black and white; silver gelatin; cellulose acetate.

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