New exhibition explores 150 years of photography in Australia

A new exhibition opening in Sydney this weekend opens the lid on more than 150 years of photography in Australia, covering everything from the earliest examples of colour photography, iconic works by some of our most acclaimed photographers and contemporary images by over 30 living photographers. 

Shot, which delves into the State Library of NSW's vast collection of two million images, will showcase a whopping 400 images and moments — many displayed for the first time — with nearly every photographic format and every year between 1845 and 2022 represented. 

On display for the first time are 25 large glass plate negatives from the Holtermann collection which form an astonishing nine-metre panorama of Sydney captured in 1875. 

According to the State Library, due to the delicate nature of many of the works, this may be the first and only time to see some of the images on display.

The exhibition is the brainchild of curator Geoff Barker, who has spent two years trawling the massive archive, selecting items for the exhibition. He will speak about the project at a special free event on 15 November.

Shot runs from Sunday 29 October 2023 to Sunday 20 October 2024 at the State Library. It's free to enter.