reFrame-reFocus
all about photographs
LEARN
Big Important Events
Becoming Myself:
A keynote lecture by William Yang
2PM SATURDAY 15 AUGUST 2026
One of Australia’s most significant artist-storytellers, William Yang has spent five decades mapping identity, community and belonging across cultures. His monologues fuse photography, performance and memoir into a single form, chronicling Sydney’s gay scene from its hedonistic emergence in the 1970s through the devastation of the AIDS era, while also tracing his Chinese-Australian heritage and his connections to the Australian landscape and Country.
Link
One off events with Artists/Curators and others
Curator’s introduction
garrie maguire
Sunday 4 October 2 to 3pm
Link - RSVP needed.
Join garrie as he discusses the portraits of Creatives x Creatives exhibition. With the show putting some of histories most interesting portraitists alongside work being done in Victoria. With half the show in analogue with half hand made wet prints. Numbers are limited.
Museum of Australian Photography
Book Launch
Nobody Knows I'm Gay.
Tall Poppy Press X CMoore Hardy
Saturday 26 September 1pm to 3.30pm
Link
MAPh is pleased to be hosting Tall Poppy Press and C.Moore Hardy for the launch of their latest photobook, Nobody Knows I'm Gay.
There'll be a Q+A with the artist plus insights from Queer Love Collective and the Australian Queer Archives!
Hear from the artist and publisher as they discuss how and when the book's photographs were made. Guest speakers from the Australian Queer Archives will speak to the processes of archiving and collecting the images.
LOOK! prize launch and awards night
Tuesday 13 October 2026
6.00pm – 8.00pm
Link - RSVP needed
Join us for the launch of LOOK! – an exclusive annual photographic prize that celebrates work produced by MAPh Members. Members were invited to submit up to three photographic works with no thematic restrictions. A selection of works, chosen by MAPh’s curatorial team, will be exhibited in MAPh’s Atrium Gallery.
Bowness Photography Prize 2026
Curator tours with MAPh Director Anouska Phizacklea
1pm every second Tuesdays between 22 September – 2 November 2026
Link
The 50 shortlisted works in the 21st Bowness Photography Prize reveal the preoccupations and processes at work in contemporary Australian photographic practice. Installations intervene within the museum spaces; portraits offer intimacy. In the landscape, in the darkroom: these artists are reaching for new ways to convey the moment as they work with scale, technique, equipment and perspective..
PHOTOREAL symposium 2026
The splendid light
9.30am to 4pm Sunday 20 September Keynote speakers + demonstrations are free to attend
Link - Bookings needed
Hear from leading artists and accomplished scientists speaking to the revelatory power of the image through seemingly opposite domains: extreme technological and scientific inquiry on one hand and the deeply personal human engagement of the artist the on the other.
Through a rich program of talks and workshops, presenters will pull back the curtain on their working and thinking processes, sharing insights from the farthest reaches of the galaxy and from the personal, philosophical, instinctual and technical aspects of image making.
Spotlight On: Queer Provenance in Archives
The splendid light
12.30 to 1:30pm Sunday 15 October 2026
Link - Free RSVP needed
In this spotlight program archivist Morgan Flack, along with Queer Archive specialist Dr Elliot Freeman, highlight the possibilities created by re-describing archival collections and the impact that social politics, stigma and law had on queer lives that are ambiguous on the record.
Within the University of Melbourne Archives repository sit six boxes of records documenting the life of June Barnett, her diplomatic career, testimony as witness at the 1954 Royal Commission on Espionage along with records detailing her personal life including hundreds of photos, travel documents and correspondence. In this session, Barnett’s archive will be considered through a lens of queer curiosity and contemporary archival practices including how records are now being re-interpreted or re-described for students, scholars and other audiences.
WORKSHOPS
Regular Workshops
Brunswick Darkroom - Brunswick
Link Map
A new b+w and colour lab that is being constructed. They are intending to do intro to analogue, colour and b+w classes.
Echo Darkroom - Collingwood
Link Map
C41 film development.
Kindred Cameras - Docklands
Link Map
From beginners, to alternative, to commercial know how and a few things in between as well as one on one for what you need to know.
Gold Street Studios - Trentham East
Link
This is the centre for Alt photographic processes in the southern hemisphere, and some would say the world. Many many workshops.
District Darkroom - Coburg
Link
The foundations of the black and white darkroom workshop. We’ll cover everything from the multi-step film development process to creating archival black and white prints. Working alongside our experienced lab technicians students will learn all aspects of film development, how to use the enlarger, basic printing steps, how contrast filters work, paper processing, and more advanced printing techniques like dodging and burning and toning for effect and archiving of prints.
Melbourne Camera Club (MCC)
There is a lot see listings!
Courses Link
Very full calendar of events Link
Keira Hudson
Link
Keira runs workshops in wet plate photography, cyanotypes, albumen printing, darkroom printing, and film developing (black and white & c41). She also teaches mixed media techniques such as photo embroidery, rug tufting, and encaustic wax. Reach out to know more.
Podcasts/YouTube Channels
It is time to list the podcasts and YouTube channels made in Victoria which are adding to the culture. Last month we introduced you to our project…
Photography//Tabled - interviews with Victorian artists/photographers about their life, work, equipment seated behind a vintage operating table. Apple and Spotify
Pushing Film - Hasham McAdam guides photographers from starters to lifetimers to explore aspects of analogue with some overlap to digital.
Mark Wiemels - does reviews a news for budget lenses coming out of China and other places. He is at the forefront of these companies as they rise and challenge the established players.
When Harry Met Sally - Two very connected photo people in melbourne interview interesting people around the world of photography. Apple or Spotify
Focused On Time - Caitlin J McColl - show that’s all about helping photographers spend less time in the busy work and more time doing what truly matters.
The Camera Life - From the people who brought you Lucky Straps for your camera. This a news, interviews and shooting the breeze podcast. APC Spot YT
DIY Photo Organising - Having issues keeping track of all the photos you make? This is the podcast for you! Apple or Spotify
Street Life - a podcast about street photography interviews with practitioners from all over.
Greg Carrick (that Aussie photographer) - shooting the breeze by a pro photographer.
Down South - Brendan Waites, Camera Store owner and photographer, and Cam Blake, a master of capturing the breathtaking beauty of the Tasmanian wilderness chat. Web Apple Spotify YouTube
Nightscape Images - own the night with Richard Tatti as he goes through all aspects.
Matt & Toms Excellent Podcast - Matt Krumins an underwater photographer, teacher and Bright Festival of Photography organiser, teams up with Tom Putt, landscape photographer and teacher to shoot the breeze. Team AASPI Australian Association of Street Photographers Inc. Content on events, members and other things that interest the street shooters. Link Matthew Ruderman I'm a photographer based in Melbourne, Australia and on my channel i'd like to share videos about how you can become a better photographer, gea Link
Websites
It is time to list the podcasts and YouTube channels made in Victoria which are adding to the culture. Last month we introduced you to our project…
View Camera Australia - Everything large format film. Based in Melbourne.
GALLERY MEMBERSHIP
NGV Membership - Melbourne Link
Cost: Individual AUD115 one year (other options available)
Benefit:
Discounted and priority entry to all NGV ticketed exhibitions
Discounted and priority entry to NGV Friday Nights
A free exhibition ticket
Subscription to NGV Magazine print and digital editions published bi-monthly
Exclusive Members access to talks and events and discounted NGV courses
Access for you and a guest to the NGV Members Lounges
10% discount at NGV design stores and dining
15% discount on parking at Arts Centre Melbourne and Federation Square
Museum of Australian Photography Membership - Monash Link
Cost: Individual AUD45 one year (other options available)
Benefit:
Invitations:
Exhibition openings and curator talks
MAPh Members events
The annual behind the scenes tour with MAPh’s curatorial team
The annual MAPh Members Photography Competition & Exhibition LOOK where you have the opportunity to exhibit your work.
To our annual gallery excursion with curatorial tour to galleries around Victoria
Discounts:
Discounted tickets for all MAPh events, workshops and public programs
10% Discount at the MAPh Shop
10% Discount at the MAPh Café
20% off in-store on your birthday month
News:
MAPh newsletters.
Centre for Contemporary Photography Membership - Collingwood Link
Cost: Individual AUD75 one year (other options available)
Benefit:
10% off all CCP events, workshops, talks, and masterclasses.
Discounts on CCP Bookshop purchases.
Reduced entry to the CCP Hahnemuhle Summer Salon 2023
One-Year free ACMI Membership
Invites to Members-only Curator and Artist Talks.
Discount at Borges Photographic Equipment Hire
Discount at JCP Studios printing and scanning
Discount at Omnus Framing
Subscription to CCP monthly newsletter
ASSOCIATIONS
Australian Association of Street Photographers Link
Cost: AUD50 a year
Benefits:
Monthly talk by guest speaker
Participation in the AASP exhibitions
Members gallery on the site.
Photo Walks
Australian Photographic Collector's Society Link
Cost: AUD50 a year
Benefits:
Members only auctions for the gear too good to go into the Box Hill Photography market they also run.
A newsletter that has seriously good articles about hear and history.
Field trips
GROUPS
Pushing Film Link
Hashem has built his youtube channel wonderfully. If you are not subscribed you should be, as the content is excellent. He as now built this into a community via Discord which is all the usual online and real meet ups in Melbourne mainly for street photography with film.
Melbourne Lens Masters A Street Photography Group Link
Monthly Challenges and Themes
Paid Workshops and Learning Sessions
Photo Walks in Iconic Melbourne Spots
Showcasing Your Unique Perspective
Join our community and let’s capture the world, one click at a time.
Melb SPC Link
This group is for Street photographers in Melbourne Australia
The aim of the group is to nurture the street photography community in Melbourne by hosting photowalks and paid workshops.
To network with other like minded photographers.
To teach begginers techniques in street photography.
To learn the history of street photographers to adapt and improve our work
District Darkroom Meet Up Link
A group for people using b+w (or even colour) film and making prints, show and tell, techniques and comradely, monthly.
Meet Up Link
This site has quite a few active groups. If you run one you've probably got an email from me asking if you would like to be listed. Get in contact if your group is active.
CAMERA CLUBS
List of Camera Clubs in Victoria Link
There are a lot of these across the state. If you are into analogue camera clubs have so much knowledge and skill.
Melbourne Camera Club Link
The Premier Camera Club in Victoria and one that the editor of this is involved. The analogue group here has members from their 20s to 90s. So much knowledge.
Courses Link Very full calendar of events Link
