April 2003

“I discovered the power of the camera as I photographed my friends attempt increasingly dangerous stunts with the promise of a gloss print,” he says. Very soon Banks’ ex-mates had similar injuries while he sold his BMX to buy his first camera. During year 12 a wonderful hobby then became a career option after Banks won the 1986 Young Australian Photographer of the Year. He joined The Sunday Age as pictorial editor in 1993. He says it was a “challenging time as we began to incorporate colour printing into our papers”.

With a background in colour photography Banks relished the opportunity to contribute new styles and techniques for the expanding colour feature sections and magazines. “Photographers can take for granted the many powerful interviews we witness on assignment,” I am grateful to watch and listen as great journalists conduct difficult and traumatic interviews. There is an immense sense of responsibility when attending such assignments. I am always affected by the strength of such people in great times of stress. Walter Mikac and the family of murdered teenager Rachel Barber, are two examples.”

Some of the traps and pitfalls that Banks will admit to over the last decade at The Age include:
• All photographs ever taken of a person sitting next to a computer are very boring. And always will be.
• Somewhere, sometime, someone will point a gun at you as you go about your work. Do not presume that taking their picture will help the situation.
• It may seem obvious but sports people really have to be doing something, anything. If they have been featured recently in a nude portrait session restrict your comment to praising the beautiful lighting.
• Comedians have only two poses: scowling or doing something madcap or zany. Confuse your request and expect a walkout.
• When you photograph a dog from the ground it will lick your lens.
• Julio Iglesias will only allow his face to be photographed from one side (but I can never remember which).
• Only ask David Helfgott about Chopin if you have a spare hour.
• One particularly grumpy supermodel demands the ambient room temperature must be 22 degrees. Generally speaking good fashion models can stay up all night and still look great the next day. Photographers cannot.
• Finally, some public relations personnel are frustrated photographers; that’s why they suggest posing their client next to a vase of flowers. Look for an EXIT sign.

*Robert banks is currently features picture editor