Fit to Print: Defining Moments from the Fairfax Photo Archive

The National Library has invited renowned Australian photojournalist Mike Bowers to select some of his favourite images from the Fairfax Photo Archive. With images printed from the original glass-plate negatives the exhibition explores how the pioneers of press photography in Australia developed their storytelling skills while also creating a lasting record of Australian society in the opening decades of the twentieth century.

The Library holds more than 18,000 photographs in the Fairfax Archive of glass-plate negatives . Published in newspapers such as The Sydney Morning Herald, The Sun and The Sydney Mail between 1890 and 1948, these images trace the art of photojournalism from its infancy, through the development of visual storytelling, to the highly illustrated news stories you know so well today.

'At its very best photojournalism can define a moment, a movement, an era, or even a whole generation. It can bring down a careless politician or elevate them to a winning position. It can lift a weary spirit. And sometimes it can move opinions and change the way we view the world.' - Mike Bowers, curator of Fit to Print

The exhibition runs from 27 February 2025 to 20 July 2025 and is exclusive to Canberra.

Entry is free, no booking required.