We have to turn back to the nineteenth century photographers working with their large format cameras if we want to reconnect with the photographic explorations of the cityscape in Adelaide. This style of photography--urban large format--- is a niche in the digital world of today.
The fashion in the mid-nineteenth century was urban panoramas. In 1865 Townsend Duryea, using the wet plate process, took a 360 degrees bird's eye view of the capital city of South Australia from the scaffolding of the nearly completed Albert Tower of the Adelaide Town hall. It was a snapshot that celebrated the development of the state's capital business district and its public buildings.
I know very little about urban photography in colonial South Australia apart from Duryea's panorama and what has been called trade views of the built environment. Trade views refers to the commercial trade in views and the work is of a topographic nature. It documents the city , its developing urban environment and its civic events. The photographs were produced to be sold as documents and records.
Despite photography being very influential in the visual culture of the late twentieth century 19th century photography has, until recently, been mostly been ignored by art historians. So I am researching the books that have published on 19th century photography in settler Australia to become familiar with the work of the photographers of this period.
What urban views like this one don't show is the lack of pedestrian through ways in this East End precinct that would help to revitalize the area. The apartments go up in the CBD without the urban design that would allow people to wander the alleyways and through ways. Adelaide is not a people-friendly city, and it needs an urban design that would make the CBD an inviting and desirable place to live.
