Lessons learned in a life behind the lens

“I’ve had a fairly long and varied career, but it's one that I've really enjoyed,” says local photographer Robert Bruce, whose professional career behind the lens spans nearly four decades.

It was Robert’s Scottish father, Ian, who inspired his interest in photography. He had been photographing his own life since his university days at Cambridge in the ‘20s.

In 1927, Ian Bruce followed a friend to Australia and went jackarooing, eventually purchasing his own rural property “Adair” west of Orange, where Robert grew up.

“Dad had kept photographing his life and to this day, we have four beautiful albums all with black and white photos,” recalls Robert, who began taking his own photographs while at boarding school.

“I got a little Kodak Duaflex camera when I was in Sydney and I used to take a few photos around the school and that was the beginning I suppose,” says Robert.

Like his father, Robert also went jackarooing, heading out into western Queensland around Blackhall for two years, and like his father, Robert always had a camera with him.

When he set off on a ten-month trip across the European mainland and the British Isles, his adventures were all captured on film.

But it was only in 1984 when the decision was made to sell the family property that Robert decided to seriously pursue his interest in photography.

“In those days, there were two professional photographers in Orange,” recalls Robert.

“We bought a house in Summer Street and I turned one of the rooms into a dark room and started doing families and weddings.”

And over the next 40 years, Robert would go on to photograph nearly 600 weddings.

“I've photographed weddings in cathedrals and under trees in paddocks and they're all good fun and I enjoyed it,” he says.

“And I used to do the wedding receptions; a lot of photographers didn't, but I found that you got just as interesting shots afterwards when people are a bit more relaxed.” 

Photographing rural properties has also been a significant part of Robert’s career and it has taken him to South Australia and Victoria, all over NSW and as far north as Bundaberg in Queensland.

“This was in the days when the rural properties all did big glossy brochures, but that's all gone. It's all digital brochures now and, of course, drones, we would use helicopters or planes with a door off,” he recalls.

Film is another passion of Robert’s. It was through his love of film and involvement in the Orange Film Society that he found himself the official photographer for the Sydney Film Festival for 12 years.

“It was a lovely experience; the Sydney Film Festival was amazing,” says Robert, who would take photos of actors and directors at Q&A sessions and parties throughout the festival, catching movies in between.

In 2008, Robert took a bucket-list holiday, spending eight days photographing wildlife in the Okavango Delta in Botswana.

“It was just the most wonderful experience… there were hippos and elephants, and lions and Leopards — just the most extraordinary mixture of animals!”

On his return to Orange, Robert approached the Orange Regional Gallery and they held an exhibition of about 80 stunning prints from his journey.

But for Robert, there is one career highlight that stands out above the rest and it’s one that has left a lasting impression.

In 1987, Robert was asked to accompany the influential Australian photographer Max Dupain while he was working in Orange.

It was this experience with Dupain that really taught him about using light and shadow, says Robert. And also the importance of planning, anticipating and then waiting for just the right moment.

“Max would move to an area where he knew he'd get a good photograph. It was fascinating watching him work. He would wait for the moment. He wouldn't just sort of shoot it all,” recalls Robert.

“I was a bit like a sponge. I'd only been doing photography for four years, but it all came in and it stayed with me and I think it's been a great help with everything, whether it be rural property or weddings or whatever.

“Getting to know where to stand…. you've got to anticipate what's happening. You've got to be aware. Looking all the time for photos and I guess Max's sort of sitting on my shoulder somewhere, saying, ‘There must be a photo… Oh, look. Hang on. Wait till this gets over there and click there's something. It was a thread that went right through my photography to this day.”

It’s now been several years since Robert last photographed a wedding, but he says has been enjoying his recent “stress-free” assignments photographing gardens for the Dubbo-based Regional Lifestyle Magazine.

“I’ve had a fairly long and varied career but it's one that I've really enjoyed… mainly because it's been has been very varied,” he says

“I've never made a huge fortune out of photography, I don't know whether anyone does these days, but it's more the satisfaction as much as anything else, I think. And, you know, seeing your work put up somewhere.” 

Robert is also looking forward to passing on some of the knowledge he’s accrued to a new photographer in the family.

“I’ve got a grandson at Riverview who wants to do photography next year, so I'm going to try and help him learn a few things quickly the way I did over many, many years,” says Robert.

“He’s a lovely young bloke and he just loves light and using light properly, so that'll be fun!”