The National Library’s image collections are the photo albums of Australia. They are an invaluable archive that helps us understand the story of Australia, its country and its people.

Just like with personal photo albums, images in the Library's collections, both physical and digital, reveal the communities we live in, the landscapes we inhabit, our history and moments both significant and ephemeral.  

A black and white close up of an Aboriginal man's face from above the brows to just below the nose. He holds a small camera over his left eye.
Mervyn Bishop, Self-portrait of Aboriginal Photographer Mervyn Bishop, Sydney, 1989, nla.obj-153510920, copyright courtesy Mervyn Bishop and Josef Lebovic Gallery, Sydney

Viewfinder: Photography from the 1970s to Now explores 50 years in the lives of Australians. Pulling exclusively from the Library's photography collection – now made up of more than a million photographs – the 125 images in this exhibition reveal a changing Australia and the evolving nature of photography.  

Selected themes

Exhibition highlights

A young boy in a blue soccer shirt, white shorts and soccer boots is about to kick a yellow soccer ball back into the game.

Dave Tacon, Flemington Eagles Striker Osman, Representing the Flemington High Rise Housing Commission Flats, Lets Fly with a Corner Cross, Atherton Reserve, Fitzroy, Victoria, 10 September 2005, nla.obj-137108517, courtesy Dave Tacon 

Black and white image of a smiling man with his arms spread wide standing in front of a fountain

Rennie Ellis, Hippie, Kings Cross, 1970-1971, nla.obj-145154046, courtesy of the Rennie Ellis Photographic Archive 

Two men from the waist up with their backs to the camera wearing rainbow wings and no shirts. Their arms are wrapped around each other's waist.

William Yang, Rainbow Angel Wings, New Mardi Gras, 2003, nla.obj-136950531, courtesy William Yang 

A black and white landscape of an older man wearing a hat and suit jacket sitting outside next to a water tap

Jon Rhodes, Jimmy Sing, Glebe, Sydney, New South Wales, 1974, nla.obj-2171057193, courtesy Jon Rhodes 

A black and white landscape of women floating in a pool in a circle with toddlers accompanying them.

Roger Garwood, Volunteers Work in Groups with Children in the Hydroptherapy Pool at the Sir David Brand Centre, Perth, February 1989, nla.obj-136970905, courtesy Roger Garwood 

Four women smiling and laughing in a street wearing Melbourne Cup attire

Rennie Ellis, Jenny Bannister and Girls, Melbourne Cup, 1978, nla.obj-145167899, courtesy of the Rennie Ellis Photographic Archive 

A black and white close up of a man's face showing from the brows down to just above the lip with a tiny camera covering the left eye

Mervyn Bishop, Self-portrait of Aboriginal Photographer Mervyn Bishop, Sydney, 1989, nla.obj-153510920, copyright courtesy Mervyn Bishop and Josef Lebovic Gallery, Sydney 

Two elderly women sitting in cushioned chairs looking at the camera with their hands folded in their laps.

William Yang, Madelaine and Eileen Nom Chong, Braidwood, 1990, nla.obj-146595971, courtesy William Yang

A man in the air doing a trick on a skateboard on the left with some young men watching him on the right

Dave Tacon, Australian Renton Millar, World Champion Professional Skateboarder, Performs a Method Air Above a Half Pipe Ramp, Before a Crowd of Young Onlookers at Prahran, Victoria, 8 April 2009, nla.obj-137927722, courtesy Dave Tacon 

A young man leaning on the ledge of a ticket booth with a program sitting to his left

Jon Rhodes, Paul Jackson, Dubbo, News South Wales, 1973, nla.obj-2147881601, courtesy Jon Rhodes

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The National Library of Australia acknowledges Australia’s First Nations Peoples – the First Australians – as the Traditional Owners and Custodians of this land and gives respect to the Elders – past and present – and through them to all Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

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Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are advised that this website contains a range of material which may be considered culturally sensitive including the records of people who have passed away.

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