Personal Ephemera

item details

NamePersonal Ephemera

ProductionBrian Brake; creating agency; 1951-1997

Classificationdrivers' licenses, passports, certificates

Materialspaper, ink, cardboard, printing paper, printing ink

Techniquesprinting, handwriting

Registration NumberCA000826

Credit lineGift of Mr Raymond Wai-Man Lau, 2001

Overview

Brian Brake started his photographic career in 1945 at the Wellington Portrait Studio as an assistant.

In 1949 he joined the New Zealand National Film Unit (NZNFU) as a cameraman and was also involved in directing documentary films.

In 1953 he moved to Europe to pursue a career in photojournalism. In 1954 Brake joined Magnum specialising in Asia became one of the most famous documentary photographers of the late 1950's 1960's. Brian Brake did photo-essays on Calcutta Hong Kong for Jours de France was the only independent western photographer to be present at China's 10th anniversary celebrations. He photographed Kashmir for National Geographic and photographed the Dali Lama. In 1962 he moved to Hong-Kong to live. Over the next 14 years he freelanced as a photographer and documentary film producer working for 'Time Life' films and Pertamina - Indonesia's state Oil Company.

This material documents his travels as told from his passports, driver's licences and vaccination certificates.