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Sweet in Adelaide
Sweet combined his photographic work with his maritime career from 1869 to 1875 but it was not until 1879 that he opened a major photographic studio. He opened his own purpose built studios in central Adelaide at number 3 Flinders Street, above Mr Molton’s guilding and framing business. He named the studio ‘Captain Sweet’s Imperial Portrait Rooms’ and hired an operator to run the portrait side of the business. It was not unusual for photographers to move from one location to another at that time and in 1884 he was advertising his new portrait rooms at 25 Rundle Street. Sweet then briefly occupied a studio in King William Street before opening his final studio in Adelaide Arcade in December 1885. Unfortunately he had no time to enjoy what seemed to be the pinacle of his commercial career as, on 4th January 1886, Sweet died of heat apoplexy while visiting his friend Captain Adams near Riverton in South Australia. His wife, Elizabeth, continued to run the business from the Adelaide Arcade Studio until 1892. Professional photographers abounded in Adelaide during this period but none matched Sweet’s skill in outdoor photography. His innovative images have a unique clarity and boldness of composition. He used novel viewpoints to achieve images which were rich in visual information and a dynamic sense of movement. His prolific work of the 1870s and 80s also included private commissions of homes and estates, sheep and cattle stations, mills, mines and other agricultural, industrial, cultural and civic developments. Of particular note are his panoramic photographs of Port Adelaide. As a photographer Sweet led the way in developing the art of Australian landscape photography and left behind him a legacy of artistry, technical prowess, and thousands of images of land and life in late nineteenth century South Australia.
REFERENCES: South Australian Register, 22 November 1879 Josiah Boothby, The Adelaide Almanac and Directory for South Australia 1884, J. Williams, Stationer, Adelaide, 1884 Advertiser, 27 June 1885
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© Karen Magee 2008 - 2009 |
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