“The Untold Stories of Papua New Guinea: A Photographic Odyssey with Frank Hurley”

Frank Hurley was an Australian photographer and adventurer who made several trips to Papua New Guinea in the early 20th century. Hurley was born in 1885 and grew up in Sydney, where he developed a passion for photography and adventure from a young age.

Hurley’s first trip to Papua New Guinea was in 1921, when he accompanied the anthropologist A. C. Haddon on a scientific expedition to study the local peoples and cultures of the region. Hurley was tasked with documenting the expedition through his photography, and he used a large format camera to capture stunning images of the landscape, people, and wildlife of the island.

Hurley went on to make several more trips to Papua New Guinea over the next two decades, often in collaboration with other scientists, explorers, and filmmakers. He continued to use large format cameras for his photography, which allowed him to create incredibly detailed and vivid images of the country’s diverse cultures and landscapes.

Some of Hurley’s most famous photographs from his trips to Papua New Guinea include portraits of local tribespeople, images of traditional ceremonies and dances, and stunning landscapes of the island’s mountains, forests, and coastlines. His photographs captured the beauty and complexity of the country’s indigenous cultures, as well as the challenges and hardships they faced in a rapidly changing world.

Hurley’s photographs from Papua New Guinea have been widely published and exhibited over the years, and they continue to be celebrated for their technical excellence and artistic vision. In addition to his photography, Hurley also wrote several books about his adventures and experiences in Papua New Guinea, including “Pearls and Savages” (1924) and “Into the Frozen South” (1929).

Today, Hurley’s photographs and writings provide a valuable record of Papua New Guinea’s cultural and natural heritage, as well as a testament to the creativity and bravery of one of Australia’s most celebrated photographers and adventurers.