May and Mina Moore were New Zealand-born photographers who made careers as professional photographers, first in Wellington, New Zealand, and later in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia.[1] They are known for their Rembrandt-style portrait photography, and their subjects included famous artists, musicians, and writers of the era.[2][3]
May Moore
Annie May Moore (1881-1931), by unknown photographer, 1900-15
Annie May Moore (known as May) was born in Wainui, New Zealand, on 4 January 1881, and Minnie Louise Moore (known as Mina) was born the following year, on 6 October 1882. Their mother, Sarah Jane née Hellyer, was born in New Zealand, while their father, Robert Walter Moore, originally came from England. He was a farmer and sawyer.[2]
Mina, then a schoolteacher, began working with photography around 1907. Not long afterwards, the sisters decided to go into business as photographers, and they bought a studio in Wellington.[2] Since they did not know how to run a photography studio, the sisters initially kept on the staff, who trained May in camera operations and Mina in printing.[3]
The sisters gained a solid reputation around Wellington within a short time. They became known for close-up, side-lit portraits shot against a plain background, and they worked with both sepia toning and bromide paper.[2]
After only a few years, the sisters moved their business to Australia, running separate studios in Sydney (1910–28) and Melbourne (1913–1918). May in Sydney continued to focus on studio portraits, while Mina in Melbourne moved into theatrical photography and portraits of interview subjects. Nonetheless, they continued to often cosign the work produced by their respective studios. Their photographs were frequently published in magazines such as Home and Triad.[2]
Their styles were very consistent, and they used dramatic lighting to get the effect of making the subject's face the centre of attention.[4]
May in Sydney
In 1910, May took a holiday trip to Australia that resulted in her opening a new studio in Sydney. One of May's notable images from the Sydney period was a portrait of cartoonist Livingston Hopkins.
May began writing articles for the Austral-Briton in 1916. In articles like "Photography for Women", she encouraged more women to take up the medium. Her advocacy extended to her own business, where she mostly employed women.[3] One exception to this rule was her husband, Henry Hammon Wilkes, a dentist whom she married on 13 July 1915 and who gave up his dental practice to help his wife with her photography business.[2]
May was a member of the Lyceum Club, the Musical Association of New South Wales, the Society of Women Painters (Sydney), and the Professional Photographers' Association of Australia.[2]
Around 1928, May was forced into retirement by illness and turned her creative energies to painting landscapes. She died of cancer in her Pittwater home on 10 June 1931; her remains are at the Manly Cemetery. Six months after her death the Lyceum Club mounted a memorial exhibition of her work.[2]
Mina in Melbourne
In 1913, Mina joined May in Australia, setting up shop in the Auditorium Building on Collins Street in downtown Melbourne and specializing in theatrical photography.[1] Mina also formed an alliance with a freelance journalist, agreeing to photograph whomever the journalist planned to interview. These images were typically taken during the interview itself, affording a better opportunity to capture a subject's natural expressions.[2]
Mina married William Alexander Tainsh on 20 December 1916. When their daughter was born in 1918, Mina retired from professional photography. Her Auditorium Building studio was taken over by photographer Ruth Hollick. She came out of retirement briefly in 1927, when Shell commissioned her to do a series of portraits. At that point she was working out of a home darkroom and caring for an expanded family, so after the Shell series she decided against restarting her photography business.[2][3]
Mina died in Croydon, Victoria on 30 January 1957. Her remains were cremated.[2]
Portraits of the stars by May and Mina Moore
Enid Bennett
Eva Gauthier
Lilian Birtles
Sara Allgood
Eleanora de Cisneros
References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to May and Mina Moore
^ abNewton, Gael (1988). Shades of Light. Canberra: Australian National Gallery. p. 92. ISBN0642081522.
^ abcdefghijklHall, Barbara. Annie May Moore/Minnie Louise Moore. Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
^ abcdeHall, Barbara; Mather, Jenni (1986). Australian Women Photographers 1840-1960. Brisbane: Greenhouse. ISBN0864360398.
^ abO’Hehir, Anne (2010). "Actress Elizabeth 'Lily' Brayton [Mrs Oscar Asche] c.1916". National Gallery of Australia. Canberra. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
March 17, 2023
mina, moore, were, zealand, born, photographers, made, careers, professional, photographers, first, wellington, zealand, later, sydney, melbourne, australia, they, known, their, rembrandt, style, portrait, photography, their, subjects, included, famous, artist. May and Mina Moore were New Zealand born photographers who made careers as professional photographers first in Wellington New Zealand and later in Sydney and Melbourne Australia 1 They are known for their Rembrandt style portrait photography and their subjects included famous artists musicians and writers of the era 2 3 May MooreAnnie May Moore 1881 1931 by unknown photographer 1900 15BornAnnie May Moore4 January 1881Wainui New ZealandDied10 June 1931 1931 06 10 aged 50 Pittwater New South Wales AustraliaHeight183 cm 6 ft 0 in OccupationPhotographerNationalityAustralianSpouseHenry Hammon WilkesMina MooreMinnie Louise Moore 1882 1957 self portraitBornMinnie Louise Moore6 October 1882Wainui New ZealandDied30 January 1957 1957 01 30 aged 74 Croydon Victoria AustraliaOccupationPhotographerNationalityAustralianSpouseWilliam Tainsh Contents 1 Early years and education 2 In New Zealand 3 In Australia 3 1 May in Sydney 3 2 Mina in Melbourne 4 ReferencesEarly years and education EditAnnie May Moore known as May was born in Wainui New Zealand on 4 January 1881 and Minnie Louise Moore known as Mina was born the following year on 6 October 1882 Their mother Sarah Jane nee Hellyer was born in New Zealand while their father Robert Walter Moore originally came from England He was a farmer and sawyer 2 May s talent for art was evident from early girlhood and her mother encouraged her to study at the Elam School of Fine Arts in Auckland New Zealand 3 Sometime in 1906 07 May began to earn money from her work selling ink and pencil sketches at the New Zealand International Exhibition 1906 in Christchurch 2 In New Zealand EditMina then a schoolteacher began working with photography around 1907 Not long afterwards the sisters decided to go into business as photographers and they bought a studio in Wellington 2 Since they did not know how to run a photography studio the sisters initially kept on the staff who trained May in camera operations and Mina in printing 3 The sisters gained a solid reputation around Wellington within a short time They became known for close up side lit portraits shot against a plain background and they worked with both sepia toning and bromide paper 2 In Australia Edit Lily Brayton by May and Mina Moore pub 1916 4 After only a few years the sisters moved their business to Australia running separate studios in Sydney 1910 28 and Melbourne 1913 1918 May in Sydney continued to focus on studio portraits while Mina in Melbourne moved into theatrical photography and portraits of interview subjects Nonetheless they continued to often cosign the work produced by their respective studios Their photographs were frequently published in magazines such as Home and Triad 2 Their styles were very consistent and they used dramatic lighting to get the effect of making the subject s face the centre of attention 4 May in Sydney Edit In 1910 May took a holiday trip to Australia that resulted in her opening a new studio in Sydney One of May s notable images from the Sydney period was a portrait of cartoonist Livingston Hopkins May began writing articles for the Austral Briton in 1916 In articles like Photography for Women she encouraged more women to take up the medium Her advocacy extended to her own business where she mostly employed women 3 One exception to this rule was her husband Henry Hammon Wilkes a dentist whom she married on 13 July 1915 and who gave up his dental practice to help his wife with her photography business 2 May was a member of the Lyceum Club the Musical Association of New South Wales the Society of Women Painters Sydney and the Professional Photographers Association of Australia 2 Around 1928 May was forced into retirement by illness and turned her creative energies to painting landscapes She died of cancer in her Pittwater home on 10 June 1931 her remains are at the Manly Cemetery Six months after her death the Lyceum Club mounted a memorial exhibition of her work 2 Mina in Melbourne Edit In 1913 Mina joined May in Australia setting up shop in the Auditorium Building on Collins Street in downtown Melbourne and specializing in theatrical photography 1 Mina also formed an alliance with a freelance journalist agreeing to photograph whomever the journalist planned to interview These images were typically taken during the interview itself affording a better opportunity to capture a subject s natural expressions 2 Mina married William Alexander Tainsh on 20 December 1916 When their daughter was born in 1918 Mina retired from professional photography Her Auditorium Building studio was taken over by photographer Ruth Hollick She came out of retirement briefly in 1927 when Shell commissioned her to do a series of portraits At that point she was working out of a home darkroom and caring for an expanded family so after the Shell series she decided against restarting her photography business 2 3 Mina died in Croydon Victoria on 30 January 1957 Her remains were cremated 2 Portraits of the stars by May and Mina Moore Enid Bennett Eva Gauthier Lilian Birtles Sara Allgood Eleanora de CisnerosImages courtesy of May and Mina Moore Photography State Library VictoriaReferences Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to May and Mina Moore a b Newton Gael 1988 Shades of Light Canberra Australian National Gallery p 92 ISBN 0642081522 a b c d e f g h i j k l Hall Barbara Annie May Moore Minnie Louise Moore Australian Dictionary of Biography National Centre of Biography Australian National University Retrieved 3 April 2015 a b c d e Hall Barbara Mather Jenni 1986 Australian Women Photographers 1840 1960 Brisbane Greenhouse ISBN 0864360398 a b O Hehir Anne 2010 Actress Elizabeth Lily Brayton Mrs Oscar Asche c 1916 National Gallery of Australia Canberra Retrieved 16 May 2016 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title May and Mina Moore amp oldid 1128344613, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
