The Photographs of Len Johnston

Water-colours by grandfather William Henry Pearson Baker

Three views of the S.S.Waratah - under steam, at Port Adelaide and a depiction of its demise

S.S.Waratah of Lund’s Blue Anchor Line was built in Scotland by Barclay Curle & Company in1908 is shown here at Port Adelaide.
After the second outward voyage from England my grandfather William Henry Pearson Baker left the Waratah in Sydney, 17th June1909 with concerns for the ship’s seaworthiness.
On the return voyage to Britain the Waratah disappeared off the South African coast during a severe storm on 27 July1909 with the loss of all 211 passengers and crew of 119 .
The circumstances of the ship’s demise and the location of the wreck remain a mystery.

click on this link (WILLIAM HENRY PEARSON BAKER & S.S.Waratah) if interested in reading further.

Without his excellent judgement neither this website nor me(!) would exist!
Father Bill 1940

Mother May & sister Ilona 1948

with Sister Ilona

1980s

Music...

Before there was photography, there was music and the music is always there!

Music and Photography - two loves for different reasons.

Music is immediate, exciting and ephemeral whereas photography is a process and considered. I love them both...

Here's some photos of music with friends, taking it seriously, playing around...

SPIRITS OF INFINITY

around 1966... first band - We must have been terrible! The group scored some bookings as we tried to figure out what we were doing...

TEENAGE HEAVEN

THE MELBOURNE 1960s CITY CLUB SCENE - the Tum, Biting Eye, Catcher, Sebastions, Berties

Queuing at Sebastions (photographer unknown)

PRIMITIVE CONFINED 1966 -1971- A semi-professional band that had been playing for a few years prior to my recruitment.

The group did quite well playing a couple of jobs per week for several years supporting the big names or playing the night...

PRIMITIVE CONFINED: ROD DOUGLAS: GUITAR & VOCALS, JOHN DALE: VOCALS & GUITAR, LJ: BASS , DENNIS KENEALLY (RIP): DRUMS

FUSION 1971: After "Primitive Confined" with two lead singers Sue and John. The group worked weekends for about a year.

.with Claude (Lou)

The Counter-cultural daze...

T.F Much Ballroom and then Much More Ballroom (photographer unknown)

"THE EXILES" IN THE STUDIO - THE POWER PLANT, CARLTON 1991

John Fraser: Vocals and rhythm guitar(right) , Peter Starkey RIP: Lead Guitar (with Strat), LJ: Bass (top left), Louie Black: drums (top right)

.... a few gigs and a recording of 12 songs by John Fraser.

"WBP" AT THEATRE ROYAL CASTLEMAINE 2009

Photos: Andy Rigby

"WBP" AT THEATRE ROYAL CASTLEMAINE 2009 Geoff, Mathew, Len (moi), Team - Saul wasn't there just then...

Love a Fender bass...

Malmsbury Streetscape(pic by by LJ)

MERCHANTS OF MALMSBURY CAFE

Est.2002

Mk1 September 2002 - July 2011

Once upon a time there was a little cafe in Malmsbury.... It made lots of coffees and most people had a good time. It was lots of work and paid its way - but really - it tried to be a bit beyond all that... Whether it succeeded or not depends on your point of view. It was what it was never tried to pretend it was other than what you found when you walked through the door from day one to day 2000 approx nine years later. Thanks to all for making Merchants of Malmsbury the place that it was and being a part of that.It was nine years of everything! Time to do other things. July 2011, customers to the end, the way to go - an unscripted ending! Best wishes to all who came...P.S. It reopened two years later in 2013, pretty much the same but that's another story...

May in 2011

Malmsbury - Taradale stroll 2011 Pic Toddie

MERCHANTS OF MALMSBURYMk2 2013 and now!

Photographers, Angels and Visionaries

Andre Kertesz
Josef Koudelka
Luigi Ghirri
Henri Cartier-Bresson
Max Dupain
Robert Doisneau
Brassai
Edward Weston
Jacques Heni Lartigue
Josef Sudek
Eugene Atget
Bill Brandt
Man Ray
Jan Saudek
Walker Evans
Paul Strand
Sylvia Plachy
Max Pam
Robert Besanko
Christian Vogt
Boubat
Robert Frank
Gabriele Basilico
Mauel Alvarez Bravo
Edward Steichen
Alfred Stieglitz
Alexander Rodtchenko
Ans Westra
Cecil Beaton
Peter Dombrovskis
Willy Ronis
Wim Wenders
William Eggleston
Emmet Gowin
Sebastiao Salgado