Alfred Gregory
A life in Photography
in association with
Alfred Gregory
A Life in
Photography
26th August 2019
Level 1, 885-889 High Street
Armadale, Victoria 3143
Auction
26 August 12pm
Viewing
Friday 23 August 10.00–4.00pm
Saturday 24 August 10.00–4.00pm
Sunday 25 August 10.00–4.00pm
Alfred Gregory (Greg) 1913–2010 – FBIPP Hon FRPS climber, explorer and photographer was born in Blackburn, Lancashire UK. During the Second World War he served as an officer in the Black Watch in North Africa and Italy.
In 1952 he was with Shipton’s Cho Oyu expedition in Nepal and in 1953 he was chosen as a climbing member of the British team, led by John Hunt, which made the first ascent of Mt Everest where he reached 8500 metres in support of the Hillary and Tenzing successful summit attempt. He was also the official stills photographer for the expedition.
Throughout the 1950s he led several expeditions: in Nepal, to Rolwaling and the Gauri Shankar massif where 19 new peaks were climbed and a plane table survey made, and to Ama Dablam; to Distigil Sar, Karakoram, in Pakistan: to the Cordillera Blanca in Peru.
Although wanting to study art he started life as a printer but art influences remained important throughout his life. He was greatly inspired by Japanese prints and admired Hokusai and Hiroshige’s use of colour and shape on a two dimensional canvas. He loved working in black and white and felt strongly that colour pictures should not be black and white images with added colour and that colour should be used creatively.
For over 50 years Greg worked as professional photojournalist and he loved shooting the people of the world. For him mountains were merely a backdrop to their lives and he never thought of himself as a landscape photographer. For 20 years he worked freelance for Kodak UK presenting up to 60 lectures each winter throughout Britain and Europe, illustrated with Kodachrome transparencies.
He spent a lifetime travelling on photographic assignments to most countries of the earth and his pictures and classic photo essays were published worldwide.
His work has been exhibited throughout Britain, Europe, America, Africa and Australia and galleries and private collectors hold his photographs.
For more than 25 years with his wife Sue, also a photographer, he planned and operated Photographic Holidays and Treks to remote regions of the earth. In 1996 he came to live in Australia and became an Australian citizen.