Portfolio

John Ogden’s photographic work is highly sought after and collected around the world. In the foreword to Ogden’s first book, Australienation, Michael Leunig described his photography as: "a valuable and compelling reference point by which we may, as a culture, understand ourselves and by which, as a nation, we may not be so alienated from the truth of who we really are".

In the foreword to Slightly Dangerous, Vietnam war photographer, Tim Page, described Ogden’s career as the “life well travelled of a baby boomer who surfs an existential path across six decades, waxing the best of nostalgia against the odds that are self-mitigated by the excesses of those times. It is a heritage of the hippest, most gonzo ‘down-under’ attitudes, rendered by images we all wish we had snapped. As if Hunter S. Thompson and Richard Neville shuffled photo cards with Robert Frank’ian images throughout the deck”.  

Ogden got his first 35mm SLR in 1972, and within a few years he was working as a photojournalist in SE Asia during the last days of the Vietnam war, and photographed the conflict in Laos . On a break in Bangkok in 1975, he had a chance meeting with legendary Australian war cameraman Neil Davis. Inspired by Neil’s cinematography, Ogden returned to Australia and began studying filmmaking, while freelancing for Tracks and The Nation Review amongst other counter culture magazines.

On graduating, Ogden quickly gained a reputation as one of Australia's leading cinematographers, working in all film genres: drama, documentary, TVC and MTV production (including work for Prince and INXS). . By quirk of fate, a period of recuperation following a surfing accident, prompted a creative burst that saw him return to his photography and writing roots. Commenced in 1999, Cyclops Press has developed into a touchstone for original books that promote Australian stories and First Nation culture.

Nick Dent from Black and White magazine described Ogden’s debut photography book Australienation as being "as intimate as a personal diary and profound as a state-of-the-nation address" and that "turning the pages becomes like reading a poem".

Louise’s first monograph was published by T&G Publishing and her work features in many collections including; The Monash Gallery of Art VIC, NSW Parliament Collection, The National Library Canberra, The State Library of NSW, The State Library of WA, Mall Gallery London and many private Collections. Solo and group shows for 2015 included, Solo exhibition African/Australians Customs House Sydney 2015, Group Show Moran Gallery Paddington Site specific work in The Many. Curated by Dr Julie Louise Bacon, Public Art Installation The Game Avalon Art Carnival Curated By Kendal Henry and Susan Milne.

Louise specialises in socially engaging community projects, working with both private and government cultural GLAMSLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums). She has a Master of Arts in Photomedia at UNSW Art and Design. Louise teaches photography workshops around Australia for The Moran Arts Foundation.

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