The photographer’s bag

… the Photography Section, poked away with the sparrows on the top of the Headquarters Building, is the pride of the whole force.

Truth (Sydney), 30 November 1924

The images captured on the glass-plate negatives were intended to be printed as closely cropped identification mugshots showing the suspect’s face and build. Knowing this, the police photographer often did not bother to move his bag and occasionally his hat out of the frame. These little personal relics of the man behind the camera make many cameos in the Specials.

Published on 
Barbara Turner Taylor, Special photograph number 570, 10 October 1921, probably Central Police Station, Sydney
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Underworld: Mugshots from the Roaring Twenties exhibition installation view
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Join Kieran Larkin Senior 3D Designer, as he takes us behind the scenes of the design of our Underworld: Mugshots from the Roaring Twenties exhibition

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Behind the scenes: How to read a ‘special’

Around the world, police forces followed established conventions when taking mugshots. But Sydney police in the 1920s did things differently

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Behind the scenes: The Underworld Book

Join Bruce Smythe Senior Project Designer, as he takes us behind the scenes of the design of our 'Underworld: mugshots from the Roaring Twenties' publication