Ben Apfelbaum

My photography began when my father handed me the proverbial brownie box camera as a child. As cameras developed I went through Fujica and Olympus range finders graduating to my first single lens reflex camera, the Minolta SRT101, the latter being the greatest facilitator to my growth as a photographer. Digital photography has only added to this.

I was a regular contributor to Camera Craft magazine (Australian Camera ) for over three years.

During Australia’s Bicentennial year (1988) I made it a personal project to document the celebrations. This culminated in the creation of a book of my photos which was published in 1989. The book was called CELEBRATING AUSTRALIA and came with an accompanying calendar.

My works have appeared in a number of publications including the coffee book entitled MY AUSTRALIA (1989), publisher Robertsbridge Severn. This book had a preface by the then Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke.

I was a co-photographer on a book entitled SYDNEY-DISCOVER THE CITY with text written by Robert Treborland. Major Mitchell Press was the publisher.

Also for two years I was the photographer for calendars celebrating Sydney’s multicultural communities. The two calendars were entitled MULTICULTURAL SYDNEY.

My work appeared in a group exhibition held at Sydney’s Town Hall pertaining to the diversity of life in South America to raise money for orphanages there.

I have over one hundred photos stored in the New South Wales State Library archive. I had a solo exhibition held in 2007 entitled Ben’s Lens at the Sydney Jewish Museum which celebrated the vibrancy of the Sydney Jewish community. Some of these photos are on the Museum’s permanent display. I have exhibited internationally firstly at the Spruill Gallery in Atlanta Georgia, united states, and in an exhibition entitled Kosher and Co at the Jewish Museum in Berlin.

Currently I am a regular contributor to J-Wire and this esteemed publication.

709 posts by Ben Apfelbaum

norton street italian festa

In 1986 the first Norton Street Italian Festa was organised by the Capuchin Priests at St Fiacres Church in Leichhardt who wanted to replicate the religious festas in the old country. So by my reckoning this is the thirty third …

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doug moran national portrait prize 2019

It is always a pleasure to hear the dulcet tones of Richard Morecroft who emceed the announcement of Australia’s richest art prize, the Doug Moran National Portrait Prize for 2019 worth $150,000 to the artist’s winning entry.

Entries of original …

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japan supernatural about to take off at agnsw

The Art Gallery of New South Wales is ramping up he launch  of its ambitious Japan Supernatural blockbuster on the 2nd November 2019.

As part of the exhibition the Gallery has commissioned local Japanese artist Kentaro Yoshida to paint two …

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nida celebrates 60 years at the top

Founded in 1959 and housed in a building that contained the totalizator board from the adjacent Randwick racecourse NIDA has grown into its state of the art premises on Anzac Parade. The sixty years has produced a glittering array of …

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paddington’s perry lane art project

On the western side of Melbourne’s CBD there are a series of laneways which comprise of walls covered in funky designs and a riot of colour. Every few years they are painted over for a new team of  artists to …

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william street festival paddington

Now in its eleventh year and unlike other street festivals, this one attracts a certain demographic, the young eastern suburbs hipster.

This is partly due to the fact that many of the nearby boutiques on Oxford street occupy stalls on …

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billy elliot the musical : media call

Co Producer Louise Withers introduced the Media Call by stressing the relevance of Billy Elliot’s themes.

They included the importance of family, the community and loss thereof, following one’s dreams, the need for tolerance, compassion and understanding and the importance …

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manly international jazz festival 2019

If you are in Sydney over the October school holidays , then the long weekend belongs to the Manly International Jazz Festival. This year’s festival marks 42 years  of jazz celebration in stunning locations near Manly Cove and on Manly …

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