A body of work close to Gordon’s heart was a project of figure studies which he called Of Woman, Love and Beauty.
In Gordon’s words:
“This book is a catharsis from commercial boredom, satiety of a deep desire to perpetuate some beauty before I go.”
For someone who was a full-time commercial photographer for most of his working life, Gordon kept very little, but he did keep all the figure studies, negatives, dozens of clip book volumes of contact images and a large collection of arrestingly beautiful prints. He considered this collection his contribution to photographic art of the highest discipline and quality.
Many of the images were taken at Clifton Pugh’s Dunmoochin studio north-east of Melbourne.
At Number 9, Collins St. Melbourne, Gordon De’Lisle rented a space neighbouring Wolfgang Sievers, Georges and Mirka Mora and the painter, Albert Tucker. A friendship soon developed between De’Lisle and Helmut Newton as they used to lend each other camera equipment.
The studio expanded with new locations in St Kilda Road and, later, City Road. While Gordon was primarily a commercial photographer with clients such as the Wool Board, he had a passion for publishing books featuring his photography. He co-wrote and photographed for children’s books like Cranky the Camel and Ringtail the Possum, which were illustrated in black and white and written in collaboration with author, Joyce Nicholson. Gordon also illustrated a book on Melbourne and travel guides, Introducing Australia.
De’Lisle was selected to do still photography, film and print processing for On the Beach, a Hollywood movie about a post-apocalyptic world, based on a novel by Neville Shute. Set on an American submarine and in Melbourne, far away from the encroaching nuclear fallout, the 1959 movie was directed by Stanley Kramer and starred Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner, Fred Astaire, Anthony Perkins and Donna Anderson. Most of the scenes were shot in and around Melbourne, so one could imagine the excitement it generated.
Prahran College of Technology
‘Senior Lecturer in Charge’ of photography at the college, Gordon enjoyed teaching. Many young cadet photographers learnt their craft working in his studios with his guidance. He did this with great artistic passion, so his role at the Prahran Institute came naturally to him. He understood that the art aspect of the genre was deeply personal, but he felt that the means of artistic expression could be paved with academic nurturing.
“The Prahran Tech job worked out well for Dad, but his health became an issue, so he and my mother made the decision to move to sunny Queensland,” says Christopher De’Lisle.
Gordon’s former position at Prahran was filled by long-time friend and colleague, Athol Shmith.
