Peter Dombrovskis | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Peter Herbert Dombrovskis (1945-03-02)2 March 1945 Wiesbaden, Germany |
| Died | 28 March 1996(1996-03-28) (aged 51) South WestTasmania, Australia |
| Occupation | Photographer |
| Years active | 1960s–1996 |
| Known for | Wilderness photography |
| Notable work | Morning Mist, Rock Island Bend, Franklin River |
Peter Herbert Dombrovskis (Latvian:Pēteris Dombrovskis; 2 March 1945 – 28 March 1996)[1][2] was an Australian photographer, known for hisTasmanian scenes. In 2003, he was posthumously inducted into the International Photography Hall of Fame, the first Australian photographer to achieve that honour.[3]
Dombrovskis was born in 1945 in a refugee camp inWiesbaden,Germany to Latvian parents. Together with his mother, he migrated to Australia in 1950, and they settled inFern Tree, a suburb ofHobart.[3] The protégé of noted wildlife photographer and activistOlegas Truchanas,[4] his photographs of theTasmanian Wilderness, particularly his own annual Tasmanian Wilderness Calendar and theWilderness Calendar produced by the Tasmanian Wilderness Society, brought images of once remote and inaccessible areas of the state into the public realm. Dombrovskis founded West Wind Press in 1977 and later went on to print calendars entirely of his own work, featuring incisive commentary from pre-eminent environmental professionals.
His most famous photograph isMorning Mist, Rock Island Bend, Franklin River, which some commentators believe played a part in the victory ofBob Hawke in the1983 Australian federal election.[citation needed] The photograph portrayed a section of theFranklin River which was to be submerged by the proposedFranklin Dam, and it highlighted the visual appeal of the Franklin River during the contentious "No Dams" campaign of 1982. In 1983, Dombrovskis published a book,Wild Rivers, co-authored withBob Brown, which exemplified his skill in photographing theGordon and Franklin rivers.[5]
On 28 March 1996, Dombrovskis died of aheart attack while photographing near Mount Hayes, in theWestern Arthurs mountain range inSouth-West Tasmania.[6]
His works are represented in the collections of theNational Gallery of Australia in Canberra, theNational Gallery of Victoria, theTasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, theAustralian Heritage Commission, and in private hands.[4]
