‘Photographing Lindy’: Australian press photography and the Chamberlain case, 1980–2012

Abstract

This article analyses the news photography surrounding a high-profile case of alleged matricide in Australia: the disappearance of 9-month-old Azaria Chamberlain, and the subsequent murder trial and eventual acquittal of her mother, Lindy. While the scholarship on the media’s conduct during Chamberlain’s ordeal has been exhaustive, the press photographers’ role has not been considered. Drawing on oral history interviews with newspaper photographers, this article explores the ways that the photographers’ workplace culture, gender, relationships and practices informed their approach. It argues that their images in isolation did not contribute to the demonisation of Chamberlain; the same photographs were used to project both innocence and guilt depending on the editorial interpretation. The article will provide new historical understanding about the photographic traditions and routines surrounding the Chamberlain case and crime photography more generally.

Inaugural KS Inglis address: making Australian media history

“…In-depth studies of Australian journalism, Asia and the Vietnam War have also appeared (Payne, 2007; Torney-Parlicki, 2000; see also Lunn, 1985). In addition, Anderson (2016) has, with Sally Young, written Shooting the Picture , the culmination of a major investigation into the history of Australian press photography since 1888 that builds on an earlier thesis by Kate Evans (2001).…”

Evidence in the museum: Curating a miscarriage of justice

“…com for a large volume of material, including a timeline). Her experiences have also been the subject of considerable multi-disciplinary scholarly attention, studied for their importance to understandings of law, forensic science, religion, media, landscape and particularly the treatment of women in each of these spheres (including Anderson, 2016;Edmond, 1998;Howe, 1996Howe, , 2005Middleweek, 2017;Sawyer, 1996;Staines et al, 2009).…”

“…In addition to the tenacious coverage of her life in women’s magazines, some of which championed her innocence, Lindy’s story has been told in feature film, television mini-series, in opera, poetry, art, theatre and in her own best-selling memoir (including Chamberlain, 1990 [memoir]; Croggon, 1995 [poetry]; Dawson, 2002 [paintings]; Evil Angels , 1988 [film]; Henderson, 1997 [opera]; Murray, 1999 [poetry]; Through My Eyes , 2004 [TV]; Valentine, 2016 [theatre]; see also Lindy Chamberlain-Creighton [website] http://lindychamberlain.com for a large volume of material, including a timeline). Her experiences have also been the subject of considerable multi-disciplinary scholarly attention, studied for their importance to understandings of law, forensic science, religion, media, landscape and particularly the treatment of women in each of these spheres (including Anderson, 2016; Edmond, 1998; Howe, 1996, 2005; Middleweek, 2017; Sawyer, 1996; Staines et al, 2009).…”