After a distinguished 24-year career, renowned photographer Chris Lane has put down his camera for the last time in the media house he has always considered his home. Over these years, Chris has achieved notable recognition for his skill and undying passion for photography, which, for him, has always been more than a job – it’s his life.
Chris discovered his passion for capturing images at around the age of 14, when he took photos of his friends participating in sports events. Armed with his mom’s old Kodak compact camera and later, his own film camera, he spent his weekends at local sporting fixtures, taking photographs. These pictures ended up in the local newspaper, sparking a lifelong love affair with photography.
Later, a chance encounter with an NRL photographer paved the way to an early career start that most could only dream of. At just 16 years old, while still in 11th grade, he found himself shooting grand finals and the State of Origin. His journey into the world of professional photography began when a photographer got sick and Chris was asked to step in. Seeing his work on the pages of a newspaper brought the realization that he had found his career path, that he was meant to be a newspaper photographer.
In 2000, Chris’ talent was recognized by John Veage, the photo boss of the newspaper he had come to love, who poached him. Veage, who himself has a formidable career lasting 39 years, was a person Chris looked up to, especially for his splashy front page beach photos and back page pictures. This opened a new facet of photography for Chris – weather, surf, and sports – it was a cool combination that attracted him.
Throughout his career, Chris had stints in a range of community and metropolitan news organisations, though he spent some years in Canberra. Despite such transitions, he was continually drawn back to his newspaper, which remained his backbone and always felt like home.
One of his most memorable shots came from a summer of 2015 tornado that hit Kurnell. Despite the 213 km/hr gust winds, Chris managed to capture the drama and carnage of the aftermath, feeling as if he was in a scene from an American movie. Another memorable moment involved a more relaxed shoot of Australian model Lara Bingle, a picture reminiscent of Sydney’s stardom.
As he reminisces over his illustrious career, what he’s going to miss most are the faces that had become a part of his everyday life. This includes people from various community groups, politicians, athletes – the everyday people he got to meet and interact with. Chris speaks of the transition his photography went through over the years, shifting focus from the picture to the people and creating a connection that he believes led to even better pictures.
While this might be the end of the road for him at his beloved newspaper, Chris is optimistic about his future. He may have capped his lenses for the last time on his job, but he’s certain that there are many more pictures for him to capture in the future. His journey over the years has been about so much more than just taking photographs, it’s been about creating memories and capturing individuals’ stories, both of which he’ll continue to do no matter where life takes him next.
