David Porter a.k.a. Jaques L'Affrique

In 2009 photographer David Porter generously gifted an edition of 250 photographs from his survey exhibition Unreal Rock - the photographs of Jacques L’Affrique (a.k.a. David Porter) to the Collection of the Penrith Regional Gallery & The Lewers Bequest.

The photographs of David Porter are one of Australian Rock music’s richest photographic archives. Usually published under the name Jacques L’Affrique (sometimes David Porter depending on the publication), Porter worked in the 1970s as a Melbourne-based rock music photojournalist for publications such as ‘Go-Set’, and captured what are now iconic images in Australia cultural history.

In 2003 Penrith Regional Gallery & The Lewers Bequest commissioned Porter to print more than 250 photographs for his first solo exhibition - Unreal Rock - the photographs of Jacques L’Affrique (a.k.a. David Porter). This exhibition, curated by Anne Loxley, was an astonishing success and subsequently toured, for two years, selected regional galleries throughout New South Wales and Victoria. (In 2010 the exhibition was re-mounted by curators Victoria Harbutt and John Kirkman for presentation at CarriageWorks, Sydney).

David Porter was born in Perth 1942 and grew up in Melbourne. After leaving school he travelled and worked in Australia, the UK and Europe. Whilst living in London in the mid 1960s he began taking photos and on his return to Melbourne enrolled in a photography course at what is now RMIT. He also attained a Diploma of Art and Design from Prahan Technical College, now the Victoria College of the Arts (VCA).

In the early 1970s he set up his own studio and gained a reputation for his photography of visiting entertainment celebrities. He also began closely following and documenting the music scene, consequently his photos were regularly featured in the popular music magazine Go-Set, often credited under the name of Jacques L’Affrique.

In the mid 70s he made a decision to become a teacher and he began a long career in education teaching art, photography and drama both in Victoria and NSW. David Porter has lived in the Blue Mountains for the past 30 years.