Bryan Charlton

This has been the hardest year of my life and there is not a single day that passes without me thinking or talking about you.

How lucky I am to have had you in my life for 40 wonderful years and to have so many memories, stories and laughs to treasure always. 

Speaking of Vespas… this photo was taken by Bryan outside of his parents’ house in L’Estrange Street, circa ’66ish!!! We all had hair then!!!

Hey Denise and family,

I’m sure there are big holes in your hearts however we are all so lucky to have had our lives filled with such a warm, kind, gentle, funny and talented man.

There is a lovely saying… Those who we loved, lived with, learned from, leaned on and laughed with…live forever….never a truer word said, Bryan to a tee.

Vale Wonderboy! Greatly missed.

Karyn

I’m sitting here smiling, at times I’m laughing recalling some experiences with Bryan. Far too many to relate here. I remember a natural gentleman, a sincere and genuine man with a smile that affected everyone he met. The world needs many more Bryan Charltons’ and it would be a much better place. Rest in peace mate.

I have just read a memory shared by “DAVID H” about Bryan taking photographs of the Rolling Stones etc, which brought back to my memory how Bryan and I went to Centennial hall in 1966 to see the Stones in action, and then in 1968 we went to The Who’s concert there… we were in the upper level seats, and at the aisle… we got up and started to dance, but some nasty security blob came and pushed us back into our seats!!!

In (I think) around 1969, Bob Marley was here, not doing a show, but was staying at what was then The Arkaba Court Motel on the corner of Florence Street and Glen Osmond Road… Bryan went to photograph him and somehow cajoled me into going with him to a party there for Bob, at which there was a large contingent of mid to late teen hangers-on, much like ourselves, and a very present strange pervasive aroma of something burning, no idea what it was, but tried some anyway.

On another note, I believe Denise has a copy of a photograph taken of Bryan hanging out of the doorway a Cessna 172 taking photos of a filling Lake Eyre, with either one or two colleagues making sure that he didn’t go all the way out of the plane!

Any chance, Denise, that you could add that photo to this site, just to show another of the sort of things that Bryan got up to?    Thanks.

I was lucky enough to be paired with Bryan for several of my very first jobs as a cadet journalist at the Advertiser in the early 1980s. Bryan was wonderful to work with for a nervous and inexperienced young cadet. He was super supportive and helpful and was great for your confidence, and of course he took brilliant pix even if the jobs we were doing were destined for the back pages (more of a reflection on me and the trust the Chief of Staff had in my work!) I remember doing a story on Vespa scooters for the motorcycling page and Bryan took the pix. He told me he’d been a mod in the 60s, and it confirmed to me that he really was cool. He made me look so great in those pix, I wish I still had them. By then I’d made great friends at the Tiser, especially among the younger photographers and and my relationship with Bryan went from colleague to friend. I loved his incredible generosity of spirit and the way he was always helping people out – fixing up the young photogs with his old flat in Benacre Close, introducing them to Frank Baron in London so they could further their careers. After I left Adelaide I’d always enjoyed seeing Bryan and catching up. He never changed. Always that naughty smile, full of jokes and fun. He really was a star, one of the great press photographers of the old school and an adornment to the Adelaide media. Beyond that, he was just a wonderful human, a top friend and family man. I’ll really miss him. Deepest condolences to Denise, Lauren and Daniel but congratulations on the truly amazing celebration. I was watching online and couldn’t stop bawling…and laughing of course, because that’s what Bryan did best, even more than his photography.  

Whenever I hear a Fleetwood Mac tune on the radio I immediately think of Bryan. As well as his prowess as a sport photographer, he also seemed to take many of the pics when rock groups performed at Memorial Drive or elsewhere. Apart from anything else, he used to be able to negotiate entry to the Drive with recalcitrant promoters. But he captured some great pics, of Mick Jagger when the Rolling Stones were there, and a wonderful image of Stevie Nicks, performing there. Going on jobs with Bryan was always interesting. When he was building a house, he’d pull the car up somewhere and say: ‘I’ve just got to pop in here to see a bloke’, to talk to him about picking up something he’d be recycling as part of the development. It never took long and never took us out of our way, and it was with the inevitable good humour that was Bryan’s trademark. His smile is imprinted on my mental image now, as it always has been when he’s sprung to mind. So many memories.

BC, to celebrate your 60^th birthday we produced a book, I call it – “Behind the Lens” – a celebration of your life “The Life of Bryan”

I’d like to think that the phrase “A picture is worth a thousand words” –  with this collection it is taken to another level

Thanks for the memories   : )

RIP