Legendary Herald and Weekly Times’ photographer Terry Phelan dies aged 87

The late Herald and Weekly Times staffer was one of Australia’s best photographer in his prime, responsible for capturing some of the country’s most historic moments in news.

Herald and Weekly Times photographer Terry Phelan has his last day on the track at Moonee Valley.

Legendary newspaper photographer Terry Phelan, who died this week age 87, took thousands of stunning photos during a celebrated 40-year career yet he will long be remembered for capturing two special moments in time.

Phelan’s shot of US President Lyndon Johnson’s bodyguard Rufus Youngblood spattered in paint during an anti-war protest in Melbourne won a Walkley Award in 1966.

And his striking photographic sequence of a trotting race accident – all shot with manual focus – won him first prize at the World Press Photo Awards.

“I have lots of favourites, but the series of the fall at the Kilmore Trots was the most difficult to take because there was no auto-focus in those days,’’ he was to later recall.

Former editor of The Sun News-Pictorial Colin Duck paid tribute to his colleague and friend.

“Terry was an outstanding photographer in an era when pictures were a big feature of the daily papers and, in particular, the Sun News-Pictorial,’’ he said.

Rufus Youngblood, bodyguard for Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson, covered in paint by anti-Vietnam War protesters. Picture: Terry Phelan.

“He was renowned around the world for the quality of his work and several of his pictures won international awards.

“Terry was always the first to put his hand up to tackle difficult assignments and was immensely popular with his colleagues.’’

Another colleague, award-winning photographer Craig Borrow, said Phelan was a mentor and a gentleman.

“He was easily Australia’s best photographer at the time. And this was in the days when you didn’t have auto focus and auto exposure. It took real skill to take some of the photos he took.’’

Phelan’s career in photography almost happened by accident.

Fresh out of school and working as a mail boy for Woman’s Day magazine, he was offered three career options – photographic, advertising or commercial.

“It was just a fluke that from the three choices I had been offered, I picked photography. I had no camera, I had taken no pictures,’’ he said.

His first photographic subject was an interesting one – a potato. But from that humble training exercise, his body of work grew and 10 years later his paint protest image signalled his arrival as one of the nation’s premier snappers.

A series of photos taken at the Kilmore Trots were some of Phelan’s best photos.

Phelan went on to cover the Seoul Olympic Gamess in 1988. Florence Griffith Joyner winning 200m. Picture: Terry Phelan

Melbourne Cup jockey Pat Hyland kisses the trophy after winning on racehorse What A Nuisance in 1985.

Phelan covered major events home and abroad including elections, Olympic and Commonwealth Games, bushfires and floods, and was a regular at the Melbourne Cup, VFL and AFL Grand Finals, the Australian Tennis Open, Test cricket and Royal tours.

He was to shake hands with the Queen on the Royal yacht Britannia and also met Princess Diana in Alice Springs during her famous tour of Australia with Prince Charles in 1983.

Phelan spent the last four years of his four-decade career as The Herald and Weekly Times’ pictorial editor, continuing to mentor young photographers who thrived under his leadership and direction.

He was also credited with helping to win photographers wage parity with journalists.

In 2014, Phelan was inducted into the Melbourne Press Club Hall of Fame.

Press club chief executive Nick Richardson described Phelan as “the ultimate photographic all-rounder’’.

“He was equally at home with sport, hard news or colour stories. Over four decades at The Herald & Weekly Times, Terry’s memorable images were integral to The Sun News-Pictorial’s reputation for providing compelling and eye-catching photography.’’

Phelan is survived by his wife Patricia and children Karen, Dean, Megan, Damian, Matt and Riley.

Originally published as Legendary Herald and Weekly Times’ photographer Terry Phelan dies aged 87