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William James Hall (1877-1951) was one of the great photographers of his time in Australia. In addition to his passion for wildlife photography, where he won major prizes, he was the most important chronicler of the yachting and boating scene in Sydney. His photo studio was one of the hubs of the local yachting scene. He documented not only the sport and the boats, but also social changes such as the opening up of the sport to women. Hall was a good observer who was able to realise his vision with a unique ease and dynamism, creating unique chronicles at a time when photographs were still the exception to the rule. With the advent of more portable cameras and the development of faster shutter systems at the turn of the century, photographers were able to take snapshots of sporting events that captured the dynamism and intensity of sport for the first time. His pictures also document this development from glass plate photography to roll film. William Hall's collection, now held at the Australian National Maritime Museum, is an invaluable visualisation of yachting and the maritime history of the era. The book contains 194 selected photographs from his famous collection, totalling around 500 images.
