Born in Sydney and raised in Toowoomba, FG (Fred) Crook-King was destined to follow family tradition by becoming a doctor and moved to Edinburgh to study medicine around 1920. While there, however, he developed an interest in contemporary art and returned to Toowoomba determined to pursue a career in photography.  

In addition to his work as a freelance press photographer, Crook-King maintained his own practice, creating iconic photographs such as An appointment 1933, in which a high vantage point allowed him to capture an arresting image of modern life. The photograph reflects Crook-King’s awareness of international trends towards the simplification of form and the use of strong contrast.

The style would become widely known in Australia through the work of Sydney photographer Max Dupain, who spent time in Brisbane during World War Two and whose work is displayed on this wall. In Anzac Square c.1940–45, which Dupain photographed while he was employed by the Department of Home Security to undertake camouflage research for the RAAF, he similarly transformed an everyday scene into a semi-abstract image through an elevated viewpoint, tight cropping, and an emphasis on light and shade.