Bob Weeks ’62

Bob captured many of the classic surf images  in the 60’s.

Bombora

Gary Birdsall at Cronulla Point photo by Bob Weeks.

Voodoo ’62 by Bob Weeks

Ford Anglia Voodoo photo Bob Weeks ’62

Bob Weeks

Weeks was born (1940) in Sydney, grew up in the harbor town town of Rose Bay, and was already an adept surfer by the time he moved with his family to a suburb near Cronulla, an Aussie surfing hotspot, at age 18. He’d taken his first photos as a boy, with a Kodak Brownie, and by 1960 he was good enough with a camera to get work as a photographer for the Australian government, at a rocket range in the  South Australian desert. Missing the beach, Weeks quit the job after six months, returned to  Cronulla, and began working at a camera store.

When the first Australian surf magazines appeared, in 1962, Weeks was ready to contribute. He scored the cover of the debut Surfing World, and got a masthead-listed position at Surfabout. Weeks loved the work, but the money was negligible, and he had to improvise: at late as 1964, he waterproofed his Pentax SLF by slipping it into a clear plastic bag, which he then held aloft as he paddled out into deep water adjacent to the break. Weeks, unlike most surf photographers, had a darkroom and did his own developing, and virtually everything he shot during his early- and mid-’60s heyday was in black and white. Bobby Brown, Keith Paull and Frank Latta were among Week’s favorite surfers to shoot.

1963 Surfabout Vol 1 No 5

Jack Edens magazine Surfabout had regular features on Cronulla this issue was no different with  a 3 page article and a front cover on the Soutshide crew featuring Terry Steen, Gary Birsall, Ian Nolan, Jacko and Dave “Cancer”Coppelson from a session at The Point. Bob Weeks paddled out on a board and took the shots from the channel with his Pentax camera and no housing.

 

 

Legends of Surfing

Found this recent shot on the internet of Cronulla legends from the 60’s Nigel Dwyer, Lance Fisher, Brian Jackson, Bob Weeks and Gary Birdsall .

 

 

 

John Rhodes ’62

This pic of Cronulla styler /wild man and surfboard manufacturer John Rhodes was taken in ’62 by Bob Weeks. Photo courtesy of Switchfoot.

 

Frank Latta ’63

Classic Frank…style master photo taken by Bob Weeks in ’63.

 

South Cronulla Beach Milkbar

In the early 60’s the milkbar next to the main pedestrian crossing at South Cronulla Beach was the hang for surfers,  it was known for its tasty milk shakes. Mark Bluey Aprilovic took it over in the 80’s but after a short time turned it into the Cronulla Surf Design shop where it stayed for several years before relocating it up to the main street. This shot of the original shop was taken by Bob Weeks.

Greenhills

The sand dunes behind Wanda beach were tall and magnificent in the early 60’s. They are only a shadow now of what they used to be. Bob Weeks was there to capture the Greenhills carpark scene where you parked your wheels to climb over the dunes dragging your heavy log behind you for a long strenuous hike there and back.