Harald Emil Axel Poignant

Place: Leeds

Born: 1906

Death: 1986

Biography:

Axel Poignant (1906-1986) was an Australian photographer, born in Leeds, England, to an English mother and a Swedish father. He showed an interest in photography from his early teens and began to pursue it seriously after moving to Perth, Western Australia, in 1930. Poignant is considered one of the most influential photographers of Australia's new documentary movement, known for his mastery of the photo-story and his striking portraits. His work often focused on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, as well as the Australian landscape.