May 31, 1922 - June 14, 2015 93 years old
Allan Griffin HonPSA, FPSA, AFAIP, ARPS, one of the 3D Photography Greats of the 20th century, passed away at his home in the Sydney suburb of Pymble on at aged 93. Allan had a melanoma on the head and the cancer had spread to other areas including his lungs. To many 3D photographers around the world, Allan was the guru who willingly shared his vast knowledge.
Outside of his family and business life, Allan had two great passions, 3D photography and flying his Cessna 210, which he frequently combined to produce stunning 3D photos from the air.
In his successful business life, Allan was the carpenter who founded a major home building company and the pilot who became a regional airline owner.
Allan's vast achievements in the field of 3D photography are summarised under the sub headings of the many organisations to which he belonged
For 18 years from 1978 Allan was the PSA 3D Division's Australian representative and for 13 years he had a PSA Travel Aid position for PSA members visiting Australia. In 1973 and 1983 Allan organised groups of Australian 3D photographers to attend PSA Conferences in San Francisco. Allan was a member of judging panels for many 3D Division International Exhibitions, a contributor of articles on 3D Photography to the PSA Journal and presented numerous 3D Photography lectures at PSA Conferences.
For ten years Allan was Australian Director of the Australian – American circuit (1966- 1975).
The Life of Allan Griffin
Allan Griffin grew up on a dairy farm at Cedar Point, just out of Kyogle in Northern NSW.
He attended the local single room primary school and Kyogle High School. The family farm was 6 miles from town and Allan rode a pushbike all the way to high school into Kyogle plus 6 miles home again after school – all on potholed dirt roads.
Kids didn't wear shoes in the country in those days. Going barefooted was the norm and in the winter mornings your feet would be really cold while hunting up the balance of the cows and bringing them in. A favourite thing the children would do (when a cow first stood up in the morning it would do its wet pancake droppings) and the children would run stand in it for a few minutes to get their cold feet warm.
When Allan was older he left the farm and went to Avondale College where he learnt carpentry. Around this time World War 2 broke out and Allan served in the army building army huts as living quarters for soldiers in Darwin and Archerfield Brisbane.
Allan and Judy enjoyed many weekends away staying in rural towns photographing at rodeos and hot air balloon gatherings.
Allan flew his own Cessna planes all over Australia including Tasmania and Lord Howe Island. New Guinea was a special experience flying in and out of high mountain precarious air strips in his small plane. He also flew himself around Los Angeles in the USA.
When he went to Africa to bring a King Air aeroplane to Sydney for the new commercial airline the ferry pilots knew how to fly the plane but Allan was essential in his knowledge of the countries they had to fly to and especially how to deal with airport employees.
Allan is survived by his partner Judy, children Joy, Robert & Peter and eight grandchildren. One of his grandchildren, Andrew is an accomplished 3D photographer and director of the Southern Cross Exhibition of Stereo Photography.
Allan Griffin lived a very full and active life.
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This tribute to Allan Griffin was put together by Ray Moxom mainly from information and details supplied by Allan's partner Judy and Allan's daughter Joy
Around 1948-49, as business was slowly emerging from the cloud produced by the Second World War, a very exciting thing happened in my life. I was browsing through stuff on display in a George St. Sydney photo shop. I happened to notice a small label on some of the gear offering. It read: "Colour 35mm stereo photography has arrived – take a look". An attendant lost no time in allowing me to hold the professional looking battery powered Stereolist hand viewer. He said: "Take a look at a sample stereo photo with both eyes open. Grab hold of the gadget with your left hand, press the light switch with your finger and adjust the focus with your right hand fingers".
Well, this was the moment when it all started. I was transfixed as I looked at my first stereo image in brilliant Kodachrome. The sample 7 perf. slide was well selected for impact. I just stood there, checking the red knob for sharpest focus and letting my eyes wander slowly from right to left and back again, taking in additional detail with each scan. Of course, letting my eyes wander from the closest detail to infinity was the icing on the cake. The image is still clear in my memory in every detail. It had wonderful foreground colour, being part of a bed of spectacular flowers. A curving gravel path led past the flowerbed and to the nearby road which in turn drew my attention all the way through the middle ground and over a distant ridge. It was total reality. I was completely sold!
After next looking at the accompanying camera, an Iloca 1, of German origin, I simply said: "I'll take it"! The guy got down two unopened boxes and agreed to supervise me as I loaded the camera with its first roll of Kodachrome. The kit included a box of 7 perf. (28-30mm image format) 4 ¼"mounts. At this point, I should tell that my interest in stereo began during my school days. Back then, it was not uncommon for schools to have a nice box of 7"x 3 1/2" b & w stereo cards with the standard available-light viewer. On many occasions I would bury myself in amongst these card views and never cease to be amazed by the fact that the views reproduced real-life depth and the concept of solidity. Now my excitement was ready to soar to new heights as I headed out of the photo shop but not before enquiring of the salesman if he knew of any other person who was into stereo photography. He gave me the phone number of our late Club member, Robby Robertson, who he said was the Sydney rep. for an outfit based in the UK called "The Stereoscopic Society".
I got in touch and found that members were small in number and could comfortably meet in one another's homes from time to time. They were at that time exclusively print makers, producing their own stereo cards but gradually some started to experiment in the field of 35mm b & w as well as colour transparencies. But that is another story. In a later issue I will talk about the way things unfolded from this fragile beginning to say the launching of the first "Southern Cross International Stereo Exhibition" and how the 4 ¼"stereo mount developed into the familiar 4"mount over a relatively short period. But for right now, I can say that "the joy of stereo" enriched my life more than words can tell. Furthermore, it is beyond my ability to explain how such a passion can persist without abatement into the beginning of the 21st century.
What started out as a 4¼" slide mount soon changed to 4". It was one of those things which changed, not by design, but accidentally. Since the beginnings of 35mm stereo slide culture in Europe, the French, Germans, English and possibly the Russians, figured that a 7 perf. image width fitted nicely in the space between the L and R 7 perf. images on the film while maintaining approx. eye separation. Since my nice new Iloca 1 camera fitted the above criteria, I never suspected that this format would not remain world standard.
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Allan Francis Burton Griffin and his wife Irene Joyce Hines Griffin headstone in Australia -
(one wonders why Allan's death year says 2017, when it was really 2015)
PROMOTED TO GLORY!!
.....
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ALLAN GRIFFIN,
Hon PSA, FPSA, AFAIP, ARPS
by Ray Moxom
Anhinga Roost No 1 by Allan Griffin
1983 Allan Griffin International Stereoscopic Union Buxton UK by David Starkman
1987 Allan Griffin receiving Photographic Society of America Fellowship Long Beach CA
by Susan Pinsky
River Boat Huck Finn by Allan Griffin
1979 PSA Hartford CT Allan Griffin with David Starkman at Lunch and Learning by Susan Pinsky
1983 Judy Archer with Allan Griffin from Australia at Sept International Stereoscopic Union Buxton UK by David Starkman cropped
1983 Australians singing at Buxton UK International Stereoscopic Union convention banquet by_David_Starkman
Rainbow Bridge by Allan Griffin
Sydney Stereo Camera Club (SSCC)
Allan was a foundation member of the Sydney Stereo Camera Club. He was on the Executive Committee for thirty-one years. Vice President, Programme Director, Outings Chairman and President.
He was the Chairman of the Australian National Stereo Convention (5 conventions) and Southern Cross International Stereo Exhibition Chairman/Exhibition Director for nine years. Allan was awarded SSCC Life Membership in 1985.
For twenty three years he gave extensive service to the club. He judged extensively in camera clubs and in International Exhibitions. He presented photographic lectures at National Stereo Conventions and organised tours of one to three days.
Allan promoted SSCC by presenting 3D shows at camera clubs, sporting clubs and church groups. He gave private instruction at home to newcomers to the SSCC on the art and science of Stereo photography and the intricacies of mounting stereo slides.
Photographic Society of America (PSA)
From the 1970s until recent years Allan, and his partner Judy, attended almost every PSA convention and he competed in every 3D photography exhibition. He gained his Master 10 in the 3D Division in 2002, retired from serious exhibition activity and at 80 years of age took on the role of PSA Director of Who's Who for the 3D division for the next nine years.
Allan Griffin was tops in the 3D Division Who's Who list for six years and had 32 "Best of Show" PSA Gold Medals in his trophy cabinet.
Watch Out Below by Allan Griffin
Tower Bridge Hyper by Allan Griffin
For five years he funded the "Best Landscape Award" for the 3D PSA Exhibitions. (1992-1996). (The actual PSA Exhibition).
Allan won "Image of the year" in the 3D Division of PSA several times
Australian Photographic Society (APS)
In 1998 Allan received the prestigious "APS Commonwealth Medal" for services to amateur photography at the APSCON event in Fremantle, Western Australia. He had articles with pictures published in "Australian Photography" magazine.
Allan presented a major lecture and slide show at APSCON 1979 in Canberra. On this occasion he also erected the viewing cabinets used at SIEP.
Andrea Shetley, USA emailed this photo of Allan and Judy with her tribute to Allan. She took it while visiting Sydney in 2011, and was able to enjoy some of Judy's famous little cakes during a picnic by the sea.
Vintage Flight #2 by Allan Griffin
Firey Leap by Allan Griffin
Air to Air by Allan Griffin
International Stereoscopic Union (ISU)
Allan served on the Executive Committee, was a Vice- President and a Secretary over the years.
He was Editor of "Stereoscopy" from 1989 to 1992 (11 issues). The "Guy Martin Memorial Award" (Guy Martin was from Belgium) was presented to Allan for his contributions to "Stereoscopy" at the ISU World Congress in Sydney in 2001.
Allan was Secretary of the ISU World Congress held in Sydney in 2001, He presented photographic lectures at ISU Congresses. He was Country Representative until 2006. Allan received Honorary Life Membership of the ISU and was appointed FIAP Liaison Officer.
Flying the High Alps by Allan Griffin
Footprints in the Sand of Time by Allan Griffin
Federation Internationale de L'Art Photographique (FIAP)
Allan was awarded the distinction "AFIAP". He was President of the FIAP Stereo Photography Commission from 1991 until it consolidated in 1993. Allan received approval For FIAP Patronage of the Southern Cross Stereo Exhibition in 1994.
1991 Allan Griffin, Ray Moxom, Judy Archer and Nancy Moxom in Paris at the
International Stereoscopic Union Congress by Ray Moxom
Royal Photographic Society (RPS), UK
Allan was awarded the distinction "ARPS" in 1994. He had a permanent exhibition of twenty of his award winning slides at the RPS in 1986.
Stereoscopic Society (SS), UK
Allan was a member of the "Stereoscopic Society" in the UK and received a "Lifetime Achievement Award" for his distinguished services, support and contributions over many years. Allan participated in the folios run by the Stereoscopic Society Australian Branch, which later became the Australian Stereoscopic Society.
National Stereoscopic Association (NSA), USA
Allan was a member of the National Stereoscopic Association (NSA) in the USA. He had text and pictures published in "Stereo World" magazine. One picture was full size on the back cover.
Bungee Leap by Allan Griffin
Manhattan Skyline by Allan Griffin
1991 Allan Griffin talking editorship with John Dennis in Paris France Paris ISU Sept
by David Starkman
Water-Skier by Allan Griffin
Tributes from
Stereographers Around
the World
If all of the email tributes that we received were printed here they would double the size of this newsletter. If anyone would like a copy, then please email Ray Moxom and he will send it to you.
David Starkman and Susan Pinsky have created an Allan Griffin Tribute at this website:
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1983 Judy Archer and Allan Griffin at the International Stereoscopic Union Congress in Buxtin UK - a 40 year partnership together - by Susan Pinsky
Two photographers on right is Allan Griffin by David Burder
1987 Photographic Society of America Long Beach, CA toasting group - Susan Pinsky APSA, David Starkman APSA, Jackie Leventhal, Robert Bloomberg, Col (Ret) Mel Lawson, Seton and Isobelle Rochwite, Dolly Lawson and Judy Archer - stereophoto by Allan Griffin, FPSA
1985 Bill Duggan, Allan Griffin and Mel Lawson at Seattle WA Photographic Society of American convention by David Starkman
Sun Dew by Allan Griffin
1985 Tony Alderson, Steve Aubrey, Allan Griffin at Inter Stereo Union in Arlington VA
by Susan Pinsky
Devils Tower by Allan Griffin
End of Day New York City by Allan Griffin
Cumulo Nimbus by Allan Griffin
How I Started in
3D Photography by Allan Griffin
(reproduced from the July 2012 issue of
3D Window)
Collision Course by Allan Griffin
Seattle Dusk Hyper by Allan Griffin
1989 International Stereoscopic Union congress in Germany - June - Frankfurt, brunch John and Pat Milnes and Allan Griffin by David Starkman
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Red Rock Crossing by Allan Griffin
Allan Griffin with Bill Minty at Photographic Society of American Convention
by Susan Pinsky
More New South Wales, Australian patients spend their final days at home after introduction
of care program
Allan Griffin said he checked himself out of hospital to spend his last days
at home. (ABC News)
By state political reporter
Sarah Gerathy
24 Oct 2015
"Home is my home and I feel more comfortable here than what I do at the hospital," he said.
​
Ms Archer said her partner had seen other people die in institutions, and he did not want that to happen to him.
"He didn't want to go into somewhere he wouldn't come out of, because that had happened to relations of his," she said.
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Mr Griffin's daughter Joy Read is helping Ms Archer take care of him, and agreed that home was the best place for him to be.
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"It's much more relaxed, you can be here all day if you want to," she said.
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"There's no bright lights or lots of noise and people. He can have peace and quiet when he needs peace and quiet."
The program provides a free package of end-of-life care for people who are in the deteriorating or terminal phase of their illness – with services ranging from overnight care, to domestic support and basic nursing.
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Palliative Care Support Program began in late 2013 as part of a NSW Government initiative.
Provides a free package of 48 hours end-of-life care.
The majority of recipients are aged between 65-84 years.
More than 350 care workers have received training across NSW.
Ms Archer and Ms Read are being helped by carers from the Palliative Care Home Support service run by Hammondcare, one of two not-for-profit programs which received State Government funding in 2013 to help terminally ill patients die in their own home.
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In a consortium with Sacred Heart Health Service and Calvary Health Care, the program is being run in seven local health districts in New South Wales.
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Terminally ill people need support to die at home
Two years into its operation, more than 650 people have accessed the services, 76 per cent of whom are managing to die at home.
The program provides a free package of end-of-life care for people who are in the deteriorating or terminal phase of their illness – with services ranging from overnight care, to domestic support and basic nursing.
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More than 350 care workers have received training across NSW.
They provide specialist coverage in 140 towns.
Hammondcare's lead academic, Professor Rod MacLeod, said the program was designed to overcome some of the obstacles that often prevented terminally ill patients from being able to die in their own homes.
"When we heard that less than 20 per cent of Australians were able to die at home, we began to think about why that might be," he said.
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"It is often because they don't feel they have enough support at home.
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"So the way this program was developed was that we thought we could help people by putting care workers into people's homes at a time they wanted, if that's what they wanted.
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"So far what we've done is to educate about 450 care workers in about seven local health districts, so that people in those local health districts can access extra help from the care workers, who will come in at times suited to the family to do what the family want."
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Professor MacLeod said the care workers also provided crucial reassurance at a time that can be emotionally and psychologically overwhelming for families.
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"Some people do need to go to hospital because there are specific medical or nursing needs," he said.
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"But often times it's having the support of someone to say, 'Actually it's alright, you're doing fine, this is how it's mean to be'."
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Carers share their experience with patients and their families.
One of Mr Griffin's carers is particularly well placed to offer insight.
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Justine Betteridge lost two of her own sons as teenagers to the rare neurodegenerative disease Sanfilippo Syndrome.
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"Jack passed away in 2008 and Tom passed away at the end of 2013," she said.
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"So they certainly changed my course in life and they were the inspiration behind my passion."
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Palliative carer Justine Betteridge says her work helps with her own healing process.
Ms Betteridge said some of her friends questioned why she would want to work with dying people after going through such emotional pain herself.
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She said it was because she knew first hand how helping a loved one have a peaceful death can assist in the healing process.
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"For me it's incredibly rewarding and I feel it's a privilege that I can make a difference at that very special time," she said.
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"I think that it is possible for people to look back on that time with some good memories, as well as obviously some very sad memories."
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NSW Health Minister Jillian Skinner said she was glad that the Government funding has gone to services that were delivering results.
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"Given the large number of people who were saying to me this was needed, I'm delighted," she said.
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"Just the extent of the change, you know going from 20 per cent to over 75 per cent able to die at home with this support that's exactly what I wanted to have happen."
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But she acknowledged that the programs could not help everyone, and with an ageing population there would have to be more sustained efforts to help people die in their homes.
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She said she became particularly passionate about the issue after helping to care for her best friend, who died of cancer nearly 30 years ago.
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"It probably was the most privileged moment in my life, being with her when she died and seeing how her pain and everything else had been managed through positive care," she said.
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"It was the most positive and dignified death you can imagine because of the palliative care she'd had."
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The Palliative Care Home Support Program is a key initiative of NSW Heath's $35 million commitment to increase community-based palliative care.
Two years after it was introduced, a program to help terminally ill people die in the familiar surrounds of home is improving the final days of hundreds of patients in New South Wales.
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Fewer than 20 per cent of Australians are able to die at home, despite studies consistently showing that between 70 and 80 per cent would like to.
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Allan Griffin, 93, is one of the patients who has access the Palliative Care Home Support Service.
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He lies in a bed looking onto the lush garden that his partner Judy Archer created at the Pymble home they have shared for 40 years.
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Cancer has spread throughout his body and he does not have long left to live.
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He said he recently checked himself out of hospital, because he wanted to spend his final days surrounded by familiar things and loved ones.
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1991 Paris France, International Stereoscopic Union congress party with L to R - Al Sieg, David Burder, Allan Griffin and David Starkman at the Hotel Residence Marceau by Susan Pinsky
Low Tide at Mount Saint Michel by Allan Griffin
Over Dead Horse Point aerial hyper by Allan Griffin
%20by%20Allan%20Gri.jpg)
Neuschwanstein Castle by Allan Griffin
Allan-Griffin-Clowning-Around-3D by Allan Griffin
Sweet Sixteen by Allan Griffin
Ayres Rock Mould by Allan Griffen
Ayres Rock by Allan Griffin
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Allan took this 'Tibetan and His Saddled Yak' photo while in his late eighties
using a Canon Stereo Data Maker Twin Rig
Seattle Dusk Hyper by Allan Griffin
One Way Traffic by Allan Griffin
Bus Full of 3-D Nuts (the original from 1983 Buxton ISU) by Susan Pinsky
