By Kath Gannaway
IAN Amiet photographed some of Melbourne theatre’s most famous actors, and has works represented in the National Library arts section – but a front page photo in Mountain Views never failed to give him a thrill.
His skill with the camera and in the dark-room at Mountain Views spanned 11 years and followed a successful career as a commercial photographer.
Having moved to Launching Place with wife Coralie to build a house and raise a young family on their bush property, Ian continued his passion for photography in newsprint.
After a short stint with The Post and Yarra Valley Leader, Mountain Views was the winner.
In the pre-digital world of photography Ian’s ability to turn a week’s worth of film canisters into real life black and white images made his arrival each Thursday the most eagerly anticipated, and exciting, day of the week in the newsroom.
Among his greatest gifts was his generosity in sharing both his passion for photography and the tricks of the trade that covered everything from how to work the camera and how to work with people to darkroom techniques that could transform a passable image into something special.
Growing up in Elsternwick, the youngest of Claude and Bess Amiet’s three boys, Len, Gary and Ian, he studied photography at Melbourne Tech (RMIT) after leaving Caulfield Grammar.
He was in his early twenties when he took over an established photography business in Melbourne and, under the name Ian Amiet Photography, and with his new wife Coralie by his side, pursued a career that involved wedding and fashion photography, including shoots for Vogue magazine, to real estate and theatre.
A highlight of that period was the contract with J.C. Williamson Ltd who until the mid-1970s produced some of the best live theatre around Australia.
Among many of Ian’s mementos of that era are theatre programs and promotional photos featuring Australian and overseas stars of the day from a very young Johnny Farnham and Colleen Hewitt in Pippin to overseas actors including Sid James, Yvonne de Carlo, Robert Morley and Cyd Charisse – among many others.
With no Google Earth, real estate photographs were often taken from a helicopter with the best shots always obtained in direct correlation to the distance Ian was able to hang out the door.
Ian loved animals and two of his favourite jobs in the Valley were photographing the annual Hoddles Creek Draught Horse Festival – close to his heart and his community – and, as it is with Mail photographers today, visiting Healesville Sanctuary.
His other love was sport. He was a good sportsman, playing tennis for Hoddles Creek and Yarra Junction and in his early years football and rowing, giving him an instinct for the pace and direction of play through the lens.
Over the years Ian juggled his photography with other businesses including a pet shop in Yarra Junction and a fencing business which brought him into contact with a wide range of people throughout the valley. With Coralie in recent years they operated party supply businesses in Healesville and Woori Yallock.
Just the weekend before his passing, they celebrated their 48th wedding anniversary.
Tributes from family and friends reflected on a life filled with interests from music and movies to reading, gardening, animals and cars.
A comprehensive list of the cars totalled 29 all up including two Volvos, two Mitsubishi vans, a Bongo van and two Ford XEs.
He loved the outdoors, was a practical fix-it guy who would have a go at anything.
Most of all, Ian loved people and being part of the close-knit Hoddles Creek/Launching Place community. Launching Place was home for more than 40 years making many friends along the way.
Family was everything and he was a loving wife and father to twins Kim and Jodie and son Brad and an adoring grandpa to six grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
The death of Brad in 2014 was a heartache he found unbearable.
Ian suffered a major stroke in 2015 and despite extensive rehabilitation, his health declined.
Ian passed away while in care on 11 November, 2016.
He will be sadly missed by family and friends – including many he made during his time at Mountain Views.
