John Gollings made his first photographs and received darkroom tuition at age eleven; he later studied Arts/Architecture at Melbourne University, supporting himself through architectural and wedding photography. By 1967 he had begun work as a freelance advertising photographer specialising in fashion. Gradually, he broadened into large-scale location work and travel accounts. Early on, he worked for Philip Morris brands, Shell Petrol, Sitmar Shipping Lines, Air Lanka and Air Nauru. Amongst his local campaigns were Sportsgirl, Jag, Adele Palmer, ANZ Bank, Australia Post, Great Keppell and Dunk Islands, Marlboro cigarettes, Aywon and others. In 1967 he received private tuition from Ansel Adams in his darkroom at Carmel, California. He has taught the use of large format cameras, and lectured on architecture and advertising photography at Prahran College, Melbourne and Sydney universities and the Philip Institute, amongst others. Recently he has focused on longer-term projects including books, exhibitions and fine prints. Gollings is now considered one of the most interesting of Australia's architectural photographers. He has recently worked for companies including Hyatt Hotels Australasia, Southgate, Levante Hosiery, Oberoi Asia/Pacific, Government of Nauru, Bangkok Land Company, Peddle Thorp International, Denton Corker Marshall International, Nation Fender International, Australian embassies in Riyadh, Beijing and Tokyo and the construction of Parliament House Canberra for Mitchell, Girgula, Thorp, Docklands Authority, Interflora, Versace Hotel, Mirvac Hotels, Federation Square and Café Di Stasio.
