Stuart Campbell, born in Ballarat, became interested in photography as a student at Swinburne Technical College in Melbourne. In 1972 he moved to Sydney and studied at the National Institute of Dramatic Art. After graduation Campbell played on stage with major theatre companies, appeared in a number of films including Caddie (1976) and Starstruck (1982), and found work in television series including Certain Women, Cop Shop and Patrol Boat. In the early 1980s he began taking portraits of friends such as actors Mel Gibson, Colin Friels and Judy Davis and filmmakers Gillian Armstrong and Peter Weir. In time, he built up a unique record of the actors, directors and writers of the decade's 'Australian New Wave' cinema. His other photographic projects included a notorious series of male centrefolds for Cleo and celebrity portraits for Vogue.
