Age, Biography and Wiki

Brian Brake was born on 27 June, 1927 in New Zealand, is a New Zealand photographer. Discover Brian Brake's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Learn How rich is he in this year and how he spends money? Also learn how he earned most of networth at the age of 61 years old?

Popular As N/A
Occupation N/A
Age 61 years old
Zodiac Sign Cancer
Born 27 June 1927
Birthday 27 June
Birthplace N/A
Date of death 4 August, 1988
Died Place N/A
Nationality New Zealand

We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 27 June. He is a member of famous photographer with the age 61 years old group.

Brian Brake Height, Weight & Measurements

At 61 years old, Brian Brake height not available right now. We will update Brian Brake's Height, weight, Body Measurements, Eye Color, Hair Color, Shoe & Dress size soon as possible.

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Dating & Relationship status

He is currently single. He is not dating anyone. We don't have much information about He's past relationship and any previous engaged. According to our Database, He has no children.

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Brian Brake Net Worth

His net worth has been growing significantly in 2023-2024. So, how much is Brian Brake worth at the age of 61 years old? Brian Brake’s income source is mostly from being a successful photographer. He is from New Zealand. We have estimated Brian Brake's net worth, money, salary, income, and assets.

Net Worth in 2024 $1 Million - $5 Million
Salary in 2024 Under Review
Net Worth in 2023 Pending
Salary in 2023 Under Review
House Not Available
Cars Not Available
Source of Income photographer

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Timeline

1927

John Brian Brake (27 June 1927 – 4 August 1988) was a photographer from New Zealand.

Born in Wellington, New Zealand, Brake was the adopted son of John Samuel Brake and his wife Jennie Brake (née Chiplin).

He was raised initially at Doyleston, before his father moved the family to Arthur's Pass, where his father owned the general store, and Christchurch, where he attended Christchurch Boys' High School.

His early interest in photography was inspired by his aunt Isabel Brake, who exhibited with the Christchurch Photographic Society, and several of his older cousins.

1945

Brake trained with Wellington portrait photographer Spencer Digby from 1945.

Three years later he joined Government filmmaking body the National Film Unit as an assistant cameraman.

Brake worked on 17 films at the Unit, mostly as a cameraman, occasionally as a director.

Though Brake's skills with studio lighting were utilised, the majority of his work involved the NFU's heavy diet of scenic shorts, including a series of 'snow' films Brake filmed in the Southern Alps.

1954

Brake left New Zealand for London in 1954.

1955

In 1955, he met Ernst Haas and Henri Cartier-Bresson, members of the photo agency Magnum Photos.

1957

This led to his acceptance as a nominee member in the same year, and full membership in 1957.

He is best known for his 1957 and 1959 coverage of China (where he was allowed an unusual level of access) and his 1955 photographs of Pablo Picasso at a bullfight.

1958

Snows of Aorangi, one of three NFU films Brake directed, was the first New Zealand film nominated for an Academy Award, in the Best Short Subject (Live Action) category in 1958.

It was beaten to the Oscar by James Algar's nature film Grand Canyon.

1960

He worked as freelance photographer in Europe, Africa and Asia until the mid-1960s, when he began working more exclusively for Life magazine.

His "Monsoon" series of photographs taken in India during 1960 were published internationally in magazines including Life, Queen and Paris Match.

Brake used Aparna Das Gupta (now Aparna Sen) as the model for what was to become one of his best known photographs from the "Monsoon" series — a shot of a girl holding her face to the first drops of monsoon rain.

The shoot was set up on a Kolkata rooftop with a ladder and a watering can.

Sen describes the shoot:

"He took me up to the terrace, had me wear a red sari in the way a village girl does, and asked me to wear a green stud in my nose.

To be helpful, I said let me wear a red one to match, and he said no — he was so decisive, rather brusque — I think a green one.

It was stuck to my nose with glue, because my nose wasn't pierced.

Someone had a large watering can, and they poured water over me.

It was really a very simple affair.

It took maybe half an hour."

In the same year as he shot "Monsoon", Brake also photographed in New Zealand.

1963

The images were published in the best-selling book New Zealand, Gift of the Sea (1963).

1965

In 1965, Nigel Cameron and Brake published Peking: A Tale of Three Cities, which was dedicated to Brake's father, John Brake.

1967

He remained a Magnum photographer until 1967.

In 1967, Brake and William Warren were commissioned by James Thompson to produce The House on the Klong, which was first published after the mysterious disappearance of silk merchant and former CIA agent James Thompson, in January 1968.

This book was the first of many on craft and art objects.

1970

In 1970, Brake founded Zodiac Films in Hong Kong and made documentary films in Indonesia for the following six years.

1972

Titles include The Sculpture of Thailand (1972), Legend and Reality: Early Ceramics from South-East Asia (1977), Art of the Pacific (1979), and, in collaboration with Doreen Blumhardt, Craft New Zealand: The Art of the Craftsman (1981).

1976

In 1976, he returned to New Zealand.

He commissioned an East Asian influenced architectural award-winning house designed by Ron Sang on Titirangi's Scenic Drive, in the Waitākere Ranges to the west of Auckland; the house has a Category 1 Heritage New Zealand rating.

He lived there with his life partner, Wai-man Lau, for the remainder of his life, although he continued to accept freelance assignments abroad.

1981

In the 1981 Queen's Birthday Honours, Brake was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, for services to photography.

1985

In 1985 he helped establish the New Zealand Centre for Photography.

1988

Brake died at Titirangi of a heart attack in 1988.

1990

The book remained in print for over a decade and was republished in an entirely new format and with different images, but the same title, in 1990.