Bernice Agar

Bernice Agar (1885–1976) was a leading Australian portrait, fashion and society photographer in the late 1910s until the 1930s.

Early life
Agar was born in Bowen, Queensland, to William and Isabel Agar. She began her career training as a photographer at the Bain Photographic studios in Toowoomba, Queensland.

Career
By 1917 she was already established as a prominent photographer. The Darling Downs Gazette covered an exhibition that was held of her work at the Bain Studios in Brisbane, and said, "It is doubtful if in Australia there is anything to come up to Miss Agar's work".

In 1918 Agar established the Bernice Agar Studio in Sydney. Her portrait work was featured in leading magazines and newspapers of the period such as The Home Magazine, The Australian Women’s Weekly and The Sun (Sydney). She photographed prominent women of the time, including Australian artist Thea Proctor and British opera singer Clara Butt.

Her style was said to use "strong, dramatic cross lighting and theatrical, almost unnatural, poses".

She closed her studio in 1933 after her marriage to James W. Hardie, an accountant. Jack Cato said "the leading camera men of this country breathed a sigh of relief" when she stopped her career.

She died in Sydney, Australia, in 1976.