Brisbane Camera Group

The Frank Hince Trophy for best owner-processed monochrome portrait has been awarded each year as part of the BCG Annual Competitions. As the number of owner-processed prints have dwindled in recent years, Frank Hince asked that the Trophy be discontinued and presented, in perpetuity, to the member who had won it the most times. At the meeting held 16 October 2007, the final presentation of the Frank Hince Trophy was made to John Lomas.

Past winners of the Frank Hince Trophy with the man himself (from L to R): Henry Anderson, Frank Hince, John Lomas and Fred Hunt.

In 1988 the perpetual trophy was designed and constructed by Frank Hince, a former longstanding member renowned for his excellent portraits.  Frank specialised in monochrome portraiture, live theatre, pictorial and social documentary images.  He was an apprentice wood machinist back in the mid-1920’s. 

Back in 1927 he personally turned the globe and base that is the trophy.  It comprises blackwood, hardwood and pacific maple.  The aeroplane that is on top of the globe is a model plane that was cast to celebrate the Melbourne centenary in the 1930’s.  Frank was then working as an arc welder with the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation.  In 1993 a retrospective exhibition of his work was presented at Doug and Ruby Spowart’s Imagery Gallery in South Brisbane.

In time to come, when digital photography has become even more prevalent, tungsten portrait photography will be regarded as a fine art, and those who have pursued and preserved this natural art form will be regarded with admiration and envy...Frank Hince