Ifor Thomas

Ever heard of Welsh photographer Ifor Thomas? Me neither. It transpires, though, that he was a key figure in the post-war history of British photography. Thomas, along with his wife Joy, established the influential Guildford School of Photography in 1946. That establishment was renowned for its innovative teaching methods, and it was there that Thomas pioneered the notion of photography as a fine art. Amongst the students that he inspired was brilliant Observer snapper Jane Bown. Thomas's approach to photography can be traced back to the Bauhaus. Before WW2 he had taught at the Riemann School in London which had had its first incarnation in Berlin, where it was staffed by former Bauhaus teachers. Former pupils of Ifor Thomas - Rita and Jack Tait - are currently archiving his work with the assistance of the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth. A major Ifor Thomas exhibition is planned, with potentially, a documentary film and book to follow. If you have any info, anecdotes, etc relating to the life of Ifor Thomas you can contact Rita Tait at 'bronyddrt at btconnect.com'. The above photo is the copyright of Rita Tait.