The man who famously captured former PM Bob Hawke copping a cricket ball belter to the head, award-winning Canberra Times photographer Peter Wells, has died aged 79.
Affectionately known by photographic staff as "One Shot Wellsy", Mr Wells was one of the longest-serving staff photographers at The Canberra Times.
Of all the thousands of times his Nikon shutter - both analog and digital - captured action and drama during his career, one particular moment has been etched in the national memory. The picture he took summed up his ability to take just one or two shots - hence the nickname - and nail it each time.
As former Canberra Times chief photographer Graham Tidy explained: "Being a product of the 'old school', Peter [Wells] didn't ever over-shoot his subjects.
"One great shot meant there was less work to do back in the darkroom, which in turn, I guess, saved the company on film and printing costs."
It was October 1984, and the Prime Minister was batting in a customary "friendly" against the parliamentary press gallery at the Kingston Oval.
Mr Wells had arrived late for the match because of other commitments and stood behind the batsman, a position which photographers often avoid because all it provides is a view of the batsman's back.
But as Fay Anderson and Sally Young describe in their book Shooting the Picture about press photography in Australia, in this case the experiencedphotographer was in the perfect place for the shot.
It was a smashing shot, in more ways than one.
Mr Hawker was attempting a late hook from a slow delivery by Gary O'Neill from the Melbourne Herald when the ball caught the edge of the PM's bat and deflected into his face.
The impact smashed his spectacles and blackened his left eye.
Mr Hawke retired hurt on 27 runs and was immediately whisked off to the Canberra Hospital where, to the annoyance of patrons who had been waiting hours for treatment, he jumped the queue at the Emergency Department.
The shot appeared on the front page of the The Canberra Times the next day and "went national" - the pre-digital 1980s equivalent of going viral - around the same time.
Mr Wells was described by his colleagues as a diligent, self-effacing man who loved his profession and his craft, and produced some outstanding photographs over his career.
The Hawke photograph, selected from over 3500 entries, was an amazing action shot which won the picture of the year and earned him the Rothmans Press Photographer of the Year award in 1985.
