We made the image and it's been around, I suppose as a sort of icon of the Australian way of life.The photograph depicts the head and shoulders of a man lying flat on his stomach on the sand.

The sun appears to be almost directly overhead and casts much of the subject into deep shadow while reflecting off the beads of water on his arms and back.

[4] The first version of the Sunbaker image (with Harold's hands clasped) appeared only once, in a limited edition booklet entitled Max Dupain: photographs which was published by Hal Missingham in 1948.

"[6] The image has "become part of the consciousness of Australians – symbolising health, vitality, a love of the outdoors and an appreciation of sport and relaxation.

Crombie considers Dupain's work of the period, including Sunbaker, to represent a "racial archetype" of ideal Australians.

[11] The Australian children's television programme Bluey references Sunbaker in the 2018 episode "The Beach", in which the title character's mother Chilli Heeler relaxes in a similar pose.