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Photography in New Zealand

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Overview

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Aotearoa/New Zealand photography first emerged in the mid-nineteenth century with the arrival of European settlers, and over time has become an important part of New Zealand art. Early photographic collections, now primarily housed in national galleries, contain some of the only images of Aotearoa before destructive ecological events, such as the eruption of Mount Tarawera or British colonial efforts. While it has previously been hidden within the historical record, historians today have unveiled the importance with which Māori and women photographers played in Aotearoa's photographic history.

Origins of New Zealand Photography

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Photography arrived in New Zealand when British settlers brought daguerrotypy to the island during the mid-19th century.[1] While the photograph no longer exists in collections today, the first daguerrotype was taken by the British Lieutenant governor Edward Eyre in 1848, who also happened to practice photography as a hobby.[2] The first photographic styles consisted of portraiture, landscapes, wedding or group photos, and topographical images used in postcards.[3] Studios (especially for portraiture, complete with outfits, props, and backgrounds) as well as photographic societies began to pop up all over Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin.[4] Portraiture remained common, but another form of photography soon carved its place in the industry. Scenic postcard production in Aotearoa exploded in popularity at the turn of the century, peaking at over fourteen million cards posted in New Zealand in 1909.[3] Scenic, topographical, and landscape-centric photography often served to support European tourism; the New Zealand Tourist Department explicitly gave permission to independent photographers to sell national postcards.[3] Around this time in 1901, the newly created Department of Tourist and Health Resorts begins employing photographers.[5]

Early Photographers & Notable Photographs

Local photographers embellished, staged and sometimes faked early tourist prints to ensure sales.[6] Notable early British photographers include Alfred Barker, Alfred and Walter Burton (known as the Burton Brothers), Daniel Mundy, and James Bragge. The first photographs of the Pink and White Terraces were taken in 1859 by Bruno Hamel on Ferdinand Hochstetter's expedition.[7] Others such as the Scottish photographer George Valentine documented the Terraces and other natural phenomena around Lake Rotomahana,[8] both before and after the devastation caused by Mount Tarawera's 1886 eruption.[9] See Valentine's 2004 exhibition in Christchurch Art Gallery.

Māori peoples were primarily on the other side of European lenses as distant subjects or forced sitters, but prominent Māori photographers authored their own work as well. While some rejected photography and its settler associations, other Māori adopted photographic technologies for cultural purposes, including tangi, for use in meetinghouses, and as oral prompts.[10] The first photographic Māori portrait was taken by Lawson Insley in 1853, who actually captured two Māori women, Kararaina and Hera Barrett.[11][12] As described in the section below, one of the first Māori and female photographers was Katarina Hansard (Īhāia); Cromwell Shepherd was among the first male Māori photographers.[11]

Women Photographers of Aotearoa New Zealand

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More broadly, women and young girls often worked behind the scenes in 19th century photographic studios, engaging in the creative and technical work of finishing photographs: retouching, hand-coloring, and mounting images.[13]

Māori. Katarina Hansard (Māori birthname Īhāia, Ngāpuhi) is cited as one of the first female and Māori photographers in New Zealand, operating a familial professional practice from 1897 onwards, including a photography school.[14][15] Hinemoa Hamilton Shepherd (Ngāpuhi) similarly entered into the profession, assisting in the family practice beginning in 1917.[13]

Pakeha. Helen Stuart's hand-colored portraits were highly admired, and later exhibited at the Auckland Society of Arts in the 1880s.[13] Artist Louise Laurent was another famous retoucher, and attended Elam School of Fine Arts in 1896-7.[13][16]

Contemporary photography

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Contemporary New Zealand photographers include Laurence Aberhart, Mark Adams, Brian Brake, Ben Cauchi, Marti Friedlander,[17] Anne Geddes, Anne Noble,[18] Fiona Pardington,[19] Patrick Reynolds,[20] Yvonne Todd,[21] Christine Webster, Rita Dibert, Yvonne Westra and Ans Westra.[22] Luit Bieringa has curated a number of influential New Zealand photography exhibitions.

Photography associations

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The New Zealand Institute of Professional Photography[23] has a membership of 250 professional photographers, and the Advertising & Illustrative Photographers Association comprises another hundred or more.

Many amateur and professional New Zealand photographers are members of PhotoForum NZ, a non-profit society that publishes PhotoForum magazine, organises exhibitions, workshops and lectures, and maintains a website.

The Photographic Society of New Zealand[24] is also a popular group for amateurs, representing camera clubs throughout the country.

New Zealand has two locally produced publications for the photographic community: The Photographer's Mail (focuses on the professional and industry) and D-Photo (focuses on the consumer and enthusiast).

Photographic Collections

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Knight, Hardwicke (1971). Photography in New Zealand: A Social and Technical History. Dunedin: J. McIndoe.
  2. ^ Knight, Hardwicke (1971). Photography in New Zealand: A Social and Technical History. Dunedin: J. McIndoe.
  3. ^ a b c Knight, Hardwicke (1971). Photography in New Zealand: A Social and Technical History. Dunedin: J. McIndoe.
  4. ^ "History of New Zealand Photography". New Zealand History. 5 August 2014. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  5. ^ "History of New Zealand Photography. Page 2 – Photography timeline". New Zealand History. 5 August 2014. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  6. ^ Bunn, Rex. (2019)  Photographic embellishment and fakery at the Pink and White Terraces. New Zealand Legacy, Vol 31.1, pp5-13, June 2019.
  7. ^ Hochstetter, F. (1867) New Zealand, Stuttgart: Cotta, 393-394.
  8. ^ Knight, Hardwicke (1971). Photography in New Zealand: A Social and Technical History. Dunedin: J. McIndoe.
  9. ^ "History of New Zealand Photography. Page 2 – Photography timeline". New Zealand History. 5 August 2014. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  10. ^ Hammond, Catherine; Higgins, Shaun (2024). A Different Light: First Photographs of Aotearoa. Auckland, New Zealand: Auckland University Press. ISBN 9781869409944.
  11. ^ a b "History of New Zealand Photography. Page 2 – Photography timeline". New Zealand History. 5 August 2014. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  12. ^ "Caroline (Kararaina) and Sarah (Hera) Barrett". Barrett Honeyfield Te Atiawa Tūpuna / Ancestry: their lives, the times and their legacy. Taranaki, New Zealand. 26 February 2024.
  13. ^ a b c d Mitchell, Lissa (2023). Through Shaded Glass: Women and Photography in Aotearoa New Zealand 1860-1960. Wellington, New Zealand: Te Papa Press. p. 33. ISBN 9780995138490.
  14. ^ "History of New Zealand Photography. Page 2 – Photography timeline". New Zealand History. 5 August 2014. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  15. ^ Mitchell, Lissa (27 June 2023). "The lost School of Photography". The Spinoff. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  16. ^ "History - Read about the history of Elam". University of Auckland Waipapa Taumata Rau New Zealand. 2025. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  17. ^ Marti Friedlander Photographic Award Archived 2008-10-23 at the Wayback Machine
  18. ^ "The Arts Foundation : Anne Noble". www.thearts.co.nz. Archived from the original on 11 September 2015. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
  19. ^ "Largest Ever Fiona Pardington Exhibition". Archived from the original on 5 October 2015. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
  20. ^ "Patrick Reynolds - architectural photographer". Urbis Magazine. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
  21. ^ "Yvonne Todd: Creamy Psychology". City Gallery Wellington. Archived from the original on 5 October 2015. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
  22. ^ Ans Westra to help judge Rotorua photo competition Archived 2009-02-25 at the Wayback Machine
  23. ^ New Zealand Institute of Professional Photography
  24. ^ Photographic Society of New Zealand
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