Vintage New Zealand Photography (continued)
It would be wrong not to add two further avenues that are worthy of investigation when it comes to New Zealand photography. They are those who wielded humble box brownie's, and others with more sophisticated tastes through colour photography, either by means of transparencies or colour prints.
The hand colouring of photographs with dyes and paints is as old as photography itself. One of the earliest colour processes invented was the Lumiere Autotype. Auckland photographer Robert Walrond made a very successful series using these plates around the time of the Auckland Exhibition in 1914. Autochromes were glass transparencies and had to be held to the light for viewing. A more practical approach to colour photography came in the 1930s when Kodak and Dufaycolor launched their colour films on the market. While the Second World War more or less put a stop to New Zealand photographers exploring this medium, there were individuals who got around the supply problem. Their work I feel is far more exciting than the discovery of a Alfred Burton or a George Chance. The same might be said for paper wallets containing black and white negatives. These still turn up in garage sales or church fairs. There is no telling what will be revealed until you’ve examined every negative you come across in this way.
After collecting New Zealand photographs for many years, I have gained the greatest pleasure from discovering prints by individuals who have never taken themselves seriously when it comes to measuring their work against the art and craft photographer. As indicated previously, I place considerable importance in looking through negatives in the hope of discovering a gem that has sociological meaning. Or to put it more simply 'Kiwiana'. Another field worth exploring are colour slides. Nobody wants colour slides anymore! With computer technology, these can be scanned, saved to disc, and printed. So if you feel in a crusading mood, let it be known amongst your friends that you are willing to take over these relic's from the past. The same might be said for Polaroids, but perhaps I go too far!
While much of the preceding text has attempted to spell out some individuals who are now considered to be important in the history of New Zealand photography, the chances of encountering examples by these early photographers in a second hand shop or a 'bring and buy' fair is extremely rare. Therefore, anyone setting out to establish a photographic collection must be prepared to look to something more recent in order to get a collection underway. For instance, one of my most uplifting jobs I ever had at the NZ Centre for Photography, was to sort through thousands of unsuccessful competition entries to look for prints of New Zealanders at work and play. While those I found would never have made it to the short list of finalists, they will in time achieve considerable stature when it comes to putting a face on New Zealanders in the 1990s. Now I'm not suggesting for one minute that you hound competition judges for their rejects, but I use it as an example of how the passage of time will invariably improve the appreciation of a particular image. So think beyond the square in your collecting.
In the meantime enjoy one of my favourite snapshot gems!
William Main ©2008.
William Main is one of New Zealand’s pre-eminent photographic historians and has written and published extensively on the subject for many years. He was head of the Photography Department at the Wellington Polytechnic, founded Exposures Gallery in Wellington, and was also Director of the New Zealand Centre for Photography. He has been collecting things, including photographs, for most of his life. He is currently preparing a book called Edwardian New Zealand - the photographs of Joseph Zachariah.
FURTHER READING:
Eggleton, David, 'Into the light - A History of New Zealand
Photography'. [Craig Potton Publishing 2006].
Knight, Hardwicke, 'Photography in New Zealand. A Social and
Technical History'. [John McIndoe, Dunedin 1971].
Main, William, 'New Zealand Pictorialists'. [N.Z.Centre for
Photography Catalogue for a touring exhibition, Wellington, 1991].
Main, William and John B.Turner, 'New Zealand Photography from
the 1840s to the Present'. [PhotoForum, Auckland 1993].
Thompson, Paul, New Zealand: 'A Century of Images'.
[Te Papa Press, Wellington 1998].
SPECIALISED COLLECTING ORGANISATION:
Photographic Collectors Association of New Zealand. [est 1991]
For further details contact;
Colin Martin, PO Box 95, Oneroa, Waiheke Island, Auckland, 1240.