On this blog I am presenting a selection of images by amateur New Zealand photographers from my collection. The amateur's photo album is usually full of those special events that make a family. Mum, the kids, or the 'rallies', [and sometimes dad, when you could get the camera from him], in the garden dressed in their Sunday best, birthdays, Christmas, and don't forget those holiday snaps, out-of-focus, or badly framed. The last two faults can mostly be blamed on the cameras, with their tiny viewfinders and lenses that left a lot to be desired. But one or two shots will stand out, there is something a little different or amusing about them. And sometimes the photographer had a very good eye, a very good camera, or was just lucky. These are the images I will be selecting for this blog, and my only rule for selection is that I like the image.
With many of the images I know nothing about the photographer, but where I do these details are listed, and with some images I have included memories from the photographers family members.
Most of the photographs are from family albums purchased at auction, family estates, from descendants of the photographer, and a few were rescued from the tip. So if you have an old album, I'm interested, BUT please do not dump it. These albums are great to see and should be preserved, they are a window into the past. With the advent of the digital camera, CD/DVD disc's etc, albums are becoming a thing of the past. In 50 years [I'm being generous here] you will only be able to access todays images if you can find a player thats still working.
I welcome any comments from viewers.
All images are copyright and are not to be used without permission.
Mathew A. Carver.
6.12.1914 - 13.3.1988.
These are from 2 albums of photographs and like many an amateur there are snapshots of family events and gatherings. But there are also a number of low-light and night-time exposures that are interesting. These were taken during the 1930's in Wellington when he was working for Kodak. For a young man interested in photography working at Kodak would have been heaven-sent with access to the latest chemicals and cameras.
Frances remembers: "Dad worked for Kodak in Wellington before the war and experimented with time exposure night photos. I don't think he ever did it professionally, just a hobby. He moved up to Kerikeri in 1940 having bought an orchard the year before. Mum and Dad got married in August 1940 and lived in Kerikeri the rest of their lives."
Wellington Harbour.
Lambton Quay Shop Window.
[Probably Kodak at 292a.]
St. James Theatre, Courtenay Place, Wellington.
Taken from Taranaki St looking across to Wakefield St.
There is a service station still on this site today.
From nearly the same position, the camera has been turned to look up Taranaki St.
The building on Wakefield St corner is still standing and has been converted
into apartments.
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