Amy Merania Harper
| Amy Merania Harper | |
|---|---|
| Born |
23 May 1900 Paeroa, New Zeland |
| Died |
15 Sept 1998 Glenfield, Auckland |
| Occupation | Photographer |
Amy Merania Harper was a New Zealand photographer. Harper was the first photographer in Auckland who used fluorescent lighting.[1]
Harper began her career in photography when she was eighteen years old at the studio of H.J Schmidt in Queen St, Auckland.[2] She worked as a retoucher and finisher.[2] In 1922, her family purchased the Glenmore Studio in Eden Terrace where Harper became chief photographer.[3] In 1928 the family practice expanded further with the purchase of Belwood Studios in Queen St which was later renamed to the Amy Harper Studios.[1] In 1944 she purchased yet another studio on Karanghape road which she named Belwood Studios.[2] She became widely known for her formal portraits which captured major life events for her customers.[1] However, she was most well respected for her wedding photography which became a thriving business for her.[2]
In 1945, Harper helped to establish the New Zealand Professional Photographers Association and was subsequently made a life member in 1975.[3] Harper retired in 1979.[3]
Harper's collection of work has been exhibited at the Auckland War Memorial Museum in an exhibition titled 'Reflections; New Zealand Women's Lives Presented Through the Collections of Auckland Museum' in 1993.[2] It was also displayed for the public in 1992 at the Auckland City Art Gallery in 'the 1950s show'.[2]
References
- 1 2 3 McClure, Margaret. "Amy Merania Harper". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved December 2011. Check date values in:
|access-date=(help) - 1 2 3 4 5 6 Maitland, Gordon (Spring 1993). "Amy Harper and Her Studios". Art New Zealand. 68.
- 1 2 3 "There Were Never Such Devoted Sisters". Photo and Audio NZ. 1 (5). 1979.
External Sources
- Works of Harper are in the collection of Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira