Amy Merania Harper (1900–1998) was a

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

photographer. Harper was the first photographer in

Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The List of New Zealand urban areas by population, most populous urban area in the country and the List of cities in Oceania by po ...

who used

fluorescent lighting A fluorescent lamp, or fluorescent tube, is a low-pressure mercury-vapor gas-discharge lamp that uses fluorescence to produce visible light. An electric current in the gas excites mercury vapor, which produces short-wave ultraviolet ligh ...

Biography

Amy Merania Harper was born on 23 May 1900 in

Paeroa Paeroa is a town in the Hauraki District of the Waikato Region in the North Island of New Zealand. Located at the base of the Coromandel Peninsula, it is close to the junction of the Waihou River and Ohinemuri River, and is approximately 20 kilo ...

, New Zealand. Harper began her career in photography when she was eighteen years old at the studio of H.J Schmidt in Queen St, Auckland. She worked as a retoucher and finisher. In 1922, her family purchased the Glenmore Studio in

Eden Terrace Eden Terrace is an inner city suburb of Auckland, located 2 km south of the Auckland CBD, in the North Island of New Zealand. Eden Terrace is one of Auckland's oldest suburbs, and also one of the smallest; at just 47 hectares only Newton i ...

where Harper became chief photographer. 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. In 1944 she purchased yet another studio on Karanghape road which she named Belwood Studios. She became widely known for her formal portraits which captured major life events for her customers. However, she was most well respected for her wedding photography which became a thriving business for her. In 1945, Harper helped to establish the New Zealand Professional Photographers Association and was subsequently made a life member in 1975. Harper retired in 1979. She died on 15 September 1998 in

Glenfield, New Zealand Glenfield (called Mayfield until 1912) is a suburb, part of the contiguous Auckland metropolitan area. It is located in the North Shore, north of the Waitemata Harbour, and Auckland is located in New Zealand. Demographics Glenfield covers and ...

Legacy

Harper's collection of work has been exhibited at the

Auckland War Memorial Museum The Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira (or simply the Auckland Museum) is one of New Zealand's most important museums and war memorials. Its collections concentrate on New Zealand history (and especially the history of the Aucklan ...

in an exhibition titled ''Reflections; New Zealand Women's Lives Presented Through the Collections of Auckland Museum'' in 1993. It was also displayed for the public in 1992 at the

Auckland City Art Gallery Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki is the principal public gallery in Auckland, New Zealand. It has the most extensive collection of national and international art in New Zealand and frequently hosts travelling international exhibitions. Set be ...

in ''the 1950s show''.

References

External sources

Works of Harper
are in the collection of Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira
Biography of Amy Merania Harper
{{DEFAULTSORT:Harper, Amy Merania 1900 births 1998 deaths New Zealand photographers People from Paeroa New Zealand women photographers 20th-century New Zealand women artists 20th-century women photographers Photographers from Auckland