The Beginnings…

To promote the fuller and wider enjoyment of photography in New Zealand as an art, science and activity

– First objective of the Photographic Society of New Zealand’s Constitution, 1953

Fred Bowron went to America. That was the beginning.

In the 1950s camera clubs in New Zealand were a growing phenomenon, a situation caused by the release of cameras and films on the market after import restrictions imposed by the Second World War. Christchurch, the club to which Fred Bowron belonged, was one of them - a group of keen amateur photographers sharing images, knowledge, enthusiasm and friendship.

On a visit to the United States in 1950 Fred was given a letter of introduction, from fellow member Len Casbolt to Photographic Society of America (PSA) photographer Ray Meiss, a pharmacist in Milwaukee. On arrival at Honolulu Fred was met by Urban Allen who had a letter for him from Ray.

These two Americans were to play an active role in the development of the New Zealand society. It was at their persuasion Fred attended the PSA Annual Convention in Baltimore and became enthused with the idea of forming a New Zealand association of camera clubs.

On his return he proposed the Christchurch Photographic Society organise at Queenstown a get-together of South Island clubs and a national exhibition. On the condition he could ‘pick his own gang’, Fred accepted the appointment of organiser and his co-opted committee members were Len Casbolt, Ron Sparrow, Albert Marker, Roy Truscott and Laurie Thomas.

His enthusiasm was infectious and others became involved - from the Dunedin PS, George Chance, Ray Kirk and Dick Ratcliff among others. In Hamilton Fred and Len, undisputed leaders of the movement, met with Waikato PS’s Harold Larsen, Irene and Russell Cooper and in Nelson with Frank Hinchcliff and Barry Wood.

The ‘get-together’ had now become a national one and the idea of a national body was under discussion. Although some clubs feared a national body taking over their national exhibitions, the leaders of some of New Zealand’s larger societies, Auckland, Waikato, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin, were fully sympathetic and concerns were worked through. The prime reasons for the society, sharing a common interest, getting the chance to see other peoples’ photography and having fun, won the day.

Invitations were sent to the approximately 30 New Zealand camera clubs of that time, and over 100 keen photographers from all over the country attended the South Island Photographic Convention held in picturesque Queenstown on 24-30 April 1952.

The first National Salon of Photography, held in conjunction with the convention, had an extensive exhibition of self processed monochrome prints of the set size, 16 inches x 20 inches mounted.

They echoed the trend of the time for pictorial photography and the photographers receiving honours were, Richard Blick, Clifton Firth, Frank Hoffman and J F Hinchcliff.

On the last afternoon of the convention a meeting of delegates was held and the proposals to run an annual convention alternating between the North and South Islands and to establish a photographic council of New Zealand clubs were met with acclamation.

It was decided that the Waikato PS would host the 1953 convention in Rotorua and at that event the society would be formed. It was suggested that the association be developed along the lines of the American Photographic Society which gave its personal and organizational support for the venture, and it would be called the ‘New Zealand Photographic Council’. An interim committee of enthusiasts from both islands worked with unflagging zeal for what became known ‘as the cause’.

At the 1953 Rotorua convention an inaugural meeting was held on April 17, chaired by Arthur Fow (Hamilton), president of the 1953 Convention committee. The Photographic Society of New Zealand (PSNZ) was born on 17 April 1953.

And the rest, as they say, ‘is history.’

From ‘Camera, the first 50 years.’