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The Perfect MomentTe Whakaahua Tika

These photographs are a glimpse into The Spencer Digby - Ronald D. Woolf Collection.

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He kitenga ēnei whakaahua ki The Spencer Digby - Ronald D. Woolf Collection.

When | Āhea

Sat 4 Nov 2023 – 19 May 2024

Where | Ki hea

Toi Art, Level 5

Cost | Te utu

Free entry

From 1931 to 1985, Spencer Digby Studios captured the lives of Wellington’s people – from dances to dog shows, from posed portraits to spontaneous moments. Located on Lambton Quay, the popular studio was known for its specialised services and modern equipment.

This group of over 250,000 images from Spencer Digby Studios was donated to Te Papa by Ronald D. Woolf in 1975.

Digitising the collection

Over the last two years, a dedicated team of Te Papa specialists has digitised thousands of photos from The Spencer Digby - Ronald D. Woolf Collection. This project was funded by the New Zealand Lottery Grants Board.

Discover moreKia kitea ake

  • A woman and child on a stage. The woman is dressed as a mountain with a star for a headdress.

    The Digby/Woolf Project is wrapping up…

    For almost two years, Te Papa has been digitising the Spencer Digby / Ronald D Woolf collection of photographic negatives. Now that this stage of the project is winding down, here are some statistics and highlights from the current team members.

  • A man in a suit stands between stage lights and has an old-fashioned camera on a tripod next to him

    Studio portrait photography in Aotearoa New Zealand

    Studio portraits taken in a professional photographer’s studio – often making use of backdrops or props – were for formal, posed portraits, as well as informal, candid photographs of people, and sometimes their pets.

Exhibition highlightsTaonga whakaatu

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