John Kinder

John Kinder was a Photographer and Painter who travelled constantly throughout New Zealand between 1855 and 1903 (the year he died). I got interested by his work because he has some of the earliest New Zealand photography I have seen. You get to see in his paintings and photography how life was in the 1800's in New Zealand which is relevant to my area of research.

After looking through his archives in The Hocken Library I found it particularly interesting how alot of the things he has depicted in his photographs, drawings and paintings have now become popular tourist hot-spots. From the Geo-thermal activity in Rotorua to this selection of Northland Waterfalls, all have now become tourist icons in New Zealands popular eco-tourism industry. The same would be said about the thousands of photographs of Mitre Peak in Milford Sound.


Whangarei Falls, 1858.


Waitangi Falls, 1864.



Kerikeri Falls, 1859.

If you went to any of these Waterfalls in the high season you would see flocks of tourists taking snap-shots to take home to show their friends and family, maybe even to post them onto an online blog. Apart from the fact that they are amazing paintings I found it interesting that these places have become famous. Did he know this would happen? He lived his life as a New Zealand tourist of the mid 1800's, travelling around for more than half of his life!

I will post some of his New Zealand photos soon. Chur