New Zealand 

www.woolf.co.nz

Simon Woolf is leading photographer at Photography by Woolf in Wellington, New Zealand.

All photos © Simon Woolf

Photography by Woolf began its long history as a Kiwi institution in 1934 under the renowned Spencer Digby. The Digby name, with a few others like Christopher Bede, resonated around New Zealand and the studio fostered several notable photographers including Magnum photographer Brian Brake.

The business was sold to the Woolf family in 1960 and thrived under the direction of Ronald Woolf. A great teacher, Ronald Woolf lectured widely and was renowned for his landscape and people photography. In 1987 Ron tragically died in a helicopter accident while on a shoot over Wellington but his wife Inge remains involved in the business along with Simon and his sister Deborah Hart.

The studio continues to consolidate its enviable position in the community, undertaking archival recording of parliamentary and diplomatic events such as investitures, inaugurations, state visits and so on. It must be satisfying to say the least to be part of an institution that has provided official photography for Queen Elizabeth II, Pope John Paul II, Nelson Mandela, Kofi Annan, Audrey Hepburn among others.

Commercially, Photography by Woolf specialises in many aspects of social photography from weddings and portraits to graduation coverages.

The studio offers library images of Simon's New Zealand landscapes as well as the studio archive dating back to the days of Spencer Digby and Ronald Woolf.