Standish and Preece: Christchurch Photographers 1885–2020

See photos from New Zealand's longest-running photography business that provide a window on 135 years of life in Canterbury.

For 135 years, Christchurch photography studio Standish and Preece captured Cantabrians on camera.

The studio, which closed in 2020, was New Zealand’s longest-running photography business.

'Standish and Preece: Christchurch Photographers 1885–2020' showcases a selection of the 80,000 images captured by the studio and now held in Canterbury Museum’s collection.

These images document the changing faces of Cantabrians as well as the changing business of photography.

Visit a replica early twentieth-century photography studio complete with Standish and Preece’s Century camera.

Search for family and friends among the displayed photos and see fashion trends develop, demographics change and Christchurch itself develop and grow.