14
This Week
TUESDAY 4 October 2011
A lifetime behind the lens Andrew Board
Wilfred Tunney doesn’t have any of his most famous photographs anymore, they are in the archives of the newspapers he worked three decades for – fortunately, his memory can paint the most vivid picture. Wilfred, or Wilf, spent his career working as a photographer, from the British Army to the Auckland Star newspaper. He covered royal visits, All Black tests, spoke to amazing people and even witnessed a shooting in broad daylight – all of it captured on film. He moved to Nelson in 1982 after his school teacher wife had enough of Auckland. She took a job at Hira School and he hung up the lenses. He has lived here ever since. But the job that would make him a semicelebrity in Palmerston North and Auckland started in an army barracks in northern England, a couple of years after World War 2. Wilf was drafted into the army in the military service conscription that was in force in the UK at the time. While in the army a position in the publications department arose for a photographer. He “bullshited” his way into it and began a career that would span the next three and a half decades. “I thought this would be pretty easy when I applied and didn’t have any experience. But the army aren’t that bloody dumb and soon realised I wasn’t up to the scale they wanted, so sent me away for some training and I was taught it.” While in the army his role was to take photographs for demonstration booklets and training manuals. When his three year term was over he returned to his pre-army role as an apprentice construction engineer. However, he didn’t sit the final exams and was at a loose end before a chance visit with a New Zealand immigration officer convinced him to move to New Zealand. He came here in 1952 as an engineer and
worked on the Tokoroa paper mill before deciding to get back into photography by placing an advert in the Manawatu Evening Standard stating: “Photographer, exarmy. Looking for photographic work.” “Then I got a letter in the mail and it was from the advertising manager of the Manawatu Standard asking me to go in and talk to him, because he thought he might have a job for me. As a result of that I became their first ever photographer.” The paper hired Wilf to take the photos and operate a new electronic engraving machine that they had just bought. He says he can remember the first photo he ever took for the paper, although it was never printed. “After I was hired we went to town to buy some camera equipment, on the way back we came across a car that had crashed. The driver, a woman, died from the accident so we didn’t use the photos.” Wilf only lasted three years at the paper because the two brothers who owned it, one the editor the other the advertising manager, didn’t get along. “The two brothers were always at logger heads and I wasn’t accepted by Jimmy Nash, the editor, because I was Norman’s choice. It didn’t matter what I did and how good I was, he would never accept me. So I said I’m out of here, I’m sick of being the meat in the sandwich with you and your bloody brother.” So Wilf quit, headed to the pub and wondered how he was going to tell his wife he was now unemployed. But the first person he ran into at the hotel was the editor of the rival paper, the Manawatu Times, the region’s morning paper. “He said G’day, we got talking and I told him I had quit. He then asked if I wanted to come work for him because his photographer had just quit. I said great, I’ll see you in the morning and that was that.” For the next few years Wilf built up an impressive list of contacts in Palmerston
Newspaper photographer Wilf Tunney with his old camera and press passes from events he covered during his long career. Photo: Andrew Board.
North and even began writing some of his cause he had to race back to the office at own stories. He remembers photograph- half time to meet the afternoon deadlines. ing a 103 year-old who was voting in the One day walking through central Auckgeneral election. He said the young re- land had to be the most shocking of his porter who went along with him asked the career. He was returning to the office afman how he managed to live for so long, ter lunch, camera slung over his shoulder, to which the centurion replied: “Because I when a young woman came running out haven’t died sonny, that’s why.” of a side door and tripped up several me“That was the quote of the century,” roars tres in front of him. She was followed by a Wilf. “Fantastic!” jilted lover with a gun who shot her severWilf then ended up at the Auckland Star al times in broad daylight, all captured by newspaper, after a brief period at the New Wilf ’s camera. He says it didn’t take long Zealand Freelance magazine. It was at the for the police to come into the offices and Star that Wilf would spent the next 24 ask for the photos. “They were pretty keen years. on those ones,” he laughs. He says he has years of highlights, cover- Wilf says his career was a “great life” and ing several royal visits, a visit a US vice- while he does have a digital camera now, president, a visit by the Thai Royal family he still has his trusty Nikon sitting on a ta and scores of All Black tests, although he ble in his lounge, and a draw full of press says he never saw the end of a match be- passes to bring back the memories.
Suspending Time Victoria University of Wellington invites you to a free public lecture to be presented by Professor Geoffrey Batchen from the School of Art History, Classics and Religious Studies and Reader Daniel Brown from the School of Architecture.
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Photography: Between Life and Death To look at a photograph is to see a moment from the past in the present.
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Geoffrey Batchen has been involved in the international art world as a curator and editor. Geoff is an expert in the general theory and historiography of photography. Architecture: Between Space and Form Architecture represents a threshold between space and form. Daniel Brown researches the mythology, ritual, symbolism and narrative in architecture, interior architecture and urban spaces. He has received numerous awards for his creative and performing arts installations. Wednesday 5 October 2011, 5.30 pm – 8.00 pm Suter Art Gallery 208 Bridge Street Nelson If you would like to attend this lecture, please RSVP to rsvp@vuw.ac.nz by Monday 3 October with ‘Suspending Time’ in the subject line.
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If you have any questions, or would like to register over the phone, please contact the Information Desk on 04 472-1000. More information can also be found at www.victoria.ac.nz events
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