MUIR & MOODIE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11714, 23 April 1900, Page 3 (Supplement)

MUIR & MOODIE.

POI'TRAIT AND LANDSCAPE PHOTO

GRAPHERS, Etc

The developuisnt of the photographic art during the past two decades has'been .truly ■wonderful, and to the stranger it is probably surprising to find that we have in New Zealand photographic artists whose productions are abreast, in tone, tint, material, and faithfulness of reproduction, of anything turned out by the roost advanced studios in England or on the Continent. feuch excellence has been attained by the well-known firm of Muir and Moodie, late Lurton^ Bios., whosu extensive and elabo-rately-fitted premises are situated at the corner of Moray place and Princes street, having a frontage to the former thordughlare of about 100 ft, and to the latter of about SOft. This handsome brick building consists of three storeys. On -this ground floor is the main entrance from Moray place, leading into a large vestibule, where is it very line collection'of-portraiture and landscape views, the latter taken from all parts of New Zealand and the South Sens. On the first floor is an elegantly furnished reception :oom, and-all around are workrooms, wherein the reproductive work is carried on. The studio,-presided over by Mr Muir, is situated on the top floor, where there are also six more workrooms, it. has a great command of light, and is adapted to all kinds of portraiture, t'us work turned1 out being of delicate softness ;md exquisite finish. There are 10 employees in-the establishment, including photographers and artists specially trained for the work.. Mr X. M. B. Muir, who* has charge of the portraiture department, has a reputation as a photographic artist which is not surpassed in the Australasian colonies. He is an expert in the arrangement of pose and grouping, and some of the groups' which have been reproduced from his camera have excited widespread ad miration. His excellent judgment and artistic skill in this respect is so noteworthy that some of the leading theatrical companies of the Southern Hemisphere have lately transferred their Australasian work to him. He was a partner in the firm- of Burton Bros., who founded this establishment some 30 years ago. Then about two years ago. lie, with Mr Moodie, purchased the business from Messrs Burton Bros., and they have carried it on ever since under the name of Muir and Moodie. Since the improvement of the premises Messrs Muir and Moodie have altered all ■ the arrangements of. the studio, remodelling it on the lilies of the leading photographers of Christchurch, such as Talma, etc.. which Mr Moodie found to be nearly all on/the American principal, admitted, for delicate effects in lighting, to be''unsurpassed in any part of the world. However important the lighting and accessories may be, it entirely°depends upon the skill of the operator to' produce the high quality of work that'we see exhibited, bearing the .-imprint of delicate softness and exquisite finish. One ,very I noticeable feature of the finish referred to ' is. a .process peculiar .t,o the firm of producing a fine platino matt surface of a delicate grey tint, which appears to have become very popular. One of the great specialities of the firm is that of which Mr Moodie has charge—viz., landscape photography. :In this department Messrs Muir. and-Moodie have the largest and most complete collection in the Southern Hemisphere, comprising a repertoire of nearly 8000 subjects, ■ which it has taken over 30 years to collect, and involving an immense expenditure of money. The views are. reproduced in all sizes, and a special feature is made of the 18in by 16in copies, which are sold in great numbers. . These are direct photographs from Nature and not enlargements, being.taken by a camera of the size. The trade negotiated by Messrs Muir and Moodie in this branch is world-wide. Their views of New Zealand and the South Seas are largely sold in England, as well as throughout New Zealand and Australia, lhe celebrated photographic concern known as lalma, acts as agent for them in Sydney, whilst Herman, of Wellington, and lies, of: Auckland, undertake similar offices m those places. .Among the landscape views ot .especial. value possessed by. the nrm is a series of reproductions from the celebrated Hot Lakes, which were made at considerable risk immediately prior to and after the eruptions. This is a most complete, set, and includes views of all the terraces, before they were destroyed. The collection includes over 700 views In order to-keep apace with the growing demand ior.thjs branch of photography, and recognising the interest which centres in the wonderful; scenic beauties of New Zealand Mr...iioodie. makes periodical trips to all the celebrated, resorts of New Zealand and .the.. South. Seas, and by the Waikare at Christmas time he paid his nineteenth visit to .the celebrated Sounds on the West Coast having taken on each occasion fresh" pictures.: of the famous scenery. Only recently Mr Moodk paid a special visit to the-New Hebrides Group in the South b|as, and obtained an extensive collection of landscapes from portions of those beautifuUslands. where the photographic camera had not,previously penetrated. Indeed, the Messrs ; Burton Bros, and Muir and Moodie have pioneered photography in'many parts ot, the Southern Hemisphere. Hardly an incn of JNew^ Zealand has not been visited by them, while their subjects range widely over the Pacific, north and southland even lT,vi al"w n ! , Ut T direction w the Aucka&r°Tl, y ' ■ Bo"nty's' and < Antipodes buds, the. inhabitants of the seas landscapes and seascapes, and if the co lection of different photographs yrere placed s.de by side they would extend to nearly half a mile. .For every Mjde study possessed by other New Zea land photographers this firm probably £;l°l ' t Some of the stndics have entaiU! great vicissitude on the part of Mr Sido'f 1° °btahl- TblS lle has taken a ?* 6,,f M»Mic view of the famous ~d I T' copies of which have bee* oWJv % -gl'e*t(f «»ntists.of the of in, i . ,1S stud >--exhibits 17 miles £. cn''H'here) Dampier, Tasman, Haast, Haidmgcr, Glacier, peak De la Beol.e Elie famous lakes and mountains he has had to wait a considerable time before he ro-ilrt get a sufficiently clear day. It £ a^onish ing.to observe such a wonderful collection ot views, for one would imagine that no colonial house would go to such immense expense to obtain subjects. The firm produce lantern slides from any of these photographs, But ' the enterprise has brought its own reward. Muir and Moodie, who intend to add greatly to their collection, have become celebrated in this respect, and their premises are visited ■by. all tourists, while their photographs have made New Zealand a popular resort of people from all over the world. In t' is direction they probably have done more for the colony than any other individual.,. As ail'instance of the" attraction their studio has for visitors, it is sufficient to mention that during his short stay in Dtinedin Lord Baauchamp, the' Governor of New South Wales, spent nearly all his time at Muir ;-th! Moodie's, and made considerable .purchases. Among the most famous subjects included in the landscape collection of .Messrs. Mii'ir and Moodio are the following: 'Xiao Cold and Hot Lakes of New Zealand,

the Destroyed Terraces, the Maori at Homo (including the King Country and the AVanganui River), Milford, and all other Sounds, the newly-opened up Tourists' Track to. Milford from Te" Anau, West Coast, Otira, Manawatu and Bullsr Gorges, .Southern Alps, and Mount Cook, the Great Tasman Glacier, the Coral Islands, and the Islands of the Far South, and many others. It, will be noticed that the photos we refer to are all studies from Nature, and not mere mechanical photographs. Mr Moodio making especial efforts to produce correct composition, which go to form pretty and artistic pictures, and which show plainly that the camera is not planked down anywhere.

In general photographic lines this enterprising firm transact a large business, and they have all up-tc-date appliances,'.methods, and materials for the most Highly finished work. They have recently encaged photo enlargers, and this department'"' of the business is meeting with growing favour. \ '

Mr T. M. B. Muir, the senior partner, is a native.of Mintaro, South Australia, and came to Dunedin at the latter end of IK6O. He attended the High School.- Dunedin, from 1863 to 1866, and was one of the earliest students at that excellent- institution attending on the day it owned. In 1860 he joined the" Telegraph department, with which he was assoeeiated until 1880, latterly occupying the -position of assistant officer in charge 'of the Dunedin office. In 1880-81 he was m charge of the Invercargill station, resigning on the amalgamation of the Post and 'Telegraph offices. Mr Muir had always been considered a .successful pholos;raplier, and in 1881 he joined Mr A. H." Burton, the foundsr of the present business, as a partner. He retired from tV.c firm in 1891, and later carried on a similar business in Invercargill from 1393 to 18D8. In the latter year he joined Mr G. Moodie in purchasing the business, of Messrs Burton Bros. Although Mr J.'uir does nob profess to be. a specialist-,-he is essentially an all-round operator, and is reeoL'-Ksed to have great artistic skill in his work. An examination-'of his subjects will prove how readily he arrives at the essential characteristic of any face. Mr Muir Iws been a successful, athlete, and as p.n exponent of th game of billiards few amateurs can equal him in the Australasian colonies. Mr G. Moodie is a native of New Zealand, and is a son of Mr Thomas Moodie, the highly, respected and wellknown managing director of the Perpetual Trustees Estate and Agency Company. Mr Moodie, jun., was educated at the* High School, Bunedin, and afterwards spent some years in the office of Messrs S. Wilson and Co., wholesale importers and merchants. . Entering the employ of Messrs Burton. Bros, about 14 years ago, he worked steadily up to the post- of chief operator, and two years ago. conjointly with Mr Muir, purchased tho business. Mr Moodio is an enthusiastic yachtsman, and built the celebrated Thelma yacht, which has raced most successfully for some years. He has also exhibited great, interest, in cycling, and for 18 months held the secretaryship of. the Dunedin Cycling Club. Thoroughly interested in all athletic matters he is a patron of sport. Messrs Muir and Moodie have done much to place the beauties of New Zealand and the South Seas before the world, and they merit the-commendation of well-wishers of these islands for the popularity their pictures have brought them.