Guy Clayton Morris [1868-1918] worked as a studio and press photographer in Dunedin, yet photography was more to him than a way to make a living. Throughout his life, Guy photographed his family and friends, pets and family homes in Queens Street and Braeview Crescent. His ability to capture people at their most relaxed, which helped make him a successful press photographer, also resulted in many touching images of his family.

The artistic Morris family emigrated to New Zealand from the English Midlands when Guy was only one. While John Richard Morris Senior became President of the Dunedin Orchestral Society and daughter, Ethel, excelled in wood carving, three of the Morris sons, John Richard Junior (J.R.), Hugh and Guy, found areers in photography. Learning the technicalities from his older brother J.R., Guy went on to manage several of the ‘Morris’ studios in and around Dunedin.

Amongst the collection of original prints gifted to the Hocken Collections from the estate of Guy’s daughter, Marina Morris, in 1999, are dozens of studies of waves at Ocean Beach which testify to his love of the sea. This personal photography allowed Guy to experiment, working without a pre-determined agenda. The photographer took to simply signing his work, Guy.

http://www.library.otago.ac.nz/hocken/exhibitions/morris.html

Website accessed 7/03/12