An abandoned four story building with smashed windows and graffiti looks beyond repair. The bottom is an active carpark but above the first floor looks more like it belongs in war torn Beirut.
The edge of a giant poster for the current Coca-Cola campaign sits next to the sign for the Regent Cinema. The Theatre Centre on Queen Street used to house The Regent and The St. James Cinemas, with Cinema One, Cinema Two further down the street and Mid City Cinemas on the opposite side, one block down from The Civic Theatre.
These cinemas, some of them filled with the details of a bygone era, have now been replaced with the stern functionality of the modern day Sky City Cinema Multiplex building, the windows through which this photograph was taken.
When the older cinemas were in their heyday, queues for tickets to matinee screenings would snake all the way down Queen Street and sometimes up Wellesley Street. Now, you can purchase your ticket with a Credit or Eft-Pos card at an automatic ticketing machine.
Jan 042010
A couple walks up Elliot Street, behind Smith & Caughey’s, as the late afternoon sun fills the small lane. New Zealand’s oldest Department Store, Smith & Caughey’s was opened in 1880 by Marianne Smith as a drapery. The store has survived a depression and several recessions, continuing to trade in their historic building to this day.
Jan 032010
Queen street in the early hours of new year’s day, the only evidence of bad behaviour I found. For Auckland it was a relatively quiet night for the police.
Jan 022010
One of Auckland’s homeless playing a harmonica for bus money to Ponsonby. This photo was taken on new year’s day, about 6am on lower Queen Street. He was friendly and in good spirits “I’m just grateful they left me in peace” he said about the raucous party people celebrating throughout the night.
This might seem like an odd thing for me to post, because from what I’ve seen, it’s one of the most photographed “icons” in Auckland City.
It’s a bit of an outrage that we’ve been subjected to the new Santa Claus head. To those that aren’t aware, the tradition of having the giant Father Christmas standing on the corner began decades ago at the old Farmer Department Store on Hobson Street, which is now the Farmers Heritage Hotel (called so to differentiate it from the Heritage Towers.) After the department store closed down and the building was converted into apartments, we were without the usual Santa Claus that used to stand on the corner.
This was fine with a lot of people, since his slow wink and beckon weren’t the most attractive additions to the landscape, but you know, it was what it was. It was something that I, and many others like me, grew up with. A trip to the big city at Christmas time would always include a visit to Farmers, its children’s play area with Santa’s cave, dizzying neverending tricycle rodeo on the top floor, and the giant, squinty eyed Santa.
It was all very nice of Whitcoulls to resurrect the statue so we could have it again, and fair enough that he no longer winks or beckons, as the noise of either or both of these things would have been deafening to the residents of the renovated building, but come on, leave the poor guy’s face alone.
Addendum (Karl): This shot was taken a few nights before the face was unveiled. Santas face was covered, I guess, to promote discussion and curiosty. For years people complained it was kind of creepy looking, with that mechanical beckoning finger and one half blinking eye. I’m glad he’s had a make over…
Dec 292009
The West side of the Britomart Train Station, formerly the Main Post Office. This was recently shown at The High Seas as part of the Auckland Festival of Photography for 2010.