“In my time here I’ve gone from working in black and white in a dark room, processing the film myself and drying it on an old clothes dryer, then making the prints.
“We went from shooting to producing the images and having them ready a week later, to now taking images and them being on the other side of the world within hours, even minutes.
“There’s a real sense of immediacy, which is frightening and exciting at the same time.”
After three-and-a-half decades at Council, Neil says if it wasn’t for the fabulous people, he’d probably have another job.
“Most people come to work at Council with good intentions and a focus on public service – they really want to do what’s right for the city they love, and its residents.”
Neil, a keen gardener, says he never tires of Wellington’s scenery, and he takes great pride in the knowledge that he has made a massive contribution to the City Archive, with a detailed documentation over many years that will inform future generations.
“I know that of the millions of images I have taken, there’s so many gems that have never been seen. Hopefully people will get a chance to see them one day.”
It’s 2021, so we’re sharing stories about 21 of our people who have worked at Council for 20 years or more. Find out more about the series in this story.