Visiting Olverston

Sitting just above the city of Dunedin on Royal Terrace is the splendid period home of Olverston, a stunning 1900’s English style home designed by respected English Architect Ernest George for the Theomin family. David and Marie Theomin were highly respected in Dunedin for their business interests and well known socialites. They were huge patrons of the arts and champions of many civic causes, David especially, sitting on multiple councils and boards of directors. Their home was bequeathed to the city by Dorothy Theomin, the last surviving family member.

A guided tour around Olverston is like taking a trip back in time and for anyone who enjoys art, antiques and fine furnishings, it’s a highly entertaining hour or 2. The house often takes a back seat to the more popular Larnach Castle as a destination for visitors, however, in my humble opinion Olverston holds it own in respect to the authenticity, quality and variety of its collection.

This viewpoint of Olverston would have been unimpeded by trees when it was first built. The Moeraki sand exterior evokes the same warm look of English country manors of the period as designed by architect Ernest George.

Olverston, Library. One important point to note is the home tends to be poorly lit. This has been a conscious decision by the council to protect the furnishings and artwork on display.

Olveston Dining room.

Olverston, The Vestibule.

Olverston, The Great Hall. The Great Hall and the Drawing room are often hired out by the public for events.

Olverston, The Great Hall.

Olberston, The Great Hall..

Olverston, The Drawing Room.

Olverston, The Billiard Room. An olympic sized table requiring the floor to be reinforced to take its weight.

Olverston, The Billiard Room.

Olverston, Hothouse.

Olverston, Exterior.

Olverston, Vegetable garden and guest toilets.

There is no doubt Olverston is a wonderful addition to the attractions around Dunedin and well worth a visit. There are tours running throughout the day with knowledgeable guides to give you insight and knowledge about the Theomin family and their remarkable collection of art and antiquity.

About the author: Trev Hill is a professional photographer based in Dunedin. He also works as Tour Guide, and has his own walking tour based in Dunedin.

Dunedin City Walks - Otago Boys High School

When I planned my walking tour of Dunedin, part of me dearly wanted to include a visit to Otago Boys High School. However, there is a reason a passenger cable car used to operate up Stuart Street to get there. It’s very steep. Sadly too steep for the general fitness level of visitors. So the best thing I can do is post a few pics of this stunning building for you to enjoy.

Otago Boys High School, Dunedin.

The ornate entrance to Otago Boys High pays tribute to the old boys who served in the First World War.

Detail of the entrance gate.

Names of those who served in the War.

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Rugby has a proud tradition at Otago Boys High School, and the top team has a proud tration in top school boy rugby tradition.

Just a few snaps of the magnificent Otago Boys High, we get a peek of it on tour, but it’s just too elevated to reach without the help of sherpas! For more details on my Dunedin City Walking Tour click the link. Dunedin City Walking Tour

I have a blog I enjoy writing about a range of topics. Below I have filtered entries where I talk about walks both city based or rural or photoshoots with interesting city locations

Dunedin City Walks - St Pauls Cathedral

St Paul’s is a wonderful Anglican Cathedral situated in the upper Octagon of Dunedin. When on my walking tour, I do not stop to look inside as the tour starts and ends in the Octagon, I think it’s easy for my guests to check it out for themselves. However, if you don’t have time, I can provide a little pictorial insight in the rather grand interior.

St Pauls Cathedral Dunedin.

As you can see from the image above there is plenty of head room. The large stained glass window above the entrance is called the great war memorial window, it pays tribute to the men and women of Otago who gave their lives in World War 1.

This stained glass window installed in 2024 was created by local stained glass artisan Peter McKenzie. The window depicts a nativity scene.

Another stained glass window created by Peter McKenzie depicting Dunedin wildlife, including the Northern Royal Albatross and the yellow-eyed penguin.

Certainly the organ is a bit of a show stopper with over 2500 pipes, the largest of its kind in New Zealand.

As you can see, a peek inside is well worth the effort. The back entrance accommodates wheelchair/mobility scooter access, so everyone can enjoy the Cathedral. If you are visiting Dunedin soon and fancy a fun and entertaining Dunedin city walking tour click the link for details. Dunedin City Walking Tour

Planning your Wedding photography in Dunedin.

Introduction

My name is Trev Hill and I am a professional photographer based in Dunedin, New Zealand. I enjoy working in the commercial photography space doing a lot of corporate work, business portraits, using fancy lighting; in general, providing images for marketing use. However, I also love landscape photography and are often hired for event photography. With events they can be business, sporting or community related, and occasionally, I get asked to shoot weddings.

Picking a wedding photographer is a key decision for couples planning a wedding, so I’d thought I’d cover off my thoughts on the task and perhaps give some tips that could help make the process go a bit more smoothly.

Dunedin Wedding Photographer.

Where do I find my perfect wedding photographer match?

The photographer was at a wedding you attended. I would maintain this is possibly the best way of finding your wedding photographer. You will get an insight into their personality, how they present themselves, how they interact with the wedding party and guests. Details like are they a photographer who stands in front of guests in key moments of the ceremony? I attended a wedding where the photographer stood right in front of the couple as they took their first kiss, I’m sure they got a lovely shot, but they blocked the moment from everyone watching the ceremony… I wasn’t impressed. Do you barely even notice they are there? Do they use lighting when needed, or are they strictly natural light types? Do you think they ‘over direct’ couples, or do they just let people be to enjoy the occasion? Also, You saw the delivered images from the wedding and liked them. That one is a must, make sure you like the product of their labour.

Referrals. Another great way of finding a photographer is through friends who have hired photographers for thier wedding or have attended weddings they have worked at. It’s second hand experience, but it’s still a good insight into the photographers work and you can ask plenty of questions about them.

Website. I would bypass any wedding photographer who does not have a proper website. The website is a great way to see the style and quality of the photographers work. Many photographers are able to shoot all styles of photography, but often choose to showcase just their wedding photography credentials. By doing so, they can taylor the whole website for providing information to prospective clients. Look for comprehensive sets of images from individual weddings, pricing information with package options.

Social Media. Instagram is a great platform to discover wedding photographers by searching with simple wedding photography hashtags including your location. Just make sure they have a professional website!

Online search tools. Up until very recently Google Search was the best way to find a photographer, just typing in keywords like ‘Dunedin Wedding Photographer’ or ‘Dunedin Wedding Photography’ is a good start. Make sure you click on the images section as well to see what pops up. In 2026 the momentum of AI search is undeniable. Using ChatGPT, Gemini or any of several AI platforms could be a valuable tool in finding your wedding photographer. Infact, it’s hard not to see AI as the most used method from this time going forward.

Dunedin Wedding Photography

Selecting a Photography Style

In general wedding photography is a mix of both posed and candid photography. There is almost a shot list of images standard for the general wedding photographer from lay flats, to first kiss, cutting the cake and everything in between.

Some couples might find they would rather have the photographer just shoot documentary style for the whole wedding, the photographer then becomes a fly on the wall, observing and capturing genuine moments completely unstaged. This documentary style can be really nice for couples who dislike posing or even having their photo taken (grooms on occasion can be less excited about pictures than brides.) Imagine having a ceremony and then immediately celebrating with family and friends, no need to head off for 2 hours getting wedding party pics. To go all in on this style does mean you are foregoing the traditional family pictures after the ceremony, however you can have your cake and eat it too, it’s your wedding and if you want those pictures ask your prospective documentary photographer if they can include them on the day. If they refuse, you have a decision to make on whether to employ them or not.

Some photographers might have a distinct style you love, using flash, and the results look stunning. However, be aware anytime you introduce flash photography into the scene, it can take time to get the shot, and you have to weigh up whether the photography is going to outweigh the importance of the occasion. Because it shouldn’t. Ideally your special day shouldn’t become a marathon photoshoot.

Dunedin Wedding Photographer, Larnach Castle.

Hiring a videographer as well

These days it’s not uncommon to have a videographer and a photographer shoot the wedding. Some photographers offer a hybrid service, and if you are considering getting both, I’d think hard about the 2 for one option. You see if your wedding ceremony is located in a small venue, space will be at a premium. A videographer and photographer can look a bit silly if they are both moving around in front of guests (getting in the way) and getting into each others shots.

You have found a wedding photographer you like, what next?

In an ideal world you have found a photographer who’s work you love and perhaps scheduling a coffee catch up would be a great way of seeing if they gel with you. You can find out if they have worked the venue before, as local knowledge is of benefit. Also, remember the photographer is around a fair bit of the day, so it’s nice if you can enjoy their company, make sure you like them. If you have a photographer who has listed packages on their website, perhaps you could get them to run through those options in more depth. You will need to cover off if accommodation will be required (are they travelling to work your wedding?), whether you will be providing them a meal, time requirements, any assistance from the wedding party in organising group photos (trust me, delegate a person to help organise these photos). At the meeting you can also cover off your shot list requirements to see if they are comfortable providing that imagery. Often photographers will require a deposit, and there can be contracts to bind a commitment, expectations and delivery outcomes between parties.

Summary.

Good luck in finding your photographer for your upcoming Dunedin wedding. Hopefully you find the right photographer to deliver a beautiful set of images, providing precious memories for years to come. If you like the look of the sample pictures I included in this blog and would like to contact me about my wedding photography service, just click the contact icon in the menu.

Dunedin Wedding Photography, Botanic Garden.