History

Our specialist camera store store has been supplying amateur and professional photographers in the Waikato with outstanding service and selection since 1928 and we are proud to have been owned and operated by the same family from the same location since 1946.

My father, the late Maurice Boswell grew up in Christchurch and left school to work for a medical & dental supplier before joining the navy and training as a torpedo man during World War II. Aboard the HMNS Achilles he worked after hours as a photographer and photo printer - he enjoyed this so much that when he was discharged he decided to make a career out of photography. In 1946 he bought the 18 year old photographic business of Bells Photography in Hamilton and changed the name to Snapshot. The business operated from Victoria St. opposite Wesley Chambers (now Le Grand Hotel) until Dad moved it one block south in 1958 when he bought the building from which Snapshot still operates today.  In 1952 he married Yvonne Blinkhorne - one of the existing employees when he purchased the business, and they subsequently had three children. My two sisters and I helped Mum and Dad in the business at one time or another but only I made it my full-time career after leaving school.

My wife, Jill, & I bought the business from Dad in 1992, when he retired due to ill health. Our two sons also spent some of their childhood helping us in the store at various times but decided to pursue careers in unrelated industries. However Sam eventually found himself drawn back to the business and he joined us full-time in June 2009. He brings a fresh and young perspective to to the business as well as experience from other businesses. He's a Leica afficiando and in August 2011 was honoured to be sent to the Leica Academie in Weztlar, Germany for training in the Leica M & S systems.

Over the years there have been enormous changes within the photographic industry and we have kept pace with them all. The photographic business that Dad purchased in 1946 bears little resemblance to the serious camera store it has become today although we are re-introducing photography to our list of services.

Personally, I have accumulated a wealth of knowledge as mechanical cameras and movie cameras have evolved into today's digital cameras. I have also accumulated camera parts and accessories over the years which has earned Snapshot the reputation of being the camera store where hard-to-find items are found. 

In addition to the enormous changes in the photographic industry we have also seen enormous changes in Hamilton City over the last six decades. Our business has survived because of its willingness to change with the times, because of its specialist nature, and because of the wealth of experience that comes with being in the business for so long.

Welcome to Snapshot Cameras!

Graham, Jill & Sam Boswell

 

Please watch the video below showing the changes to the look of our store over those years.