Viewfinder
Photography series by Sampford Cathie
Viewfinder is a collection of fine art photography prints capturing the history of Otago, meticulously blending heritage photographs with their modern-day locations.
Viewfinder blends archival photographs of Otago with their modern-day locations, creating a striking contrast between past and present. Since 2021, I’ve been uncovering and re-photographing historic views, meticulously aligning them to reveal the stories, changes, and constants that shape our landscape.
Each piece offers a one-of-a-kind perspective on our region’s history – a connection between the world as it was and as it is today.
Explore the full series below or purchase a print to bring a piece of Otago’s history into your own space.
Bestselling Viewfinder Prints
Explore a curated selection of the bestselling Viewfinder prints below. These black-and-white artworks are professionally printed on archival-grade paper, ensuring rich detail and long-lasting quality.
Whether you’re looking to add a statement piece to your home, office, or commercial space, these prints offer a unique connection to New Zealand’s heritage. Each work tells a story - inviting conversation, sparking nostalgia, and celebrating the region’s evolving identity.
All prints are available for direct purchase online, with shipping across New Zealand and internationally. Browse bestsellers below, or explore the full collection >
“Sam’s Viewfinder series beautifully blends historical context with thoughtful presentation, sparking emotional connections for those who know the places depicted. His respect for the original photographers and careful choice of locations shines through in each piece, and the reactions from viewers speak volumes. We’re excited to see the collection continue to grow.”
The Process
A keen eye for detail and knowledge of the region is essential. The project requires significant reverse engineering to pinpoint where the original image was taken, pre-scouting the area with the aid of 3D mapping software.
Once the exact location of the original photograph is identified, I’ll visit the area under similar conditions and begin the process of lining up the perfect image, a process that requires numerous reference images and a lot of patience. Time of day, season, focal length, and height are all crucial factors in a successful final image.
The next challenge is to step back from the original photograph to bring in space around it - which is not always as straightforward as it sounds as trees, roads, buildings and water levels can change drastically over a century. For every completed image in the series there are many that don’t work out due to external factors that make the modern-day match impossible to achieve.
The process of digitally blending the two images prioritises maintaining the integrity of the original photograph whilst also creating an elegant blend between the old and new. My aim is to insert the old image into the new in a way that paradoxically shows both how much and how little has changed.
About the Artist
My name is Sampford (Sam) Cathie and I’m a photographer based in Wānaka, New Zealand that specialises in commercial and architectural photography.
In my work, the time of day, weather conditions and seasonality all play a huge part in a final image, and this has strongly influenced my personal work photographing landscapes and cities.
I’ve always had a keen interest in pushing my photography beyond simply taking nice photos. I’ve often explored how time can become a subject in an image - gaining inspiration from other artists such as John Clang’s Time series, the extremely detailed photographs produced by Gregory Crewdson, and Steven Wilkes’ Day to Night series.
In 2021 I held an exhibition titled Retrospection, retracing historic photographs of Auckland and incorporating time as a subject, delineated by a bold white square inside the image itself. I worked closely with the Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections team to find images of everyday life in Auckland and practiced blending the old and new to produce a series of fine art prints.
Since moving to Wānaka in 2021, this series has evolved into Viewfinder - the intersection between vibrant landscapes, time and precision.
Purchase Prints
Bring a piece of Otago’s history into your home, office, or venue. Each Viewfinder print is professionally produced on museum-quality archival paper, blending heritage photographs from 1890–1930 with their modern-day locations.
Viewfinder prints are available to purchase directly from my online store below. All images are available for shipping to NZ and Australia directly from within my store.
Custom print sizes, international shipping and additional images may be available on request. Please contact me for any enquiries >
With special thanks to the heritage collections and supporters of the project:
Get in Touch
For all enquiries - whether you’re interested in purchasing a print, commissioning a custom size, or discussing an exhibition opportunity - I’d love to hear from you.
If you’re a print buyer, you can order directly through the online store or contact me for tailored options, including alternative sizes, paper finishes, and framing solutions. For galleries, venues, and curators, I’m available to discuss exhibiting Viewfinder as a complete series or a curated selection of works.
Use the contact form below to share your ideas, request a quote, or arrange a viewing. I respond personally to all messages and am happy to help you find the right piece for your space.