Waimangu Geyser, The Greatest Known Geyser

The Waimangu geyser, near Rotorua, was the world’s most powerful geyser during its brief life. Between 1900 and 1904, its dramatic eruptions attracted international interest and droves of tourists. This image is by photographers Muir & Moodie, one of New Zealand’s largest suppliers of postcards in the years leading up to the First World War. It differs from standard tourist offerings in that it captures a moment of high drama as well as scenic interest. Crucial to the image’s success are the two figures in the foreground, who lend both scale and a sense of urgency. Counter-intuitively, they are running towards the erupting geyser. A clue to their disregard for danger may lie in what the figure on the right appears to be carrying – a camera.

From New Zealand Photography Collected by Athol McCredie, Te Papa Press, 2015