A Wellington father and son's life behind the lens created a special bond between the family and Queen Elizabeth II.
Simon Woolf was an official photographer for the Queen's tours to New Zealand, like his father had been before him.
Simon told Whena Owen of Q+A his dad Ronald Woolf had been the Queen's photographer in New Zealand in the 50s and 60s, taking several famous snaps of the royals.
Simon himself sold his first picture of the Queen in 1981, a girl presenting the Queen with some flowers, after beating the travelling British paparazzi to the spot.
But it was tragedy that showed the monarch in the most sympathetic light.
When Ronald was killed in a helicopter crash in 1987, Simon said the Queen took the time to send a personal message of condolence to the family.
"Immediately we got a message from Buckingham Palace saying Her Majesty sent her condolences, and that she was deeply upset."
Simon took over the family business and went to work in the 1990 royal tour.
"While I was setting up the lights, she came over and talked to me and said how sorry she was, and that she hoped I had received the message.
"She asked me how my mother was, and I got a bit emotional actually, and how the business was getting on without my dad."
Simon said later in his life, he and Queen Elizabeth chatted about digital cameras.
"By that time I'd probably chatted to her dozens of times," he said.
Simon said the Queen highly encouraged him to pick up a digital camera, as it was something she had enjoyed.
"Right from the time that she was a teenager, she had an interest in photography. She was a very good photographer."
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