Monthly Archives: June 2023

transparent history

Posted on June 30, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. We think of history as the distant past. Not necessarily so. Slides, or colour transparencies taken by amateurs can sometimes be an historic record beyond the intended audience of the immediate family. The slide here shows a hilly street … Continue reading →

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high resolution

Posted on June 29, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. One thing a daguerreotype had going for it from the ‘get go’ was resolution. The terribly slow process was (depending on lens quality, plate, focussing, movement, etc.) always capable of very high resolution. Even today,  the existing mid 1850s … Continue reading →

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made to measure

Posted on June 28, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. In the days of film, darkroom work was all wet and gooey either in full darkness or with dim reddish or brownish illumination. Strange powders were measured out and added to water and mixed to create magical solutions. Some … Continue reading →

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something’ to chew on …

Posted on June 27, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. In the late 1950s, I bought a Minox IIIs, tank, enlarger, etc. After the camera  was lost in the mail, I bought a new Minox IIIB. The IIIs and older cameras were about the size of a package of … Continue reading →

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fishing’ for fotos

Posted on June 26, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. Okay, not all of you collect photos and only a few of you who do can pay a business like PhotoCentral for them. At left is just small example of the photographs they offer. In this case, it is … Continue reading →

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back to the future

Posted on June 25, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. As we have said many times, archives and libraries are a great source of photographs depicting local history. A few photo enthusiasts take an old street scene and re-photograph it today from about the same location and with a … Continue reading →

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… and the ugly

Posted on June 24, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. George Dunbar sent me a brief note the other day along with the image shown at left. George noted, “Occasionally, the browsing of a photo-archive will produce an eye-stopper based solely on the very poor condition of the preserved image”. … Continue reading →

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duking it out on location

Posted on June 23, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. My good friend George Dunbar, spotted this novel idea in BBC News’s online edition date lined Essex. The article by Katy Lewis is titled, “Stepping Through Film: Man trots globe blending scenes into film locations“. It tells the story … Continue reading →

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did ja ever hear of Fort Mac?

Posted on June 22, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. Cindy Motzenbecker  of MiPHS fame, sent me an image the other day of an early Daguerreotype of the Fort on Mackinac Island (where the Great Lakes Michigan and Huron come together). Cindy spoke with us via ZOOM back in … Continue reading →

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the why and wherefore

Posted on June 21, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. Hands down, Leitz had a winner on its hands when they launched the Leica M series with the flagship M3 model in 1954.  The M series covered the issues professionals had with the screw mount Leicas. Design of the … Continue reading →

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