Monthly Archives: August 2025

latest Graflex Journal now published

Toronto. In a recent email Ken Metcalf, editor of the Graflex Journal, tells me the latest 2025 issue is now available. Back issues (both the older Graflex Historic Quarterly and the newer Graflex Journal Quarterly) are available up to 2022 … Continue reading

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the end of summer …

Toronto. When I was a kid mid last century, the start of the last two weeks of August signalled the end of summer and start of CNE time, an annual event that ended each September on Labour Day with an … Continue reading

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when night falls …

Toronto. For many decades after the invention of photography, it was a daylight – bright daylight – pursuit unless one resorted to bright artificial lighting – flash powder, flood lights, flash bulbs, electronic flash, etc. Sensitive media of the day … Continue reading

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Autochrome and fashion.

Toronto. From the beginnings of photography until the early 1900s, photographic processes were all monochrome – unless the image was hand coloured! Around the turn of the 20th century, a variety of additive colour processes were invented, the best of … Continue reading

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Mr Goss, You make great pictures …

Toronto. …. with  a nod to Christie’s tag line for the idea. If you have ever crossed the Don Valley on Bloor or Danforth, you used the Bloor Viaduct shown here at left (July 18, 1917) while it was under … Continue reading

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once upon a time in Toronto …

Toronto. In our journal, editor Bob Lansdale worked hard to present Canadian photographic history, often drowned out by the cacophony from across the border. While older Canadians learnt British history; younger ones through products, movies, magazines, TV, etc. learned about … Continue reading

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so what is a camera …really?

Toronto. At left is a c1544 drawing of a camera obscura showing a solar eclipse. In the image, the  left wall has a pin-hole to let in the light. The right wall acts as a screen to allow the image … Continue reading

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a quest for collectibles

Toronto. Periodically I receive an email from USA based Michael Lehr Antiques (MLAntiques). The latest email announces their old photography images auction on September 6th. Details and offered lots are on their web site (see link here). A great opportunity … Continue reading

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wagon ho!

Toronto. Many old photo collectors have a ‘war’ category. One well known NYC photographer anticipated a demand  and decided he would photograph the American civil war. Sadly, interest in these war photos died with the end of the American civil … Continue reading

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remembering john vanderpant

Toronto. In issue 25-2, editor Bob Lansdale published Sheryl Salloum’s copyright 1999 article on the famous Vancouver based John Vanderpant titled, “John Vanderpant’s Vibrating “Voice” and Vision”. Ms Salloum’s article begins with this prècis. “From 1919 to 1939, the Dutch-Canadian photographer … Continue reading

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