Typical Lansdale portrait, courtesy of the U of T Archives
Toronto. What is the difference between a good photographer and a great one? In my opinion it is the ability to take a person’s portrait and capture the essence of the person.
Bob Lansdale is one such photographer. Much of his work resides in the University of Toronto Archives and has been posted on line by that august institution. Our society [PHSC] reaps the benefits as Bob enthusiastically embraces photographic history and any and all Canadian effort in that industry.
Bob has been our principal editor of Photographic Canadiana for over half of its life as well as the unofficial photographer of the society and a source of many of its outstanding ideas. His tenacious approach to problems is simply unequalled. The society would be much less without his informal pushes over the years. Bob’s network of journal contributors and advisors spans the world.
An exceptional photographer; an exceptional man. This post also owes much to another fine photographer, friend, and PHSC member, George Dunbar, who has suggested to me so many great ideas about our favourite art – photography.
George writes to Bob in part, “I was browsing and enjoying some images in your U. of T. archive………some wonderful photography there! Do you remember this one [see above] from 50 years ago?”
