Author Archives: Robert

Polarization is good for photography

Posted on February 14, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. … but not so good politically. In the days of film, one of the tools available to the photographer was a polarizing filter. Judicious use of the filter could improve contrast and colour saturation by removing reflections from smooth … Continue reading →

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Wilhelm Willi Eduard Nassau 1922 2022

Posted on February 13, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. I was sorry to hear that a good friend and member of the PHSC passed away a few days ago. Willi was a charter member of our society, having joined in its first year. I learned about his passing … Continue reading →

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PHSC News newsletter for February 2022

Posted on February 12, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. The Kiev 88 shown here is from the right top of page 1 in this month’s PHSC News newsletter. This rather poor copy of a Hasselblad was favoured byHelena Mayans who is featured on page 1. Well, here we … Continue reading →

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photographic ideas that fizzled

Posted on February 11, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. In 1939, some people disliked photographic darkrooms because they were ummm – dark. So somebody came up with contact print paper with a built-in orange filter and a special ‘flexible frame’. As a filler, Popular Mechanics published a small … Continue reading →

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February 16, 2022 Presentation via ZOOM

Posted on February 10, 2022 by Robert

Join us at 8pm on the 16th of February via ZOOM to see and hear Dr Slobogin on “Percy Hennell’s Surgical and Nationalist Colour Photography, 1940-1948”. The poster below was designed for our February PHSC News. It states, “Dr Slobogin … Continue reading →

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more than skin-deep

Posted on February 9, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. Do you remember when you had an annual chest x-ray to detect TB? No? You must be a lot younger than me! This Popular Mechanics article from the January, 1939 issue shows how Westinghouse made an ‘electronic flash’ gizmo … Continue reading →

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not all brownies are edible

Posted on February 8, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. My mom used to make delicious brownies – deep brown and chocolaty like a very dense chocolate cake. Sometimes she would add walnut pieces too! In the late 1800s, Quebec-born Palmer Cox created the Brownies to  illustrate his Brownie … Continue reading →

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we have a winner!

Posted on February 7, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. Sometimes a low price and great hype pay off. This combo paid off in spades for the Universal Camera Corporation in the late 1930s through the very early 1950s when its Univex 8mm movie cameras introduced a huge number … Continue reading →

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around the world in 80 photographs

Posted on February 6, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. Stephen Bulger Gallery has announced its 2022 calendar of exhibits, the first being “WANDERLUST” or “Around the World in 80 Photographs” featuring a number of artists and running from January 29 to February 26 of this year. At one … Continue reading →

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an article with a view (master)

Posted on February 5, 2022 by Robert

Toronto.  Over time, stereo has popped up as a fad – as photo cards in the late 1890s, as cameras in the 1950s, as movies, as TVs and in 1939 as a child’s toy called a View-Master. This wonderful toy … Continue reading →

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