Author Archives: Robert

all about flash lamps

Posted on November 7, 2020 by Robert

Toronto. What do you do when the light is too low for a photo? Use a flash! Years before electronic flash, or even flash bulbs, flash powder was used in variety of holders. See what was used for flash illumination in … Continue reading →

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Jim Wills, photographer and collector 1942 – 2020

Posted on November 6, 2020 by Robert

Toronto. I received an email Nov 4th from our PHSC President, Lewko (Clint) Hryhorijiw that Jim Wills of Burlington died recently. Mike Fast, who sent the note to both Clint and Maureen Tucker over in London, said, “… He boasted of … Continue reading →

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the eighth by ZOOM

Posted on November 5, 2020 by Robert

Toronto. We held our eighth COVID-19 inspired exec meeting via ZOOM (This is beginning to feel like normal). Thank you Celio for arranging the meeting once again. Key changes are shown below. Toronto is in stage 2 modified at present … Continue reading →

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Stanley, I presume?

Posted on November 4, 2020 by Robert

Toronto. About three years ago I did a post on Stanley park’s beautiful and massive old trees showing an ancient (today) automobile nestled in the trunk. Here you see another huge tree, this time shrouding a horse and rider! The … Continue reading →

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an f/2 lens in 1924

Posted on November 4, 2020 by Robert

Toronto. We (read old guys) often think of f/2 lenses as a 1930s phenomena, but this photo in the July 1924 edition of Science and Invention on page 266 begs to differ. The pdf version of the magazine is a … Continue reading →

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what’s leaves got to do with it

Posted on November 3, 2020 by Robert

Toronto. Falling leaves. Cold. Damp. Windy. November in the city and winter is about to rush in. As I write this post on the 1st, we are seeing our first snow flurries of the coming season. Leaves have a lot … Continue reading →

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1932 – Technicolor and Doctor X

Posted on November 2, 2020 by Robert

Toronto. The first time I saw a Technicolor two colour process colour film was the other evening when I viewed the 1932 film “Doctor X” via TV courtesy of TCM who ran the UCLA Film Archive recreated version on safety … Continue reading →

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what a bargain!

Posted on November 1, 2020 by Robert

Toronto. Do you remember street photographers? They were itinerant photographers who snapped people as they walked along city streets and sold their work accordingly. Sometimes the photo was a ferrotype (tintype) and the finished photo was ready in a minute … Continue reading →

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scandalous

Posted on October 31, 2020 by Robert

Toronto. And a spooky halloween to you all in this year of the pandemic! I thought it fitting to talk about a scandal that affected the famous Notman Studios. Years ago I bought a coffee table size book of William … Continue reading →

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electricity to the rescue

Posted on October 30, 2020 by Robert

Toronto. Whenever a new technology or process was announced people found ways to use it for profit. A few decades ago photographers set up multi flash units to light large areas when a shot was taken. The idea of harnessing … Continue reading →

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