Author Archives: Robert

a summer newsletter from Europe

Posted on June 13, 2019 by Robert

Toronto. It’s finally summer here in the big smoke. Our friends at the European Society for the History of Photography Association (ESHPh) have been exchange members for many years. This is their summer 2019  International Letter. Have a look and … Continue reading →

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photos from paradise

Posted on June 12, 2019 by Robert

Toronto. The AGO was the recipient of a trove of Caribbean history. To quote the AGO, “Spanning 100 years of history and featuring more than 3,500 photographs from the Wider Caribbean Region including Jamaica, Barbados and Trinidad, The Montgomery Collection … Continue reading →

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known by good lenses alone

Posted on June 11, 2019 by Robert

Toronto. In the mid last century, marketeers from camera companies strived to give their products a tag line making them the prime choice for fussy consumers. Voigtlander was no different, They came up with the tag line “because the lens … Continue reading →

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a different look at street photography

Posted on June 10, 2019 by Robert

Toronto. My good friend George Dunbar diligently searches for photographic items on the internet. This time he came up with a doozy. We usually think of street photography in terms of photographers capturing people as they walk along a thoroughfare … Continue reading →

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a material thing

Posted on June 9, 2019 by Robert

Toronto. Have you ever wondered why the older view, box and folder cameras were made of wood with a leather, paper, or varnish coating? Or that the new 35 mm minicams were mostly metal. That some cameras were bakelite and … Continue reading →

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50 ways to lose a lover

Posted on June 8, 2019 by Robert

Toronto. In the 1950s the marketeers at the camera companies struggled to make their products stand out from the herd. No item was too tiny to be touted as the biggest improvement ever in photography. Some changes where indeed useful, … Continue reading →

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a colourful view

Posted on June 7, 2019 by Robert

Toronto. In the 1950s, the best colour shots were colour slides. Realistic colours, very high resolution, and visible to a whole room full of people. Of course everyone had to sit in the dark as each slide was projected on … Continue reading →

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Juno Beach 75 years ago today

Posted on June 6, 2019 by Robert

Toronto. June 6th, 1944 was a memorable day. The famous D-Day landings took place on the beaches of Normandy. Canada took Juno Beach in a spectacular fashion. Editor Bob Lansdale has made it his challenge to see that the event … Continue reading →

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Photo News Summer 2019

Posted on June 5, 2019 by Robert

Toronto. As I opened Tuesday’s Globe and Mail for a quick read, out came Norm Rosen’s latest opus on all things photographic. As usual, the magazine was an exciting read with lots of photos illustrating what the writers said in … Continue reading →

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getting ready for the 6th

Posted on June 4, 2019 by Robert

Toronto. When war was declared in September 1939, my uncle was too young and lied about his age to sign up. He trained in Canada and then embarked for England and more training. Being young, he was assigned less dangerous … Continue reading →

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