Author Archives: Robert

pre photography in 1826

Posted on August 4, 2018 by Robert

Toronto. We take photography for granted today. A smartphone, or a digital camera and a computer is all you need to see and share your photos. Your printer can even make hard copies if you wish. But this was not … Continue reading →

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high and mighty

Posted on August 3, 2018 by Robert

Toronto. This photo of the big apple reminds me of PHSC member, the late Boris Spremo in his heyday a top the CN tower to shoot Toronto. In 1952, the RCA TV tower was the world’s highest TV antenna high … Continue reading →

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Magical Mystery (Makeover Studio) Tour – review

Posted on August 2, 2018 by Robert

Toronto. At Our June 2018 meeting, Yvette Bessels spoke on her experiences with photo studios using makeovers as a means to create attractive portraits. As befits our program secretary, her talk was a model of how to present to an audience … Continue reading →

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British Home Children – review

Posted on August 1, 2018 by Robert

Toronto. Our April 2018 business meeting had two very interesting speakers of wildly different talents. After Clint recapped our excellent 43rd year, our first speaker, Sandra Joyce, took the podium to talk of British Home Children (BHC). Sandra earned a … Continue reading →

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those were the days, my friend …

Posted on July 31, 2018 by Robert

Toronto. we thought they would never end … The song brings back memories … The smell of developer, of short stop, of fixer. Days when every shot counted. Huge studio cameras produced material for print advertisements in newspapers and magazines of … Continue reading →

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Irving Pobborasvsky

Posted on July 30, 2018 by Robert

Toronto. We were recently advised by the Daguerreian Society that the life of the late Irving Pobborasvsky was celebrated on Sunday, July 29th, 2018. The notice said in part, “As many of you may be aware Irving Pobboravsky passed away … Continue reading →

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the great depression and photography

Posted on July 29, 2018 by Robert

Toronto. As we enter into a tariff war once again, there is growing concern we will plunge into another massive depression. It is worth thinking about the last great depression world wide (the dirty 30s), culminating in the second world … Continue reading →

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seeing double

Posted on July 28, 2018 by Robert

Toronto. Our president Clint visited the states recently and dropped in at the NSA’s 2018 convention on Stereo photography, the thrilling cards that entertained Victorians decades before TV. The National Stereoscopic Association was an exchange member of ours for a couple … Continue reading →

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scaling to new heights …

Posted on July 27, 2018 by Robert

Toronto. About 1919 William James Sr tried to scale the fence at Varsitry Stadium (U of T stadium fronting on Bloor Street). In hand was his trusty Graflex camera. The intent to catch a sports event ended in disaster when … Continue reading →

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Toronto Lithographing Co Photography Dept 1898

Posted on July 26, 2018 by Robert

  Toronto. We sometimes forget that our city once was the engine of industrial Canada. In 1898, the massive Toronto Lithographing Company, founded two decades earlier, commissioned  photographer A A Gray to record the interior facilities at the north-west corner … Continue reading →

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