Author Archives: Robert

pictures at a fair

Posted on June 29, 2025 by Robert

Toronto. At our spring fair this year (2025) Newsletter editor Patrick Gunn generously devoted his time to photograph the fair. Moreover, He offered the images to all PHSC media outlets – Journal, Social Media platforms, and Website – as well … Continue reading →

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sometimes a bit sketchy

Posted on June 28, 2025 by Robert

Toronto. Being a small journal, we get/ask members to contribute. One fine contribution was that of the late Thomas Ritchie from Ottawa. His article on a photographic process is titled, “AUTOGRAPH ETCHINGS – John Ehninger’s New Application of Photographic Art”. Like … Continue reading →

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PUTSing it to plastic …

Posted on June 27, 2025 by Robert

Toronto. Early on photography became a main-stay of advertisements, brochures, and manuals.  As camera and image collecting interest grew, so did interest in photographic history, including that of camera manufacturers. Around the same time, the CD replaced the old vinyl … Continue reading →

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distant suns

Posted on June 26, 2025 by Robert

Toronto. For most of photographic history, photos were taken from about one metre to out as far as the eye could see. Double bellows extensions and other special accessories allowed photos of small objects to be easily taken with the … Continue reading →

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about camera collecting

Posted on June 25, 2025 by Robert

Toronto. Camera collectors look at the current values and think, “I wish I bought that model years ago”. When I started to collect back in the early 1970s, many old cameras turned up at relatively cheap asking prices. A bag … Continue reading →

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… meanwhile, back east …

Posted on June 24, 2025 by Robert

Toronto. For over a century, Montreal was our largest city per capital. And the most well known photographic studio in Montreal was operated by Notman with branches in Ontario and down the American east coast. The studio photograph at left … Continue reading →

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mythography

Posted on June 23, 2025 by Robert

Toronto. When I was a kid, I spent a few weeks in the bush with my dad’s brother. My uncle mentioned his horse was skittish around loud noises so he returned to Ontario. “Like gunshots?”, I naively asked. My uncle … Continue reading →

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THE FRENCH-CANADIAN TRAPPER

Posted on June 22, 2025 by Robert

Toronto. It appears to me that many image collectors enjoy their finds briefly, then offer them at a bit higher price to the next collector. Some, like the owner of this image, and our own editor of the day, Bob … Continue reading →

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on the shoulders of others

Posted on June 21, 2025 by Robert

Toronto. The thing that separates us from all other species on this old ball of dirt is … learning. Humans learn from their ancestors and this learning allows us to extend knowledge, generation after generation. We photographic collectors are very … Continue reading →

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remembering a feisty member

Posted on June 20, 2025 by Robert

Toronto. In 1990, Bob McMann joined the PHSC and became its authority on Nikon history and products. Three years later Bob joined the PHSC Executive as Programme Director and then two years later as 2nd VP. Long before computers became … Continue reading →

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