Author Archives: Robert

1867 and all that

Posted on July 1, 2024 by Robert

Toronto. … to paraphrase a bit of “British history”  (1066 and all that). We are fortunate that photography was invented years before 1867 when the Dominion of Canada was formed.  The British North America Act(s) combined the British colonies of … Continue reading →

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the mystery of Frankie D

Posted on June 30, 2024 by Robert

Toronto. The next step after the Daguerrotype was the use of glass plates. Initially glass plates used a wet solution (wet-plate) and years later a dry solution (dry-plate). To make the sensitized emulsion ‘hold’ to the glass, a sticky mixture … Continue reading →

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the palmer papers

Posted on June 29, 2024 by Robert

Toronto. Eli Palmer was a Canadian photographer who created many Daguerreotype portraits.A Wikipedia article here covers a broad range of Canadian photographers including one very very  brief mention of Palmer. Our late editor, Bob Lansdale introduces the research into Mr Palmer … Continue reading →

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full circle

Posted on June 28, 2024 by Robert

Toronto. Group photos have always been a challenge. In Photographic Canadiana issue 36-1 dated May-June 2010, our late editor Bob Lansdale covers two things near and dear to him: group photos with special cameras; and Canadiana. This issue includes a … Continue reading →

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serendipity

Posted on June 27, 2024 by Robert

Toronto. Movies began with small machines at penny arcades, home movie projectors and finally movie theatres. Our resident movie expert, the late Robert Gutteridge, amassed a collection of old movie cameras, projectors, etc. An author of both books and articles, … Continue reading →

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numero uno

Posted on June 26, 2024 by Robert

Toronto. This c1927 British field camera, ‘The UNA Traveller‘ is well named. The robust yet light construction meant it was reliable world wide – from jungle to desert to arctic. In his column for the early 2010 issue of Photographic … Continue reading →

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doing it right with sweat and tears

Posted on June 25, 2024 by Robert

Toronto. The slow speed of dry plate emulsions in the 1890s   resulted in two situations: The plates were very contrasty and very slow. Unless a very soft light was used (carefully, highlights would be burnt out (no detail) or … Continue reading →

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Graham Garrett’s Indian story

Posted on June 24, 2024 by Robert

Toronto. Anyone who knew Graham knew two things about him: Firstly: he was very prickly and difficult to know (he abruptly appeared on my doorstep one day professing unhappiness with the journal editor of the day). And Secondly he was … Continue reading →

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a one-eyed tropical wizard

Posted on June 23, 2024 by Robert

Toronto. In the early 1900s, various English companies made glass-plate SLRs. The idea was to use the same lens for both viewing and photographing. A mirror changed the direction for viewing (vertical) to photographing (straight through). In the tropics, the … Continue reading →

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one for the birds

Posted on June 22, 2024 by Robert

Toronto. A rare Pettibone projector from 1888 is nick-named ‘the Peacock’ with the circular array of slides. Such a strange device was displayed about 15 years ago at our fall fair. It was photographed by the late Bob Lansdale, our … Continue reading →

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