Category Archives: history

making memories

Posted on July 28, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. The lowly family snapshot is often looked upon as a bit of kirsch by professionals but it serves to illustrate family history. The one used here was taken about 80 years ago when the youngest person shown was just … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on making memories

a new way to direct light

Posted on July 27, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. Incident or reflected light, that is the question. This advertisement touted a new way to measure light, especially critical in the early days of low sensitivity, somewhat contrasty colour film materials. Instead of reading reflected light values from selected … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on a new way to direct light

it’s a date – don’t be late

Posted on July 25, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. Home movie cameras were offered before, during, and after WW2. The top end models were the Bolex line from Europe and the Bell and Howell (B&H) line made in Chicago. Cheaper models were made and sold by Kodak. A … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on it’s a date – don’t be late

fairy tales

Posted on July 24, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. … or don’t believe all you see … People believed photographs captured ‘real’ events. Many viewers had no idea that double exposures and other manipulations could be done to hoodwink the gullible. Those tormented souls of last century or … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on fairy tales

Boot, saddle, to horse, and away!

Posted on July 23, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. The history of all countries owes much to the publication in January, 1839 of the two primary photographic processes that produced ‘permanent’ positives. Three years later in 1842, Browning’s poem used here was first published. Prior to 1839, drawings … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Boot, saddle, to horse, and away!

taking the measure of light

Posted on July 18, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. Last century, a professional was able to decide the needed exposure for a printable negative. To be safe, critical shots could be bracketed – a shot taken at both double and half the estimated exposure. Also, with orthochromatic film, … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on taking the measure of light

wither thou goest, Kardon?

Posted on July 17, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. When America was finally dragged into WW2 on the side of Britain, they  had a problem. The Leitz NY organization was taken over by the US government, but no high quality American made 35mm cameras were available. Peter Kardon … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on wither thou goest, Kardon?

it’s not easy being green

Posted on July 13, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. … sang Kermit the frog in his famous 1970 song on Sesame Street so many years ago. This apparently applied to a film called “Anken” too. The film was orthochromatic and, according to the ads, available in the most … Continue reading →

Posted in history, photos, processes | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on it’s not easy being green

all that’s fit to photograph

Posted on July 11, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. The best known press cameras according to Hollywood seem to be the ubiquitous Speed Graphic models. This ad from the December, 1946  issue of Popular Photography [link repeated here for the viewer’s convenience]  suggests why. My thanks to good … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on all that’s fit to photograph

want more about cabinet cards?

Posted on July 10, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. You are in luck! Our sister organization, the Daguerreian Society in the States is hosting an online talk this Saturday (July 10, 2021) afternoon by Senior Curator of Photographs, John Rohrbach, of the Amon Carter Museum of American Art … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on want more about cabinet cards?