Category Archives: history

making a case …

Posted on September 14, 2025 by Robert

Toronto. The earliest photographic images were enclosed in a case. The first announced process, the Daguerreotype, was dubbed “the mirror with a memory”. The use of a case with a dark background inside the cover – often velvet – allowed … Continue reading →

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…read all about it …

Posted on September 12, 2025 by Robert

Toronto. … hurricane Hazel devastates Southern Ontario. Even before Hazel hit in October of that year, 1954 was becoming a special memorable year for me. I left high school at the end of term in June, not to return to … Continue reading →

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nothin’ but blue skies …

Posted on September 10, 2025 by Robert

Toronto. In ww2, photography played a big role be it recording the topography for hyper stereo inspection; testing the accuracy of airborne cannons and other armament; or recording battles and targets. On January, 2003 we had the pleasure of hearing … Continue reading →

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winding it up

Posted on September 9, 2025 by Robert

Toronto. Film had a great run in photography, lasting over a century from Eastman’s roll film for his pivotal ‘Kodak” camera in the late 1880s to the APS (Advanced Photo System) early in the 1990s that drifted into early this … Continue reading →

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a night at the movies

Posted on September 8, 2025 by Robert

Toronto. Our then movie expert, the late Robert Gutteridge discovered a rare Edision c1897 movie projector on display in a small theatre up in Beaverton on the eastern shore of Lake Simcoe. Bob writes in a copyrighted article, “Just over … Continue reading →

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I spy …

Posted on September 6, 2025 by Robert

Toronto. … with my little eye is a child’s game we once played in backyards, on streets, and on long boring drives to visit relatives. The game brought to my mind camera lenses. Browse the internet or the books shown … Continue reading →

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polishing the image

Posted on September 4, 2025 by Robert

Toronto. last century, after prints were developed, a special chrome sheet and heated press was used to add a glossy finish to the print. Without this process, paper-based prints would have a matt finish and somewhat lower contrast. Late in … Continue reading →

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stereo and department store catalogues

Posted on September 1, 2025 by Robert

Toronto. I hope you enjoyed the airshow ending today (Monday Sep 1st). It has been running annually at the CNE for over 70 years! Years ago, a major department store chain in Canada was Eaton’s. When stereo hit one of … Continue reading →

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when night falls …

Posted on August 29, 2025 by Robert

Toronto. For many decades after the invention of photography, it was a daylight – bright daylight – pursuit unless one resorted to bright artificial lighting – flash powder, flood lights, flash bulbs, electronic flash, etc. Sensitive media of the day … Continue reading →

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Autochrome and fashion.

Posted on August 28, 2025 by Robert

Toronto. From the beginnings of photography until the early 1900s, photographic processes were all monochrome – unless the image was hand coloured! Around the turn of the 20th century, a variety of additive colour processes were invented, the best of … Continue reading →

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