Category Archives: history

toys for little boys

Posted on April 26, 2020 by Robert

Toronto. Sawyers of View-Master fame were justifiably proud of using Kodak products. This link is to a review of the talk we heard on September 20, 2006 by Mary Ann and Wolfgang Sell, members of the NSA and View-Master experts. An advertisement … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on toys for little boys

another high flyer

Posted on April 23, 2020 by Robert

Toronto. American photographer and LIFE photographer, Margaret Bourke-White was very popular mid last century. I wrote a post on her back in March 18, 2019 of last year. This photo (at left) shows her high above NYC using a press … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on another high flyer

taking a bite in the big apple

Posted on April 22, 2020 by Robert

Toronto. This photo was taken in 1932 by an unknown photographer,  It shows a bunch of skyscraper workers sitting out in space along a girder as they eat lunch high above NYC at a time when many skyscrapers were being … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on taking a bite in the big apple

1906 – a bad year for San Francisco

Posted on April 21, 2020 by Robert

Toronto. We often feature photographers here. This time it is the German/American Arnold Genthe. He had the fortune (misfortune?) to be in San Francisco in 1906 when a devastating earthquake struck California near that city. Genthe’s photos are available on … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on 1906 – a bad year for San Francisco

the Jack Roy of photography

Posted on April 20, 2020 by Robert

Toronto. Jack Roy used the stage name of Rodney Dangerfield. As Dangerfield, his catch phrase was, “I don’t get no respect”.  The vast majority of professional and amateur photographers viewed Polaroid in the same light. Polaroid had very innovative cameras … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on the Jack Roy of photography

Yousuf Russia LIFE 1963

Posted on April 19, 2020 by Robert

Toronto. One of our most famous portrait photographers of all time was Karsh of Ottawa. Some members strive to collect portraits taken by Karsh. One member – Shelton Chen – even wrote and published a book of Karsh Portraits. In … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Yousuf Russia LIFE 1963

gearing up for great pix

Posted on April 17, 2020 by Robert

Toronto. In the early decades of photography, the media were so slow a hat or lens cap worked just fine to control exposures. Lenses were left open or used waterhouse stops inserted into a slot in the lens barrel until … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on gearing up for great pix

the last picture show

Posted on April 16, 2020 by Robert

Toronto. Over a century ago, it was discovered that a rapid sequence of still images would seem to show motion. This phenomenon was based on human  “persistence of vision” which neatly fills in the brief gap between images. This concept … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on the last picture show

binocular vision

Posted on April 14, 2020 by Robert

Toronto. My first visit to Toronto Camera was in 1960 when they were on Church Street. I remember buying a Hansa Enlarger and Braun slide projector plus some chemicals and paper. I also picked up a copy of their July … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on binocular vision

megal what??

Posted on April 5, 2020 by Robert

Toronto.  We have featured essays from the”Fans in a Flashbulb” site from time to time. This essay is entitled, “A Time Travelling Magical Megalethoscope View of the Palace of Versailles” and was published at the end of last month. If like … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on megal what??