Category Archives: history

blink of an eye

Posted on April 17, 2025 by Robert

Toronto. Up until dry plates became common, camera shutters were simply unnecessary. Timing could be easily set by holding something like a dark hat over the lens then briefly removing and replacing it. Once dry plates and later film became … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on blink of an eye

calling all photographers …

Posted on April 15, 2025 by Robert

Toronto. A fitting post title for this novel c1948 camera/radio. Editor Bob Lansdale (who ensures these bright crisp images) writes about his cover shot for issue 23-2, “The Tom Thumb Camera Radio, produced by the Automatic Radio Mfg. Co. of … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , | Comments Off on calling all photographers …

a secret revealed …

Posted on April 14, 2025 by Robert

Toronto. A few days ago I did a post on a small press for photographs (issue 23-1). It was accompanied by the following from Robert  Wilson, “During the long period that cartes de visite and cabinet prints were in vogue … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on a secret revealed …

steady there, lad

Posted on April 13, 2025 by Robert

Toronto. For a large part of photographic history, the media was so abysmally slow a tripod was necessary plus a means to steady subjects. To  this end, Charlie Kruger offered a light, handy support adjustable for a realistic pose. One … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on steady there, lad

searching for a house

Posted on April 8, 2025 by Robert

Toronto. The cover shot on issue 23-1 features a horse and coach caught by a daguerreotype camera. An article inside titled, “A SEARCH FOR THE ALBION HOUSE” by the late Graham Garrett explains the reason for the cover shot. Graham’s … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on searching for a house

jimmy’s back in town

Posted on April 6, 2025 by Robert

Toronto. In issue 22-5, Part 1 of Dr Reichstein’s article on James Inglis appeared. Issue 23-1 continues the story with Part 2. Part 2 begins, “The decade of the eighties [1880s] was to be one of extraordinary activity for Inglis. … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on jimmy’s back in town

cameras, cameras, everywhere …

Posted on April 4, 2025 by Robert

Toronto. … and not a print in sight. Shades of smartphones. Last century, when film was in its prime, people argued which camera maker or model was the best and who made the best lenses. As Don Douglas put it … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , | Comments Off on cameras, cameras, everywhere …

picture of a beetle

Posted on March 31, 2025 by Robert

Toronto. This article is an example of exchange content that editor Lansdale felt would interest our members. As such, this example is reprinted  in our journal with permission from the Club Rollei magazine back in early 1997 (issue 22-5). The … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on picture of a beetle

Jimmy Inglis of Montreal

Posted on March 30, 2025 by Robert

Toronto. One of the Canadian photographers in the mid 1800s was Inglis. The photo at left carries the cut-line, “This photograph by James Inglis of Montreal, appeared as a tipped-in frontispiece in the Philadelphia Photographer of November 1866. Editor E.L. Wilson suggested the title “Right still, … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Jimmy Inglis of Montreal

watch da birdie!

Posted on March 29, 2025 by Robert

Toronto. In the days when emulsions were slow, decent photos needed a few seconds of absolute stillness by the subject. To help, studios added a mechanical ‘bird’ to their camera and for portraits (especially of children) the photographer would exclaim … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on watch da birdie!