Category Archives: history

kid stuff

Posted on December 6, 2024 by Robert

Toronto. Professional photographers seem to use a particular niche as a specialty. Some handle portraits, others news stories, or pets, or, beauty, or children. At left is an example of a shot of a young child relaxing outdoors. In this … Continue reading →

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one man’s junque …

Posted on December 5, 2024 by Robert

Toronto. … is another’s treasure. Around 1980, my friend Ron had picked up a bag of lens elements and offered me a glued pair for a magnifier. As I was leaving, he handed me a strange looking nickel plated square … Continue reading →

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a camera for my lovely …

Posted on December 4, 2024 by Robert

Toronto. … with apologies to Ray Chandler and his 1940 dark mystery, “Farewell, My Lovely“. Sometime late in the last century, Hasselblad sold a life size crystal version of its 500C/M model. The crystal model was made in Sweden and … Continue reading →

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toy land, toy land, dear old …

Posted on December 3, 2024 by Robert

Toronto. … girl and boy land … It’s that season once again. Some folk collect toy cameras. In the days of film, these cameras may or may not have worked. If they did, the result was even worse than a … Continue reading →

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gizmos and gadgets …

Posted on December 2, 2024 by Robert

Toronto. Folks in the US were busy flogging everything that was popular, most ads seem to tell how easy it was to earn more money if you just bought the latest gizmo, gadget, or took ‘free lessons’. In the heyday … Continue reading →

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half the size but twice the fun …

Posted on December 1, 2024 by Robert

Toronto. Last century, when Oskar Barnack designed the first Leica, he chose to use cut off pieces of movie film but at double the frame size (1 x 1.5 inch) rather than movie frame size (1 x .75 inch) to … Continue reading →

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early darkroom days …

Posted on November 30, 2024 by Robert

Toronto. … really early days. When photography began, a photographer had to be not only an ‘artist’ but an all round ‘renaissance’ man. He had to create sensitized media, know how to expose same, and understand lighting. While cameras and … Continue reading →

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disastrous 1904 fire

Posted on November 29, 2024 by Robert

Toronto. In 1904, a disastrous fire consumed much of the business district in Toronto. The fire was visible as far away as other cities both here and in the States. Help arrived from places like Hamilton, and Buffalo. The city … Continue reading →

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reeling

Posted on November 28, 2024 by Robert

Toronto. In the days of film, photographers developed the strip of film in a reel. Professionals could develop many reels of film at once using devices like that at left [photo courtesy of Patrick Gunn]. Once correctly developed, the best … Continue reading →

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the importance of connections …

Posted on November 27, 2024 by Robert

Toronto. When Ev Roseborough took over as editor of Photographic Canadiana, we entered a new era. Ev’s vast network of fellow professional photographers  brought in many new members, some speakers, and a wealth of experience in the photographic industry. This … Continue reading →

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