Category Archives: history

sky high

Posted on April 20, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. In the early days of minicam photography, mountain scenery was thought to be popular with travellers. Companies like Leitz made special lenses to use in the mountains with their cameras. The lens designs put lighter weight over aperture (usually … Continue reading →

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faking it

Posted on April 19, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. Les Jones sent me an email the other day about Berlin-based “photomedia artist” Boris Eldagsen. Boris won one of the prestigious World Photography Organization’s Sony World Photography Awards with his photograph called “THE ELECTRICIAN” from his series “PSEUDOMNESIA Fake … Continue reading →

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dance with me, Henry

Posted on April 18, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. You may be surprised that in 1914, the world’s largest dance hall was in Canada! The island,  a popular resort today, is a bit south of Windsor, Ontario. This photo and the related story were discovered by my good … Continue reading →

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not all bees buzz …

Posted on April 17, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. My good friend, George Dunbar, sent over this century plus photo with the following words, “This image was published in How Firm a Foundation: A History of the Township of Cramahe and the Village of Colborne in Cramahe’s Digital … Continue reading →

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dem plates, dem plates, dem dry plates

Posted on April 15, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. Member Jeff Ward from up Halifax way writes, “A correspondent informed me that the issue of Scientia Canadensis devoted to photography and science is now available online.” The issue was edited by guest editor Joan Schwartz and featured some … Continue reading →

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far, far, away

Posted on April 13, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. We have it soft today. Sources of photos, cameras, film, darkroom, etc. abound – like our auction this month. Today, film has largely been replaced by digital technology and the ubiquitous smartphone camera. Digital images give ‘instant gratification’. Little … Continue reading →

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first the film …

Posted on April 11, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. … and now the lens? The idea of using a digital sensor rather than a film coated with a sensitive medium revolutionized photography. Before digital technology as we know it today, fax machines and television were (and still are) … Continue reading →

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we’ve been everywhere

Posted on April 10, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. Today photography is everywhere. So much so that we take it for granted. The Moon, Mars, wars, famine, poverty, art, portraits, books, magazines, television, smartphones, medical, and on it goes. Without photography we would have no visual record of … Continue reading →

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before the old city hall …

Posted on April 8, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. George Dunbar sends this remarkable photograph from the archives of the Toronto Public Library. The photo shows the old Globe Foundry on Queen Street West at about the address of the old Toronto City Hall (the only City Hall … Continue reading →

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the Barretts of Whitby

Posted on April 7, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. I seldom see write-ups on older Canadian photographers. George Dunbar was browsing ‘ourOntario.ca‘ and happened upon the Whitby Library Archives. There he found material on a photographer, Augustus Barrett, who once operated a studio in Whitby and later a … Continue reading →

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