Category Archives: history

where the girls are

Posted on July 17, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. Many photographers over the years were female, in spite of the majority being male. Some members have researched the history of women in photography, and occasionally given a presentation on the topic. Any discussion of women in photography brings … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on where the girls are

seeing double

Posted on July 15, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. “It’s deja vu all over again“, as Yogi Berra was thought to have said. This wonderful old tabletop viewer (stereo, I believe) was offered at the recent auction down in Port Colborne – our first auction outside Toronto and … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on seeing double

street walker

Posted on July 13, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. Not that kind! Some cities have a street photographer who snaps folks walking the streets just like him/her. For example, Vancouver had its Foncie – his fame spred well beyond Vancouver. This November, 1934 article from Popular Mechanics tells … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on street walker

smartphone, anyone?

Posted on July 12, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. This November, 1934 article from Popular Mechanics brought back memories. Mid last century, the telephone was still voice-only in spite of this article decades earlier. As a young employee of “Ma Bell’, I remember Bell Labs in New Jersey … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , | Comments Off on smartphone, anyone?

watch da birdie

Posted on July 11, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. As WW2 was winding down, companies became more innovative in their advertising. Pepsi-Cola – the major competitor to Coke – tried a humorous approach using a cartoon based on the old idea of a studio photographer capturing a portrait … Continue reading →

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

night scenes

Posted on July 10, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. Today’s savvy smartphone and digital camera users would roll their collective eyes at anyone touting ‘night scenes’ as a big deal. But it really was back in the mid 1930s in the days of slow film and generally slow … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on night scenes

flexing some muscle

Posted on July 9, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. Argus was known for American made cameras, especially the ‘brick‘ – the Argus C3. However, the company also dabbled in TLR designs. This ad shown at left is for the Argoflex – Likely a model E given the date … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on flexing some muscle

giving it both barrels

Posted on July 8, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. Kodachrome movie film was release in 1935 followed a year later as 35mm ‘slide’ film. The whole spectrum of Kodachrome films and processing were redesigned in 1938. In 1940, Kodak strongly promoted the new colour film for amateurs with … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on giving it both barrels

last call

Posted on July 5, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. Twenty years ago this month was the last time I ever shot film. I used Kodak colour negative film with a rating of ASA 800 – an amazing speed at the time. The film was used during a trip … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on last call

in pursuit of colour

Posted on July 4, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. A Happy July 4th to our American friends! Here’s to a super year down south! Colour photography is an interesting  topic. Those of us who form the smart phone brigade, are used to colour as a norm and black … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on in pursuit of colour