Toronto. In the days before – long before – the digital era, we learned of new photographic processes and apparatus through magazines. In the 1950s – 1980s, I bought every photography magazine in sight. These magazines were kept for a few years, and then ‘tossed’. Today they are rare historic artifacts – the older the better, showing the way this wonderful form of imagery evolved.
In issue 18-3, the late Bob Lansdale wrote a massive, illustrated, six page article on Canadian Photography magazines titled, “Canadian Photo Magazines – 100 Years Ago [i.e. from about 1892]”.
Bob begins his article, “This article was originally intended to illumine one of Canada’s first mature photographic magazines, THE CANADIAN PHOTOGRAPHIC JOURNAL, which embarked on its short career one hundred years ago. But readings of microfilms this past summer suggest I widen the scope of this presentation to include other publications from as far away as St. Louis, Missouri .
“I was attracted to nineteenth century photographic journals after reading an article by PHSC Secretary Tiit Kodar published in THE ART AND PICTORIAL PRESS IN CANADA (Art Gallery of Ontario – (1979). In his treatise, “Northern Lights: Canadian Photography Journals Past and Present”, Mr. Kodar indicates honours for the first photographic journal in Canada should go to Maclear & Co. of Toronto who published THE CANADIAN JOURNAL OF PHOTOGRAPHY in June 1864.
“Thomas Maclear, stationer and bookseller, printed and published the popular carte-de-visite portraits of notables taken by Toronto and vicinity photographers. Collecting photographic cartes was just as popular then as today’s fad of collecting sports cards.”
Here we go again … members got the members-only DVD with the included issue18-3 in pdf format. Above and at right are helpful means for you to join the PHSC and read Mr Lansdale’s entire article. Any Questions, just give Lilianne a shout at member@phsc.ca.