in the dark of the night

Once a great hobby …

Toronto. Post war, everyone in the photographic industry strived to gain new photographers; none more than Kodak. Gearing up for their Christmas 1952 trade, this Kodak ad in the October, 1952 issue of Popular Mechanics promoted the idea that darkroom work was fun! And in fact that all serious photographers did darkroom work to put their personal touch on the final print.

You knew the ad was aimed at potential new amateur photographers because Kodak explained, “Developing, Printing, Enlarging ..a fascinating hobby – So easy to begin, too – and inexpensive”, along with two full pages of their darkroom kits and products for the newbie.

A big thanks goes to my good friend and fellow PHSC member, George Dunbar, who shared this material with me.

Note that the post title is a play on the title of the thrilling 1967 noir film featuring Sidney Poitier, “In the Heat of the Night“.  Of special interest up here is that the film’s director was none other than Canadian Norman Jewison.

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