mirror, mirror, on the wall …

Posted on May 16, 2023 by Robert

trying to avoid being reflected in the mirror(s) – two out of three ain’t bad  (title of  a song by Meat Loaf)

Toronto. Have you ever shot a scene with a mirror in view? It is really difficult to get the shot you want while avoiding seeing the camera (or the photographer) in the mirror.

Member, author, and sports photographer, Les Jones, spotted the interesting way moviemakers handle such situations. He sent me a note about an article called, “Mirrors in Movies: How Filmmakers Make Cameras Disappear” on the PetaPixel website.

Written by Jeremy Gray on May 12th, the filmmakers’ wizardry involves a whack of money, extra shots, and blue screens. The article is really interesting and may well give you ideas, even if you hate movies with a  vengeance.

NB. The post title was written with apologies to the brothers Grimm ….

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last shot

Posted on May 15, 2023 by Robert

an elderly lady resting in peace c1988 – photographer unknown

Toronto. In the latter part of the 1800s, photographers took final photos of the dearly departed. Some even specialized in the art. Last century, the desire seems to have passed as photography and prints became less technical, cheaper, and far more common.  Occasionally a bereaved family member would snap a memento such as shown here.

The art of recording those recently departed was memorialized by a summer 2020 TV series called, “Dead Still” which told the story of a late 1800s Dublin photographer, Brock Blennerhasset who took such photographs on request.

Postmortem photography, was also a topic in our journal, Photographic Canadiana, a few decades ago.

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careful, Helen – there may be gifts here

Posted on May 14, 2023 by Robert

a Kodak Christmas to all!

Toronto.  A December 1952 ad for Kodak is a two page spread of photography gifts for the budding amateur shutter-bug. Like all photo industry firms, Kodak worked hard to expand their market share. In this case by augmenting the potential photographic buyers market with new blood.

Gifts are an old attraction, well known to fans of Greek Mythology. Helen of Troy, the Trojan War, and a Trojan Horse are all in the mix. The expression that evolved was, “beware of Greeks bearing gifts …”.

A big ‘thank you’ goes to my good friend, George Dunbar, for sharing this ad from the December 1952 issue of Popular Mechanics with us. The ad brings back memories of all the great things Kodak offered. When I was young, ‘Kodak’ and ‘photography’ were synonymous. In fact, to the French in Quebec, every camera was a “Kodak”. Hence the expression, “Did you bring your Kodak?” for “did you bring your camera?”.

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PHSC Spring Fair May 28, 2023

Posted on May 13, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. Blow the moths out of your wallets and come on down to Trident Hall the last Sunday of this month and enjoy our photographica-fair! Our treasurer, John Morden whipped up this tasty little poster:

The poster here is a jpeg without hot links. To get a table or details, email Mark or Clint fair@phsc.ca and you’re in! Remember, besides bargains for film and digital collectors and users, there is free parking… and LOTS of food! And, meet your friends too (especially after the long wait due to the COVID situation).

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in the dark of the night

Posted on May 13, 2023 by Robert

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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90 ways to leave your job

Posted on May 12, 2023 by Robert

ad in an October, 1952 magazine to learn photography by mail

Toronto. Some years ago one of our founders, Larry Boccioletti, spent a miserable year in NYC as the hired head of a mail order photography programme. Larry said in all the time in Manhattan, he worked such long hours, and the buildings were so tall, he never saw the sun during the work week.

His task was to mark the student papers; answer student questions; mail out new course material; and send those who stayed with the programme and passed a certificate of their success as a newly minted bonified (Bona fide) photographer.

The above advertisement for students to the “New York Institute of Photography” was found by George Dunbar in the October, 1952 issue of Popular  Mechanics while he was digging out more photo history material.

NB. The post title is a riff on Paul Simon’s clever 1975 song, “50 Ways to Leave a Lover” sung here by Paul himself.

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capping it off

Posted on May 11, 2023 by Robert

a Digger Wasp photographed by me July 16, 2020 with an ‘auto focus’ iPod Touch (hence the slight blur)

Toronto. From the beginning of our society, we had a class of membership called ‘exchange members’. These were no different to the PHSC in objective: photography oriented. An exchange membership means an exchange of journals or newsletters rather than annual fees.

In 2005, C.A.P.A. (Canadian Association For Photographic Art) joined us. We received their latest newsletter this month. To view it, or any newsletter, or to join. Click this link.

In the May 2023 newsletter, CAPA member, Geoff Dunn, is noted for his close-up photo of a “Gold Digger Wasp”. If your interest in photography tends to the ‘Photographic Art’ aspect, Visit the CAPA site. Note that the photo at left (taken by me) is also a ‘Digger’ wasp, this time on a Cinderella Milkweed blossom.

While some stinging insects are harmful to Monarch butterflies which search out the many varieties of milk weed blossoms for nectar, fortunately the ‘Digger’ is harmless to them.

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a fabulous fair month!

Posted on May 10, 2023 by Robert

our Spring Fair c1977/8 – our NEXT Spring Fair is MAY 28th at Trident Hall (Evans/Islington)

Toronto. At left is a shot I took about 46 or so years ago at our third spring fair held at Wellesley East and Yonge here in the city. It was an exciting time for our blossoming enterprise –  camera and image collecting were new to Canada and everyone was excited.

Our three founders, John Linsky, Larry Boccioletti  and Morris Fischtein, were delighted to see how rapidly their small Photo Historical society was expanding.

We are equally enthusiastic today as our Spring Fair 2023 date (Sunday, MAY 28th) approaches. Co-ordinators Clint Hryhorijiw and Mark Singer (fair@phsc.ca) are busy logging in the table holders as others ready themselves for this event being held once again on Evans (east) and Islington (south) in the Trident Hall. Lots of free parking, Lots of food, Lots of goodies for collecting or using (film or digital user). And admission is CHEAP!

Come on down and join the fun! I will be pinning the fair poster to the top of this site shortly!

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the deep end

Posted on May 9, 2023 by Robert

a Hamilton, Ontario typing class in 1945 – photo by Superior Engravers via HPL

Toronto. As I noted in the previous post, local libraries and archives are helpful to photo collectors. The sample here of a 1945 typing class held in Hamilton, Ontario is courtesy of George Dunbar and his diligent searches on line for photographic history.

Into the 1960s, typing pools were a common business facility for the larger corporations. Letters arrived by internal or external mail and were answered after the reply was written and revised a number of times over a few days including typing (draft and final). Sent by the same internal/eternal mail, a letter and its reply could easily take a week or two.

All this changed when internal email came along followed a bit later by internet email. In a ‘blink’, typewriters, standalone systems (like Wang) and typing pools disappeared to be replaced by emails sent directly by management who struggled with the complexities of computers and keyboards.

My wife and I had a few old and working typewriters, one of which was passed on to a grandson. After fiddling with the mechanical marvel, his question to his mom was, “were’s the delete key …”?

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what the heck is THAT?

Posted on May 8, 2023 by Robert

a 1902 Pope automobile driven by Dr Farmer arrives in Ancaster Township.

Toronto. Today, we take automobiles (a.k.a cars) for granted. But at the beginning of the last century cars were a novelty seldom seen outside cities.  Around 1902, an automobile visited Ancaster Township in Ontario (Hamilton area).  It was the first automobile to ever visit the township.

The vehicle was a Pope, made by a firm based in Hartford Connecticut and driven by it’s owner, Dr . George Farmer. Look carefully at the photograph. Just imagine the number of words it would take to describe the children, the driver, the automobile details, and the locale.

Once again we can easily see the value photographers brought to history, augmenting the text with visual presentations. This particular photograph is courtesy of the Hamilton Public Library archives.

And a big ‘thank you’ to our good friend and fellow PHSC member, George Dunbar for offering the link to the HPL archives. Remember, collectors of photographs and photo historians, don’t overlook your local archives and their potential wealth of information and photos.

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