baker’s dozen

Posted on April 8, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. We held our 13th ZOOM exec meeting Wednesday evening. And once again, Celio deserves a huge thank you for arranging it in spite of his busy teaching schedule at post secondary institutes. The third wave has whacked Toronto into total lockdown and stay at home status. ALL live events are still cancelled and our monthly meeting venue (North York Memorial Hall) remains closed.  Meantime vaccinations race on.

The April issue of our newsletter, ‘PHSC News’,  goes out this month to nearly 1,900  addresses (sign up at news@phsc.ca for your free pdf copy). Members get specials plus the journal via pdf. (contact me if you are a member and HAVE NOT seen the pdfs). Some members have unsubscribed to MailChimp; some emails are invalid; and others have no email on file with us or with MailChimp. Questions? Drop me a note at info@phsc.ca.

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a photo’s back pages

Posted on April 7, 2021 by Robert

Migrant Mother by Dorthea Lange, courtesy of MoMA Magazine

Toronto. In the dirty thirties, the FSA in the States was busy recording the impact of the severe dry spell and depression on farmers. Dorthea Lange was one of their photographers. She captured this iconic image of a migrant mother and her three children in 1936 when the tiny family was in dire straits.

Decades later in 1979, photographer Bill Ganzel managed to group the lady, Mrs Florence Owens Thompson, and three of her grown daughters for this retrospective photograph. One of NYC’s MoMA curators, Sarah Meister, unravelled the story of the photographs and Mrs Thompson and her girls. Ms Meister wrote an article for the MoMA Magazine titled “Piecing Together Dorothea Lange’s Migrant Mother” back on February 6th of last year before the nasties arrived.

My thanks to friend and fellow PHSC member, George Dunbar for sharing this bit of photographic history.

Note: The title of the post is a riff on the 1964 song by Bob Dylan “My Back Pages“

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a camera fit for a Queen

Posted on April 6, 2021 by Robert

Queen Elizabeth II with Leica M3 c1958

Toronto. The German optical firm of Ernst Leitz began as a maker of optical objects including microscopes. In the mid 1920s to keep its factory open and staff working, Leitz began the sale and manufacture of the 35mm Leica camera (LEItz CAmera). Over the years, milestone microscope serial numbers were commemorated by awarding the instrument to a prominent individual. Perhaps this also occurred with camera manufacture.

Regardless, the Leica M3, meter, lens, and case were given to Queen Elizabeth II, an ardent family photographer and ardent collector, by the Ernst Leitz company in 1958. This, according to an article by Lucia Davies on the AnOther Magazine website dated May 18, 2012.

A big thanks and tip of the hat to my good friend, professional photographer,  and president of the PHSC, Clint Hryhorijiw, for suggesting this item.

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catching the wave

Posted on April 5, 2021 by Robert

Polaroid ad from 1967 for special ASA 10,000 film

Toronto. My now elderly NEX-6 boasts a maximum ISO of 25,600 (so noisy only black and white images are okay). Back in 1967, a maximum ASA (ISO) unpushed, was around ASA 400 (Tri-X). This speed was far too slow to capture very brief pulses on an oscilloscope (an antique laboratory device that uses a cathode ray tube (CRT) to display alternating current and pulses as wavy lines with a horizontal axis of duration (time) and vertical axis of voltage).

Polaroid solved this dilemma by offering a super fast film/paper of ASA 10,000 and cameras that connected to the oscilloscopes to record such brief events. Nowadays even cheap digital cameras like my old NEX-6 have sensors with ISO ratings beyond Polaroid’s 10,000 ASA rating shown in this 1967 advertisement in their house organ.

Thanks due to good friend and fellow member George Dunbar for alerting us about this historic Polaroid medium.

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midnight on main

Posted on April 4, 2021 by Robert

Night Scene in USA courtesy of Daniel Freeman, photographer

Toronto. Daniel Freeman of the UK is a photographer who enjoys taking night scenes. He writes, “Fascinated by the way the world appears at night, I am drawn by a compulsion to photograph in the times when everything is at its quietest. While the hustle and bustle recedes and recharges, I embrace the darkness to capture locations that rest silently under the cover of darkness and flaunt their beauty in the hours between dusk and dawn.

“I have specialised in night photography for over a decade, with travelling always at the forefront of what I do. The sense of motion and adventure are regular contributors to the discovery of locations, scenes and subjects, as well as the image creation itself. Whether the other side of the world or just a few miles from home, the feeling of tranquility and escapism offered by the night keeps me hooked. 

“I hold a Fellowship with the British Institute of Professional Photography (BIPP) and Qualified European Photographer (QEP) with the Federation of European Photographers (FEP) for my nocturnal work. My photography has featured in a number of online and print publications, and my photobook ‘Midnight on Main’ was published by Hatje Cantz Verlag in November 2020. I also hold a full PGCE teaching qualification and lecture at photographic seminars and education establishments.”

On March 29th of this year, the BBC News posted an article on Freeman called, “Photographing the ‘endless diversity’ of America by streetlight” covering his trip to the states to take photographs.

I don’t know just how George Dunbar discovers these websites, but I am grateful that he generously shares them with members of the PHSC executive – especially this website!

NB. Suzanne Vega’s haunting song “Night Vision” comes to mind when I see these wonderful images by Daniel Freeman.

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controlling the market

Posted on April 3, 2021 by Robert

LIFE ad for new Kodak Pocket Instamatic film, projector, and cameras

Toronto. For decades Kodak controlled the film market by creating new film sizes and the cameras to use them. Heavy advertising prompted the ill informed public to buy the latest Kodak camera and use Kodak film.  An example is this May 5th, 1972 ad for the new Kodak ‘Pocket’ line of Instamatic cameras.

The popularity of subminiature cameras with their specialized films and the ever increasing film resolution (and cost of ingredients?) led Kodak to promote a new smaller Instamatic film size and associated cameras and projector. While resolution was still poor, small prints so common with cameras of the day would look fine to the target population.

When the 1972 Pocket stuff appeared on the horizon, colour and flash capability was the norm not the exception so every camera had a magicube flash socket and used the special smaller Instamatic Kodak color film. Even a slide projector was offered so customers could buy a slide projector for colour transparencies snapped with the new Pocket camera.

Thanks to good friend and fellow PHSC member, George Dunbar, for sharing this May 5, 1972 LIFE advertisement (pp13-16) and its bit of history with us. All back in the time when Kodak and film ruled the day.

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nearly as scarce as hens’ teeth

Posted on April 2, 2021 by Robert

A fine example of a late period (c1880) camera suitable for wet-plate photogreaphy

Toronto. Have you ever seen an authentic wet-plate camera in fine condition? No? Brass lenses from the wet-plate period abound at fairs like ours, but few cameras exist and even fewer unrestored ones in top condition. And there is good reason.

Wet-plate photography was the time of large wooden view cameras, contact prints, and mainly studio bound photography. To be effective, the wet-plate media had to be applied to a glass-plate, exposed, and developed – all before the plate dried and its sensitivity plummeted.

The complexity of the process limited its use to the few professionals and advanced amateurs of the period resulting in a smaller number of cameras made and sold. While a wet-plate holder often had a trough at the bottom to collect the drips, and cameras were often made extra sturdy, that dripping goop used to sensitize the plate, hit the wooden parts, staining them black. Worse, over time, the goop rotted the wood rendering a well-used camera  junk. Keep the lens; toss the camera; good-bye history; good-bye.

Check out this page for “Trends in General Construction of Field Cameras“, part of the Pierce Vaubel web site. You can read mare about the collodion process used in Wet-Plate photography here.

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spring bloomers, spring roomers

Posted on April 1, 2021 by Robert

a prototype film camera?

Toronto. Isn’t it great? Spring is here! Flowers! Grass! Bugs! Sunshine and showers! Kodak moments one and all. And of course rumours.

Digital technology has had an horrific impact on the photographic industry. The landscape is littered with dead corporations who failed to leap the digital divide.  The surviving few managed to successfully reinvent themselves as digital companies.

But film simply refuses to die, becoming a niche market for the brave. In fact, we recently heard that one German camera maker who made the leap to digital and lived, may decide to dip a toe back in the film world.

Here’s the story: One of our reporters spotted the prototype above in a skunkworks hidden in the Okefenokee Swamp at the top of Florida where it pushes against Georgia. The company, Leica Camera AG, in contemplating film to augment its digital business is considering a cheaper, all plastic, injection molded camera.  Rumour says it will be made next year in a Chinese factory specializing in plastics. Further, it will first be available in China, possibly surpassing the success of last century’s Seagull line in that country.

It’s thought that such a film camera will be ready in sufficient numbers to reach the Chinese market as of next April 1st…

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ZOOMin’ in on PHSC monthly meetings

Posted on March 31, 2021 by Robert

left – Lorne Shields, right – sample photograph

Toronto. The ZOOM concept has opened our monthly Toronto meetings to a world-wide audience, not just those in driving distance to our facility at Memorial Hall in North York (Toronto).  Our Programme Director, Celio Barreto, has worked far beyond our expectations to learn how to use the ZOOM technology as well as arrange a roster of interesting and knowledgeable speakers.

Celio’s current program as shown here (January through March have already been presented), may be changed in content as the year evolves.

Our next program, set for April 21st (Tickets via Eventbrite) features Lorne Shields and his topic, “VISUALLY COMPELLING HISTORIC CYCLING PHOTOGRAPHICA”. Lorne is a member of the PHSC as well as a respected authority on all things about bicycle history.

Don’t miss this exciting topic by a master on the subject.

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can you help us with this question?

Posted on March 30, 2021 by Robert

sample Skitch Studio negative – click to see positive

Toronto. As many of you may know, amongst other ideals, we are devoted to helping others with photographic history questions – especially Canadian. The other day we had a question from the curator of the Lennox-Addington Museum and Archives in Napanee, Ontario.

JoAnne writes, “I facebook messaged your group yesterday regarding some possible assistance in identifying the type of camera a studio photographer was using here in Napanee 1925-1950.

“Attached are couple of the digitized negatives [prints]. I have asked the archivist to take a photo of a negative which is attached and it measures – 16 x 11.5 cm. [about 4.5 x 6 inches]

“I am so appreciative of any help with this.”

Her Facebook chat is as follows: “Hi We have a large fonds of photograph negatives from Harry Skitch who had a studio here in Napanee from 1925-1950. He took mainly wedding portraits. I would like to include some of his wedding portraits in an upcoming exhibit.

“Would someone in your membership be able to help me determine the type of camera he may have used. I would like to display a camera as part of this show too, but want to be sure I am not displaying something incorrectly. We have his negatives, would looking at one help deduce the type of camera that would have been used? Any help or reference to help is greatly appreciated.”

We relied, “Thank you for reaching out. We can certainly try! The longer timeframe that his studio was open for may make things a bit difficult, but we may be able to narrow it down. If you have a few examples of the negatives that have been digitized, you can forward them to info@phsc.ca (I will let our webmaster know to expect a message or two!) along with any date and size details.”

Please click on the following two links to see the wedding prints – the Millses and the Moores. If you can help, send me a note at info@phsc.ca. If the site email server happens to be slow, please wait a while and try again. I am testing a backup program and the site seems to be affected during this program’s operation.

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