a Canadian icon dies at 90

Posted on May 2, 2020 by Robert

Ted Grant (from book by Margaret Lansdale)

Toronto. I received an email Friday from George Dunbar. He happened to browse a copy of the Globe on Thursday. George writes in part, “Did you see the huge (two-page) obit for photographer Ted Grant in Thursday’s Globe & Mail?

“I was at a drug store yesterday and decided to buy a newspaper……the first time I held a newspaper in 30 days. Before the lock-down, I often went to a library and read three Toronto papers. I miss that experience.”

A few hours later, Bob Lansdale also sent me an email. Bob writes, “First story on Ted Grant who I knew back in my press days…..  We tried to get him as a speaker but the timing would not work.”

Bob included this article from the LHSA by Helen Todd. Ted was well known as a Leica user and while he never spoke to us in person, we did see his DVD at our March 19, 2014  meeting in Toronto, courtesy of Bob Lansdale’s efforts.

Ted was within a few weeks of turning 91 when he died in Victoria, BC. The CBC posted this article 4 or 5 years ago. A more recent CBC article here mentions Ted’s death on April 19th, 2020. Ted was hospitalized after falling and breaking his hip this past February. He never fully recovered from the surgery according to his son (and photographer), Scott Grant.

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bakelite beauties

Posted on May 1, 2020 by Robert

Leitz Bakelite products

Toronto. Leo Baekeland was born in 1863 in the Belgian city of Ghent. As a professor of physics and chemistry, he and his wife visited American universities in 1889 and he joined the photographic firm of E and H T Anthony. Two years  later, he resigned and formed his own company. He invented a photographic enlarging paper named Velox which became immensely popular after its sale to Eastman-Kodak in 1889. In 1907 in NYC he invented bakelite, the first synthetic plastic. Bakelite has had a long history since it was first sold (the name bakelite comes from the name of its inventor, Leo Baekeland).

Bakelite is easily moulded, stable, heat resistant and does not conduct electricity. From its invention through most of the last century it proved popular for radio, automobile, electrical, telephone and commercial products. In the mid last century it was used by Leitz to make lens cases, film cases, etc. (the ones shown are mine, taken with an iPod Touch on my desk under an LED lamp). Mid last century it was often used to mould inexpensive camera bodies by Kodak and its competitors. If you touch a telephone, a radio, or a cheap camera from mid last century, chances are you touched bakelite!

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holy mouse-traps, Batman!

Posted on April 30, 2020 by Robert

Mouse-traps (cameras wth a thumb sized hole in front to check exposure status) c1838.

Toronto. Sitting comfortably on vacation on the shores of Lake Como, Henry painted the lush Italian landscape. 1834 was a wonderful year. As he idly dreamed, he thought about ways to capture the scene without recourse to his brushes.

Back home in England, William Henry Fox Talbot, to use his full name, began to experiment and came up with salted papers based on the earlier work of his fellow countryman, Wedgwood.  The paper was placed at one end in a small wooden box. A lens was attached to the other end and focussed to sharply record a black and white image. A hole and cork in the front of the box next to the lens let Talbot see when the salt-paper was sufficiently exposed.

He discovered a subsequent wash in a weak salt bath would removed the paper’s sensitivity to light. Only one problem remained – the image on the paper was reversed! In a stroke of genius, he placed the reversed image over another sensitized paper in bright sunlight and voilà! He made a positive image. Not only that, but he could replicate the positive image at any time and in any quantity.

A few other issues remained, and would do so for many years: The fibres in the paper reduced the image’s resolution; the process was lacking in contrast; and it was monochromatic in colour. But Talbot and his little mouse-trap cameras had created the negative-positive process which would become a world standard for over a century.

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have camera, will travel

Posted on April 29, 2020 by Robert

c1939 photograph of a baby on a pony.

Toronto. The dirty ’30s! What a terrible time. What a wonderful time. Itinerant photographers, known since the beginning of the art, roamed the streets searching for a buck. Many had just a camera plus a pony and assistant for a prop. The dog and pony show at left was taken by one such roving lensman around 1939. It was popular to use a pony for baby shots, after all what mom could resist a portrait of her baby riding a pony!

For the photographer, the pony became a prop and the sunny outdoors his studio. At night the orders of the day could be processed and printed, ready for delivery to the proud mother for just a few pennies. One such photographer came around when I was about two or younger, capturing me and our little terrier standing on the porch of our home.

That day was many decades ago and if I didn’t have the photograph, I would never have even known about the pony, dog, camera, or photographer. In fact, I was unaware of the location since my first memories are of a house some blocks away and a few years further on.  Less than a decade later, another itinerant photographer and pony came along and photographed me holding my baby sister at another house a few blocks away from the other ones.

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OCCS woes continue with pandemic

Posted on April 28, 2020 by Robert

Toronto. Our friends across the lake in Ohio have wisely decided to postpone ann events until this fall. They plan to stay in touch via their facebook page (linked here for your convenience).

OCCS announcement April 24th 2020.

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village people

Posted on April 27, 2020 by Robert

student Y.M.C.A. conference in June 1908 at Niagara-on-the-Lake

Toronto. Ever hear of the Chautauqua movement? I didn’t either! It was an American organization that expanded into Ontario at Niagara-on-the-Lake.

George Dunbar wrote, “A friend sent me this link to the history of Chautauqua, Niagara-on-the-Lake. Some interesting old photographs here.

To which journal editor Bob Lansdale replied, “Now THAT IS Canadian history I did not know.

“In the States, the Chautauqua movement was a big educational movement to train young uneducated people with knowledge so they could make something of themselves. It rose out of Evangelical meeting in tents with the training after sermons etc.

“One could carry on training by correspondence at home and then in the summer gather together for some proper school training (a summer vacation with a purpose). Of course that was all part of getting back to nature for a vacation. The need for housing and feeding created a problem and soon summer cottages, hotels etc where set up but tents continued.

“This is how Chautauqua was set up, grew and even became a singing sensation in the UNITED STATES…. I think south of the Buffalo area. They had great ceremonies for graduation.  Find it on the internet.

“The Professional Photographers of America chose to hold their annual conventions at facilities of Chautauqua to carry on their educational theme. They did it for 5 years in a row being the most convenient for most members in American and Canada. It was always hard to convince photographers to close up shop and attend conventions…. this was a new approach.  Eventually other States complained of favouritism and they removed to a variety of city-locations throughout the US.

“But I was not aware that a counterpart was set up in Canada and worked on the same principal. The things you learn!”

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toys for little boys

Posted on April 26, 2020 by Robert

Tru-Vue toys for kids as seen in a late 1963 ad

Toronto. Sawyers of View-Master fame were justifiably proud of using Kodak products. This link is to a review of the talk we heard on September 20, 2006 by Mary Ann and Wolfgang Sell, members of the NSA and View-Master experts.

An advertisement on page 14 in LIFE magazine for November 15, 1963 touts both Sawyer Tru-Vue toys and Kodak Color film. While both Sawyer and Kodak are American as is LIFE magazine, all brands are well known and popular here.

Thanks again to George Dunbar for alerting me to this bit of history unearthed during his research.

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Where Angels Come to Earth

Posted on April 25, 2020 by Robert

Piazza Angels – cover of latest Pietropaolo book,

Toronto. Photographer and author Vincenzo Pietropaolo is no  stranger to the PHSC. Vince has spoken many times at our meetings and attended them as well. “When Angels Come to Earth” is his latest book. This book is in collaboration with Mark Frutkin.

The book is a glorious ” … Evocation of the Italian Piazza” as the book’s sub title suggests. The book was released last January, 2020 and presented at Ryerson.

Following is from that announcement, “Where Angels Come to Earth is an unprecedented visual and poetic journey, allowing readers to appreciate the Italian piazza like no other book in the English language. With a combination of artistic documentary photographs and lyrical texts, it reveals both the grit and beauty of daily life in Italian piazzas.

“The book combines the artistic visions of photographer Vincenzo Pietropaolo and writer Mark Frutkin, both recognized experts in their respective disciplines. Their creative voices present a poetic and thought-provoking look at Italian community life, as they focus  on many of Italy’s piazzas—both North and South—still used by local residents as community gathering places, revealing the humanistic way of life of Italian cities and towns.

“Foreword by renowned architect and urban designer Ken Greenberg.

“Sample of text by Mark Frutkin:

“Two girls walk arm in arm across the rain-soaked piazza.  ‘A photographer is like a fisherman,’ Giorgio, the stick-thin custodian, tells me as we stand on the steps in front of the church overlooking the square. I nod in agreement. The photographer must have the same patience as the fisherman, ever alert to the precise moment when the shutter must be pressed, the rod lifted, the line pulled tight.  The photographer must have perfect timing to catch a fish of light glistening in air.  For the moment passes in an instant, the scene has changed, the two girls walking arm in arm have crossed the piazza, turned a corner, disappeared into the rest of their lives.

“For further information about the book, please feel free to contact the authors directly:
Vincenzo Pietropaolo – vpietropaolo@gmail.com
Mark Frutkin – mfrutkin@rogers.com

“Published by Longbridge Books.

“To order the book on-line, please follow this link
https://accenti.ca/product/angels/
ISBN:  978-1-928065-15-9. Hardcover with dust jacket. 160 pages. 122 photos in colour and black & white. $59.95 (includes shipping).”

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add to your collection over in Maryland

Posted on April 24, 2020 by Robert

Occupational Tintype (lot 32) is just one of the items on auction (online) in Maryland this coming May

Toronto. I received an email Tuesday from an auction house in Maryland that features online bids.

On Thursday, May 7th, 2020 at 5pm Richard Opfer Auctioneering is hosting the “Jerome ‘Pepper’ Broad Photographica Auction“. You can view the lots here.

The tintype at left is typical of the offerings. There are both images and cameras being offered. Have a look and place a bid to augment your collection.

Enjoy!

 

 

 

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another high flyer

Posted on April 23, 2020 by Robert

Margaret Bourke-White high over NYC on a skyscraper c1931

Toronto. American photographer and LIFE photographer, Margaret Bourke-White was very popular mid last century. I wrote a post on her back in March 18, 2019 of last year.

This photo (at left) shows her high above NYC using a press camera (Graflex) Her history is covered beginning on page 85 of the June 28, 1963 issue of LIFE magazine,

Thanks to George Dunbar for sourcing this interesting story of an American icon in the photographic world.

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