Yashica 44LM in LIFE

Posted on March 19, 2020 by Robert

YASHICA 44LM from LIFE ad

Toronto. Yashica were very busy mid last century. One series of Yashica cameras took on the mighty Rollei TLRs. The Yashica versions came in the identical 120 roll film size and in the smaller size using 127 roll film.

I bought my sister the 44LM in a grey finish. The little beauty used 127 film, gave oversize 2×2 inch slides, and had a built-in light meter making day-time photos “a snap”. She took many photos with the Yashica until it met an untimely death. Always kept on a shelf in her bedroom, one day it was accidentally pulled down and crashed to the hardwood floor, never to focus again.

The quarter page ad is from page 72 of the March 9th, 1962 issue of LIFE magazine. A tip of the hat to my friend George Dunbar for suggesting this ad  and bringing back memories of my sister’s enthusiastic use of her Yashica camera.

 

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bean bag boogie

Posted on March 18, 2020 by Robert

Bean Bag Photography for wildlife

Toronto. With the proliferation of fast cameras and films, photographers began to search for a simple support to rest the camera or long lens on. More flexible than a tripod; steadier than hand held, especially when depth of field was narrow.

Impromptu supports could be made from clothing sitting between the gear and the ground on a car hood, door window opening, rock etc.

A bag began to be offered without stuffing, The buyer could use what ever media he desired. As one wag (Lester Lefkowitz) put it, “… if you get lost in the woods, you can eat the beans.”. And, even today you can  find these bags at various price points.

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getting a leg up

Posted on March 17, 2020 by Robert

Schiansky tripod with Leitz head 14100

Toronto.  Over the years there were many kinds of camera supports. The early studio supports were massive wooden boxes, usually with four legs. When cameras were used outdoors we soon saw the traditional three legs – tripods – first of wood and later of metal. Various heads, columns, camera mounts, etc. were offered. In the latter half of the last century monopods were available.

Table top tripods with different heads became common and remain so today, but with flexible legs to wrap around a support. When media and cameras were very slow, a support like a tripod was essential. From the very beginning of photography to well into the last century tripods were critical accessories for work in poor light.  Fast lenses, fast media, and flash  made hand held photographs in good light practical. Optical stabilization augmented other improvements to permit hand held photographs even in poor light.

Today’s  digital cameras and smartphones have sensor ratings far exceeding film ratings and coupled with optical stabilization have all but eliminated any need for tripods during casual day to day snapshots.

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more cancellations from COVID-19 cautions.

Posted on March 16, 2020 by Robert

Thanks to Kissclipart for this image

Toronto. Steven Evans writes, ” I am very disappointed to tell you that in light of the on-going COVID-19 crisis, the opening reception and open house for my exhibition  — de Pedra — scheduled for March 19th, 21st and 22nd are cancelled. Furthermore, the exhibition is now postponed until such time that life for all of us returns to normal. Like you, I am looking forward to better days ahead, a times when we will have cause and confidence to celebrate and relaunch the show.

“In the meantime, please know that my thoughts are with you, your families and colleagues. Stay strong, stay healthy and stay optimistic.”

And Sol Hadef in Montreal writes, “In trying to conform with public safety measures to contain the spread of Covid-19, Le Camera Show [April 5, 2020] will be postponed to a date to be determined. The Rangefinder remains open for business and is always buying ,selling and trading quality  cameras and lenses.  Thank you all for understanding.”

Finally, our friends in New England (PHSNE) have also postponed their  April 19,2020 show and auction over in Newton Massachusetts.

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photo booths – nostalgia writ large

Posted on March 16, 2020 by Robert

Montreal prints in colour

Toronto. Are you into photo booths? Can you remember when the nerds had cameras but everyone else crowded into a photo booth for a memorable photo of a day at the fair, seaside, etc.? That was before everyone had a smartphone…

How about a photo booth  web site? a blog? or even a CONVENTION on nostalgia (a.k.a. photo booths …)?? Those were the days indeed.

In my youth, the photo booth prints were strictly black and white in a strip. We could crowd three people in a shot (at best). The web site/blog link above includes a CBC article on the last photo booths in Quebec.

My thanks to George Dunbar for suggesting this topic and blog. Have a look at how we once captured outings!

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out of the blue

Posted on March 15, 2020 by Robert

an old Yellow 2 Filter

Toronto, In the days when orthochromatic black and white films were popular, filters were used to darken blue skies so clouds could be better seen in the negative and printed. Leitz had a wide range of yellow and green filters to fit various lenses and darken the blues. Otho film was blind to reds, etc so the various yellow and green filters were common,

These colours disappeared when panchromatic films and later colour negative films became common. Polarizing filters eliminated distracting reflections but were expensive. Blue and amber filters allowed indoor colour film to be used outdoors and vice versa while deep red filters made use of infra-red illumination in B&W films.

With today’s smart phones and digital cameras we seldom see filters.

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PHSC News 19-09 for March 2020

Posted on March 14, 2020 by Robert

Blackmagic Production Camera 4K Video

Toronto. Our thought provoking editor Sonja Pushchak and team have whipped up another tasty dish of PHSC News in their latest iteration of our newsletter.

Page 1 offers “The Power of any Illusion”; page 2 covers the ever popular Lorne Shields and his coming talk at our Toronto meeting (NOW DEFERRED TO LATER); and in “What Becomes Visible” we are favoured with a brief bio of the tragic NYC photographer, Diane Arbus.

An auction poster (NOW DEFERRED TO LATER) covers page 4, while the Toronto file on page 5 talks of the risk of subway riding in the big smoke (who would think such excitement could be found for under $4). David Bridge talks zooms in his Equipment Review. This is followed by Photo Book 101 and its discussion of our Surveillance Culture. David pops in again helping partner Louise Freyburger with a trio of interesting web links. As a wrap, PHSC Events and the Classifieds are book ends for “Vi and Dot” who address models rather than their artists and photographers.

Click here for the current issue or check out this and past issues under NEWSLETTER on the menu bar.

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gotta Can(n)on?

Posted on March 13, 2020 by Robert

Thanks to Kissclipart for this image

Toronto. At the rate of closures, we should be able to shoot a cannon down the streets without harm to life or limb…

Both our auction and our March Toronto meeting have fallen victim to COVID-19. Stay posted for any further notifications  of COVID-19 (or Union) actions affecting the PHSC activities.

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Dr Mike goes to Washington

Posted on March 13, 2020 by Robert

Dr Robinson at the Smithsonian

Toronto. My friend George Dunbar sent me a note the other day saying one of our past presidents, Dr Mike Robinson, was visiting the Smithsonian to demonstrate modern day daguerreotype portraits. Mike makes such collectible images here in his Century Darkroom in the east end of the city.

George writes, “Here’s a video of PHSC member, Mike Robinson, demonstrating the making of a Daguerreotype (in the video at the 4.25 minute mark)”.

The Smithsonian is shown up here on cable/fibe TV. This particular link to the Smithsonian Learning Lab discusses the early days of photography (Inventing Early Photography). If you would prefer to see the video without the Smithsonian’s suggestions to join/tour the Learning Lab, use this YouTube link.

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March CAMERAMA Cancelled

Posted on March 12, 2020 by Robert

March CAMERAMA Cancelled

Toronto.  Back on  this past Monday, March 9th, I announced Gary’s latest CAMERAMA show. Sadly Gary was forced to cancel the show today when his venue, the Edward Hotel decided to go proactive and cancel all events for now.

Gary writes, “I have had to cancel my upcoming Camerama Show. The hotel called today to say they have cancelled all events. I don’t have time to find another location. Also, with all the virus concerns its just as well to wait it out for a few months”.

We wish Gary the best. At the moment both our auction and Toronto meeting for March are going ahead. I will advise if there is a change.

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