Cindy exhibits at the VAG

Posted on October 30, 2019 by Robert

Cindy Sherman – untitled #92 (at MOMA in NYC)

Toronto. last Saturday’s Mop and Pail (Globe and Mail) has a detailed article on the most recent exhibition of Cindy Sherman’s work at the Vancouver Art Gallery. The exhibition opened last Saturday (October 26th) and runs until next March.

Cindy is often connected with the origin of the selfie before smartphones since she takes portraits of herself in various costumes (she denies her work is selfies). I heard about the American photographer Cindy Sherman some years earlier perhaps at a PHSC speaker program. This was back when she created famous movie scenes with herself as the actor and photographed the scene,

At our January 2008 meeting we heard from Rafael Goldchain who at the time had shifted photographic education at Sheridan College into the digital era. He too took “selfies” while in costume.

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fold it up and tuck it in your pocket

Posted on October 29, 2019 by Robert

Zeiss Ikon Folder with fast Compur shutter and Tessar lens

Toronto. I often think “Kodak” when I see a folder (a pocket-sized camera that unfolds a bellows to keep film and lens separated the correct distance) since I was used to my Dad’s Kodak Brownie Six-20 folder which he used for decades.

At the coming estate auction on November 17th, one lot has a Zeiss-Ikon folder of a rather high end construction. The shutter is a Compur running from a second to a speedy 1/500th of a second plus a B (bulb) setting. The lens is a famous f/3.5 75mm Tessar design. This camera may use the still offered 120 roll film (suggested by the lens focal length).

Come on down on the 17th and add this piece of history to your collection!

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what a colourful fair

Posted on October 28, 2019 by Robert

TDPC exhibit at our fall fair. Click image to see the panorama taken by TDPC’s Bob Rutkay with his iPhone

Toronto. Yesterday we held our PHSC Fall Fair – The Big One – down at the Trident Hall. A special event was the print display of the Toronto Digital Photography Club. PHSC journal editor Bob Lansdale arrived early to help out with the assembly of the main panels,

In spite of the nasty overnight and early morning rain, the fair was well attended. When I dropped by, the parking lot was full and I parked on a nearby street. George Dunbar came by as well – his first visit to our Trident Hall location. When Bob Lansdale and I left just after 1 pm, the hall was still choc-a-block with visitors. Mark and Clint organized the table setup Saturday evening ready for the exhibitors to bring in their wares early Sunday.

Great show, great attendance. Up next is our fall estate auction at the legion hall in Long Branch (far southwest area of Toronto).

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… and the winner is …

Posted on October 27, 2019 by Robert

Sylvania and Ford Motor Company photo contest

Toronto. Those of you who have been following the posts on this site know that my friend George Dunbar has been busy researching photographic history through the ads in American magazines such as LIFE from the middle of the last century when magazines,  advertisements, and photography blossomed to dizzying heights post war.

The photographic take-a-way so far has been the push to amateur colour (transparencies and prints), indoor photography (faster films, and flash bulbs) and American cameras (plus other photographic items). In January 1959, Sylvania promoted its photographic products (flash bulbs and Argus cameras) by joining the Ford Motor Company and Tennessee Ernie Ford (first discovered on the “I Love Lucy” show) along with Walter Brennan (movie actor and another TV personality) in a special contest.

1959 was a memorable year in America. Two States were added that year.  Alaska (January 1959) and Hawaii (August 1959) both became States. This contest was only open to residents of the United States and Hawaii (possibly promoted as a State but still a territory that January) in spite of the magazine distribution for many magazines exceeding the boundaries of the USA.

 

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how to be a pro for under $100…

Posted on October 26, 2019 by Robert

A LIFE Polaroid ad in 1959

Toronto. In 1959, this ad in LIFE magazine suggested you too could take professional photos if you only doled out $72.75 in USD for a Polaroid camera! For example the ad shows a portrait study of two famous actors of the time, Jessica Tandy and husband Hume Cronyn. Tandy was born in London, UK and her husband in London, Ontario. They met in the states where they married and remained (Connecticut).

Conveniently overlooked was the art of finding such actors, choosing the correct lighting, clothing, framing, etc. – all the things that mark a professional. Polaroids could and did take remarkable photographs, but only if you were professionally trained with the knowledge and connections to create unique and exciting photographs…

With ads like this, it was no wonder aspiring amateurs shot a roll or two, then abandoned their Polaroid camera for a pricier 35mm camera with much less expensive materials (film, prints). The money saved on materials could go towards good photography books and classes to learn how to set up and take professional photographs! Remember, this was the era of fast growing interest in photography and the mushrooming of excellent books and post secondary school programs to teach the art to willing enthusiasts.

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view view master master ad ad

Posted on October 25, 2019 by Robert

A Vanguard special for View-Master in this January 26, 1959 LIFE ad.

Toronto. January 1959. The USA was digging into the space race and to capitalize on it, View-Master offered a special deal for a viewer and seven photos of a Vanguard Rocket being launched in Florida at Cape Canaveral plus three other reels to introduce your family to the marvels of 3D in general and View-Master in particular.

A big thanks to George Dunbar for telling me about this epic advertisement in the January 26, 1959 edition of the popular LIFE magazine. As you may recall, Russia caught the states with its proverbial pants down when the tiny payload of the Sputnik rocket took off and entered orbit this month in 1957 to be the first thing in space to orbit the earth. I can still remember that night, sitting in my ham radio shack listening to the tiny beeps from space.

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owner and what was snapped affects camera price

Posted on October 24, 2019 by Robert

Douglas Kirkland’s 500C Hasselblad at Christie’s

Toronto. On October 29th, 2019 Douglas Kirkland’s Hasselblad goes under the hammer at Christie’s (NYC) in their lot 1025. Not only did the Hassy belong to Kirkland, he used it to photograph Marilyn Monroe (and if your first thought is “WHO?”, then don’t bother getting excited about Christie’s Lot 1025!

The estimate value of the lot is about a quarter million dollars (US), including two archival photos of Marilyn. And if you offer to host the Kirklands to dinner, Douglas will even shoot your portrait with the Hasselblad that once snapped the famous pix of Ms Monroe.

Note: Kirkland was born in Fort Erie (or Toronto), Ontario but later moved to the States and now lives in California.

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I’ll drink to that!

Posted on October 23, 2019 by Robert

Lomography Sutton Lens kit with camera too.

Toronto. The folks at Lomography are at it again! They have introduced more photographic history in a hands-on DIY way. Their latest venture is a Sutton liquid lens kit. This lens was introduced in the Victorian era by Thomas Sutton. Lomography’s version is complete with a working cardboard camera in kit form.

If you are a fan of film in this era of digital – or of historic lenses and processes – have a gander at the press kit the folks released on October 21st.

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another point of view

Posted on October 22, 2019 by Robert

16 488 PAMOO 5x magnifier (90 degree)

Toronto.  The Reprovit IIa is a high end professional copy stand. The connector for the framing/focussing light can be exchanged for a visual right angle 5x magnifier for visual framing/focussing a 2D or 3D subject. This device is a PAMOO painted to match the Reprovit II a stand. Its replacement is coded as 16 488 by Leitz.

Any modern-day SLR has through the lens framing/focussing eliminating any need for the over engineered and incredibly well made 16 488 (PAMOO) and the associated focoslide and bellows.

If you want one for your collection, try our photographica-fair this month or  our estate auction next month!

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light in the box

Posted on October 21, 2019 by Robert

my light box – about a foot per side

Toronto. Continuing with the copy theme, one big challenge is lighting three dimensional objects so shadows are softened and the object is modelled by the lighting. One easy technique is to use a light box. This accessory has soft pure white translucent cloth sides, top, and bottom with an opening in front for a camera. Being cloth and springs, the boxes fold flat for storage.

Any light source – even sunlight – can illuminate an object placed inside the box. The exterior lights can be moved to best illuminate the subject item, or the box can be moved (necessary if you choose sunlight as a light source).

Coloured cloth inserts can add contrast to an object and the camera opening can be made small by another piece of translucent fabric so the taking camera is not obviously reflected on the surface of the subject item inside. Various size boxes are offered – mine is a cube roughly a foot long on each side. They are great for either film or digital taking cameras.

You can pick one up – complete with exterior lights on little tripods – at the PHSC fair this month (like I did some years ago) or see if one shows up in an auction lot next month.

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