a great photo resource right here

Posted on November 14, 2018 by Robert

photo by Jamell Shabaz
speaker at Tanenbaum Lecture tonight at the RIC

Toronto. We are enjoying the expansion and flexing of our newest University – Ryerson. Over a half century ago the much smaller institute was called the Ryerson Institute of Technology. Today, it is a bustling rapidly growing university, ready to take on all contenders.

The Ryerson Image Centre (RIC) is a fabulous resource for budding and newly minted photographers, ready to tackle the digital world we now occupy. Just look here at their most recent newsletter – the current and planned activities covering their Gallery, Research, and Collections.

Thank you to editor (and Ryerson Grad) Bob Lansdale for sharing this news with me.

Posted in activities-other | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on a great photo resource right here

A great Kodak

Posted on November 13, 2018 by Robert

Kodak Signet 35 from the 1950s/60s

Toronto. The August 13, 1953 issue of LIFE magazine (page 87) touted this camera that chose to compete with the pricier Leicas and Zeiss cameras of the day. The Signet 35 has an f/3.5 lens – likely based on the famous Tessar design.

The camera has a coupled rangefinder and a leaf shutter with a top speed of 1/300th second. This model was the best of the series. It had a few adjustments. It competed more with fixed lens and auxiliary element lens cameras than with the high end German makes. Special models were made for the American military as well.

Thanks to George Dunbar for sourcing the LIFE ad for this Kodak model that tried to compete with fancier and more professional cameras of that era.

Posted in camera | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on A great Kodak

VM en couleur

Posted on November 12, 2018 by Robert

May 1958 photo by Vivian Maier

Toronto. I have written a few times on the posthumous B&W images of iconic Chicago nanny, Vivian Maier. On November 6, 2018, the Guardian newspaper in the UK published a photo essay on her colour photographs.

The colour renditions will form an exhibition at the Howard Greenberg Gallery in the Big Apple. The exhibition runs from November 14th to January 5th of next year. coinciding with the new HarperCollins book on her colour photos, published on Nov 6th of this year.

A big THANKS to my friend and fellow PHSC member George Dunbar for taking the time to email me on the Guardian article!

Posted in photos | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on VM en couleur

lest we forget …

Posted on November 11, 2018 by Robert

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Toronto. The first world war – the war to end all wars –  ended one hundred years ago today. Armistice was November 11 at 11 am. For many years we have celebrated Remembrance Day. Like most families, I have ancestors who fought in the Canadian (uncles and grandfathers) and American (uncle) armies of the day. Growing up, each November 11th we had a minute of silence at 11 am to honour and respect the fallen.

My high school had a model of the monument at Vimy Ridge which was given a place of honour in the front hall for a few days around November 11th. I saw the name Ypres but could not say it. I learned the wonderful and sad poem, In Flanders Fields, written by Dr John McCrea just days before he too died in the war.

The Globe doesn’t publish Sundays, so yesterday it celebrated the fallen with many aricles including  this one “Portraits of sacrifice:” Records of enrolment in the Canadian Expeditionary Force (C.E.F.) are readily available either on line or via the Ancestry.ca indexes.

Posted in events | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on lest we forget …

Image Arts Alumni

Posted on November 10, 2018 by Robert

Ryerson’s Wall of Fame

Toronto. The PHSC has many links to Ryerson. We have an annual thesis award for the best student thesis in their Masters program in photography preservation. Some members are graduates of the school including our journal editor Bob Lansdale. Many of our speakers are or have been staff at the school. We have attended a number of meeting evenings on Ryerson premises including the DMZ, RIC, and Archives.

We were delighted to see recognition for the cream of the Image Arts students on the Image Arts Wall of Fame. Two of the first five names to be added are PHSC member and Toronto  gallery owner, Stephen Bulger and the well known, world renown photographer Edward Burtynsky featured in recent documentaries and whose large scale photographs are owned by art galleries and museum like the AGO.

My thanks to our Bob Lansdale (editor of Photographic Canadiana, official PHSC photographer) for bringing this remarkable Wall of Fame to my attention.

Posted in people | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Image Arts Alumni

Camerama Show this Sunday Nov 11th

Posted on November 9, 2018 by Robert

Camerama Show this Sunday Nov 11th

Toronto. Is there a Rollei you lust after for your collection or use?

You may find one Sunday November 11th at PHSC member Gary Perry’s latest Camerama show in our fair city.

Its a small intimate and cozy show. Easy to fine, Free Parking, and lots of bargains just waiting for you!

Never been? Pity. Just click here for your poster complete with all the necessary details!

Posted in camera, fair, lens, photos | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Camerama Show this Sunday Nov 11th

high five

Posted on November 9, 2018 by Robert

Ernemann Werke, Dresden c1925

Toronto. Before the fall of Germany at the end of WW2, Dresden was a major camera manufacturing centre. Ernemann built its famous Pentacon tower building and upon the founding of Zeiss-Ikon, it became the central manufacturing works of Zeiss-Ikon.  Sadly, Dresden became part of the Soviet Union when post-war Germany was divided up by the major Allies (Britain, USA, Russia). The picture at left is from p. 161 of Larry Gubas’s fabulous book Zeiss and Photography (the definitive book on the subject). The picture was originally in the Ernemann catalogue of 1925. The tower remains to this day.

My good friend, journal editor, and long time PHSC member, Bob Lansdale, noted that the  Western Canada Photographic Historical Association’s (WCPHA’s) most recent email includes a copyrighted article by Tom Parkinson on The Ernemann Tower. Those who are members also saw articles on their next meeting, The Leica CL, the discontinuation of Camera Shopper next month, fraudulent signatures and labels on some Daguerreotypes (frauds are a sure sign of the increased value of such items), and a new digital RF Leica.

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on high five

Antique Radio and Camera Show/Sale Saturday

Posted on November 8, 2018 by Robert

Radio and Camera Show and Sale

Toronto. The Thornhill Heritage Foundation and the Ontario Vintage Radio Association are hosting a show and sale of vintage radios and over 100 cameras this coming Saturday, November 10th in Thornhill.

It will be held at 7780 Yonge Street in the historic Robert West House. If you like old cameras or vintage radios, make time to drop in this Saturday. You may even find a bargain to add to your collection of rare cameras!

My thanks to PHSC past president Mark Singer for passing along this email he received from Roger Jones.

Roger writes, “The Robert West Heritage House will host an Open House featuring an Antique Radio and Camera Exhibit and Sale…
Date: November 10, 2018
Time: 1:00 pm to  4:00 pm
Place: The Robert West Heritage House,
7780 Yonge Street, Thornhill
(north west corner of Yonge and Centre streets, next to the Thornhill pub.)
It is owned and operated by the Thornhill Heritage Foundation.

“The camera exhibit is quite extensive… well over a hundred cameras of many types and all ages.  The radio exhibit is more modest… mostly my collection, radios dating from 1927 to 1950’s. You are cordially invited… admission is free. There will be a voluntary donation for those wishing to support the charitable foundation (THF) that runs the House.

“Hope to see you there!”

Posted in activities-other | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Antique Radio and Camera Show/Sale Saturday

new B&W Berlin 400 film!

Posted on November 8, 2018 by Robert

36 exp ISO 400 B&W film

Toronto. Our friends at Lomography  have sourced a supply of German 35mm film and repackaged it in traditional 35mm rolls for classic film cameras. Current plans are to have it available for delivery next month.

You can visit this Google drive site to see examples of photos taken with this film. All details and more information is shown here in their PR pdf document.

If you love taking and processing the old film this information is very important to you!

Posted in film | Tagged , , | Comments Off on new B&W Berlin 400 film!

who did JR shoot?

Posted on November 7, 2018 by Robert

TIME magazine cover by JR
for special guns article

Toronto. One of the remaining magazines is TIME. My subscription lapsed over 60 years ago. They recently published a special issue on gun control, a sore topic south of the border. Those of us old enough to remember television in 1980, may recall the show Dallas and its punch line at the end of one particular season, “who shot J.R.?”. Artnet News featured a story on this TIME article.

PHSC member and speaker Jeff Ward of Halifax writes, “I wonder if the readers of your blog would be interested in knowing about an interesting magazine cover that came out this week. It has been a while since I stood in front of a magazine rack but today I did, and I was struck by the TIME magazine cover.

“The cover features a photomontage of 245 Americans on either side of the gun debate, and the range of those in between the extremes. It was commissioned from a French photographer known only as JR. He photographed people from all over the US over 5 months and arranged them same way as the Notman studios would have more than a hundred years ago (except that he had digital technology to make it a little more seamless). A remarkable image in any century, nevertheless.

“I was also impressed by the attention that was given to photography throughout the rest of the issue. It is wonderful to see that print journalism still giving its all, even as the medium seems to be dying. I am seriously thinking about renewing a very moribund  subscription!”

Posted in magazine | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on who did JR shoot?