shooting stars – Rock On

Posted on September 19, 2018 by Robert

Rock On exhibition at Brigitta’s in the Beach

Toronto. Long time PHSC member and professional photographer Harold Staats dropped me an email on Monday to say his photographs of well known Rock Stars will be on exhibition at Brigitta’s in Toronto  at 1899 Queen St. East, M4L 1H3 (in the Beach) from September 27th through October 30th, 2018

The opening reception will be held Thursday, September 27th from 7 to 10 pm.

For his biography, Harold wrote, “I first got interested in photographing musicians from a Czechoslovakian friend, Henry, that I used to work with, who was a very talented jazz photographer. I helped him out occasionally with setting up his equipment. I went to his home once and he showed me his hallway filled with beautiful black and white photographs that he had taken of famous jazz performers, Louis Armstong and Ella Fitzgerald among others. Although I’ve been interested in photography and taking photographs from a young age his work inspired me. So for more than 40 years I’ve been photographing rock, blues and jazz musicians.  Continue reading →

Posted in events | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on shooting stars – Rock On

unintended consequences

Posted on September 18, 2018 by Robert

de Silva boy c1961 by Gordon Parks

Toronto. Last week’s Globe and Mail carried a column by Rachel Wine on the exhibition at the Ryerson Image Centre (RIC). The exhibition is the photo essay Gordon Parks did in 1961 for LIFE magazine called The Flávio Story. It tells of the de Silva family in a hillside favela (slum) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

For 20 cents US, you could buy a copy of the June 16, 1961 issue of LIFE magazine about 57 years ago and read the story. The RIC exhibition runs from September 12th through to December 9th of this year. The RIC is downtown at 33 Gould St. Take a look.

.

Posted in activities-other | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on unintended consequences

all a-twitter

Posted on September 17, 2018 by Robert

our first twitter posting

Toronto. I had an email Sunday from Sonja and John, our PHSC graphics duo. John writes, “The THA (Toronto Historical Association), of which we happen to have bought a membership, has a Twitter account. They offered to post our tweets. To that end I have made up a graphic that is common to the layouts for Twitter. It’s been forwarded to them.

“The graphic is attached. The website and Facebook can also use the image if they wish.

In the middle of summer, Clint brought in a communications consultant who explained that we must expand beyond our website, emails, and Facebook to attract younger people interested in photography and its history so I was delighted to see us take advantage of twitter in this fashion. See you Wednesday!

Posted in program | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on all a-twitter

computational photography

Posted on September 16, 2018 by Robert

Latest Apple iPhone can adjust depth of field look – Phil Schiller.

Toronto. When photographic processes were announced in January, 1839, they were slow, monochromatic, and demanding of both the photographer and the equipment. Over the years we saw the processes “simplified” and incorporated (or as Kodak famously said, “you press the button, we do the rest”), sped up, changed to full colour, and become ubiquitous. In the first half of the last century, the amateur fraternity expanded as cameras, films, and processing became off the shelf items.  Professionals focussed on industrial, portrait, news, and marketing disciplines where proper lighting and/or immediacy demands had to be met.

When digital arrived, it was either expensive and crude high end technology for the news photographers fighting tight deadlines with little need for high quality or resolution, or cheaper technology and speed for the well-heeled amateur. By this century the prices had fallen and the quality risen to the point where a thousand dollars or less would buy anyone decent resolution and speed compared to film. Continue reading →

Posted in camera | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on computational photography

PHSC News 18-03 for September, 2018

Posted on September 15, 2018 by Robert

Vivex Tri-Plate colour camera c1936

Toronto. Another nifty page turner produced by our Sonja Pushchak. This delightful issue weighs in at 11 pages. The lead article on Cruise Queen ties in an early use of colour photos in commercial advertising with the illustration of a Vivex 3 plate colour camera.

Sonja’s  husband, John Morden,relates that, “The Vivex Tri-Colour camera held 3 glass plates behind filters of green, red and blue mounted on the two sides and top of the camera. This allowed the three negatives to be exposed simultaneously. Exposure required 50 seconds in full sunlight. A unit weighing six kilos, the Vivex was made from 1931 to 1939, after which the company closed due to war labour shortages.”

In the pre-Kodachome days, the tri-plate camera was the only way to get reasonably accurate colours and decent resolution for publication. Page 2 announces our speaker for this month. Following that are many gorgeous articles including David Bridge’s Equipment Review. I too once used Paterson tanks and the back-and-forth movement to wind the unprocessed negative strip into the reel. An earlier use of the FR tank used a outside-in loading of the reel and the cupped (crimped) ordeal to load 120 film strips and some times 35mm from the centre out causing some strip touching and developing issues.

We are introduced to a new team of flappers in “Ask Vi & Dot” who take over answering the mythical (and informative) questions. All the usual columns are included too. Just click the icon above or here for this issue

 

Posted in newsletter | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on PHSC News 18-03 for September, 2018

are you going to Scarborough fair?

Posted on September 14, 2018 by Robert

Vancouver Camera Swap Meet

Toronto. Simon and Garfunkel had an LP with this song on it. I used to listen to the LP in the mid 1960s when I was in the Western Area Engineering department. The LP became a large part of the sound track for a movie called The Graduate.

Tonchi Martinic in Vancouver emailed our editor that the BC camera club plans to hold its next fair September 30th this year. Just click on the poster at left to see a larger rendering with times and location shown.

If you plan to be out west at month end, drop in and say “hello”. You just might find some bargains to add to you camera and image collections!

Posted in activities-other, fair | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on are you going to Scarborough fair?

sayonara dslr?

Posted on September 13, 2018 by Robert

NIkon Mirrorless cameras

Toronto. Single lens reflex cameras were around for over a century. The smaller 35mm versions emerged in the 1930s offering larger, brighter views than the squinty viewfinders for box, folder, and rangefinder cameras.

When digital came along, the massive DSLR style camera became the darling of the professionals. When the full frame sensor was developed these brutes became the work horses of the profession. Pros touted Canons and Nikons and to a lesser extent Sony cameras. All others seemed to fade into niche markets.

The early mirrorless cameras were a huge innovation allowing most of one’s collection of older film camera lenses to be used once again via a simple conversion tube. The 4/3 sensor became popular. Late arrivals chose to go a different route, using the larger APS-C sensor. Recently some marques have offered full frame sensors for their amateur mirrorless cameras.

I see that Nikon is now touting a new series of what look to be professional mirrorless cameras. The models tout the ability to use the famous Nikon F lenses with a simple adaptor. Is this a precursor to the end of the line for professional DSLR designs?

Remember that the small amateur “point and shoot” digital cameras have all but disappeared, replaced by the cameras in the ubiquitous smartphones, cameras that are improving daily – prompting the old adage that the best camera for the shot is the one you have with you….

Posted in camera | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on sayonara dslr?

PHOTONews 27-3 is here

Posted on September 12, 2018 by Robert

PHOTONews 27-3

Toronto. Yesterday, as I opened my Globe and Mail newspaper at breakfast, out came a magazine insert. To my delight, it was another edition of PHOTONews! Norm Rosen’s delightful magazine extended my breakfast routine of reading the Globe.

This issue is full of inspiring articles and photographs but two were of particular interest to me. Daniel Dupont chose his topic to be “How to Understand and Analyze The Histogram“. I have had a histogram displayed on my camera for years now and often use it in the Lightroom and Affinity Photo software (it shows up with the curve tool). Dupont shows a photo and its histogram to allow the reader to better understand how the two correlate. Dupont explained how the light meter can be used with an 18% grey card or its equivalent and the relationship amongst the scene, meter reading, and histogram. His article continues next issue. Can’t wait.

The second article that I enjoyed was Will Prentice’s opus on Strobe Modifiers. There is a well presented explanation of each kind of modifier complete with diagrams and photos. Lots of other interesting articles and colour photos too. Well done.

Be sure to pick up a copy today. If you do not have a nearby newsstand, no worry, the magazine is widely distributed via newspaper subscription and is available a few weeks later online here. It is also offered as a free subscription.

 

Posted in magazine | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on PHOTONews 27-3 is here

Daguerreian Society Seminar Tours in NYC start Sep 13th

Posted on September 11, 2018 by Robert

demo of Dagueereotype by Jerry Spagnoli at the 39th amnnusal Dag Society Seminar  in NYC this weekend

Toronto.  The Daguerreian Society is excited to share information about the tours that have been arranged for their 30th Symposium in New York City. Please note that tours are booked on a first-come basis.

Given limited availability, each individual is initially limited to a single tour reservation for the New York Public Library on Thursday, September 13th, or Janet Lehr’s collection on Thursday, the 13th or Sunday, the 16th. Jerry Spagnoli’s fundraising studio visit (photo at left) and a drawing for a daguerreian portrait Thursday is open until filled. (NOTE: The formal notice said 12th meaning 13th.)

If tours are not fully booked,  they will accept requests for a second reservation as openings are available. The Daguerreian Society will maintain a wait list and notify people on the list to confirm as the tours are filled. To reserve and schedule your tour, please contact Cindy Motzenbecker at motz48073@yahoo.com.

Jerry Spagnoli will host a special studio fundraising tour and demonstration on the afternoon of September 13 (not 12th). The event will be limited to 8 at $100 per person as a donation to the Society. A name will be drawn from a hat to choose the lucky individual who will have their daguerreian portrait made by Jerry. Attendees will be able to watch Jerry make the portrait of the lucky winner. Jerry is generously donating his time and all of the proceeds to The Daguerreian Society.

Posted in activities-other | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Daguerreian Society Seminar Tours in NYC start Sep 13th

PhotoEd Fall 2018 published

Posted on September 10, 2018 by Robert

PhotoEd Fall 2018

Toronto. Editor/Publisher Rita Godlevskis has published another stunning edition of PhotoEd magazine. This issue is themed Canadians Abroad: International Adventures in Photography. Included is an article on Meaghan Ogilvie’s Underwater Worlds. Meaghan, as you may already know, spoke to us back in April of this year on her underwater experiences. Her charm and enthusiasm was infectious!

Like the other photographers in this issue, the article was written after an interview and features selected photographs taken by her. This and the other articles are both thought provoking and entertaining – especially to the young at heart!

Drop by your favourite newsstand and pick up a copy, or visit the PhotoEd web site and buy a subscription.

And yes, we do advertise in this gorgeous magazine. Continue reading →

Posted in magazine | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on PhotoEd Fall 2018 published