a tailor shop in 1888 NYC using sweat-labour – photo by Jacob Riis
Toronto. From my first working days, I bought all available photo magazines to learn more about the art. The articles basically taught the ‘how’ of shooting and processing, with various camera reviews tossed in from time to time.
My introduction to photographic history was in 1971. I had read a review of the Gernsheims update in 1969 to their 1955 opus on “The History of Photography”. The photo at left ( by Riis) is just one of the many plates in the massive book.
Beyond history of the art, books seemed rather sparse. Stores at the time wanted to sell you the “latest and greatest” in the photo world which back then was usually colour darkroom gear like photo paper, drums, motor bases, home developer kits, ‘coffee cup’ heating elements for the solutions, colour filters, etc.
In mid 1972, I bought my first Leica and began a search for accessories, lenses, and some history of the industry. During a trip to Toronto three years later, I saw a small ad in the Toronto Star about a new society dedicated to photo history and collecting. I joined the group in the fall of 1975, just missing the first year “charter member” tag (although my membership number indeed fitted in that time span by accident).
This was the beginning era of camera societies, books on cameras, catalogue reprints, fairs, speakers and a wealth of sources available to all who persevered. A few decades later, film and its various cameras and products faded into history as the digital era unfolded.
Sensors replaced film and there was the usual hectic pace of increased resolution, and sensitivity, and decreased noise. But as the sensor was integral to the camera, new models were required – over and over again.
One ray of sunshine was the birth and growth of the internet. All of a sudden manual reprints were offered (free or for a modest sum), collectors posted information on their collections, manufactures climbed on board posting notes about their current products and over all history.
The internet caught on and every one could have an ’email’ address and even small groups could post a web site. While some organizations began to ‘monetize’ their web sites, many others offered information for free or for a small donation. The downside of digital technology was the rapid decline of print materials – newspapers, magazines, books, etc. But time moves on and once solid sources fade into history The wide resources of the internet are “just another source, that’s all”!
NB. The title is a riff on “Another Brick in the Wall“. a song from the Pink Floyd rock opus, “The Wall“. I have the dual CD and the LP. One of my favourite groups.
