Toronto Observed Through Three Generations

Posted on February 10, 2015 by Robert

Toronto-Observed-smNEXT TORONTO MEETING: Wed, Feb 18, 2015.

**NEW TIME & VENUE FOR THIS MEETING **
The  Market Gallery at South St Lawrence Market
95 Front Street East, Toronto M5E 1C2
from 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm
Take elevator to 2nd floor

Toronto Observed features B&W photographs by three generations of photographers: Harry Joy, Doug Hemmy, and Andy Brooks. The oldest, 97 year old Harry Joy, is a member of the PHSC. Click here for the larger pdf version the poster.

Our meeting will begin with a brief presentation in the 2nd floor conference room about the photographers. This talk will be followed by a leisurely tour of the exhibit.

The public is welcome.

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Photographic Canadiana 40-4

Posted on February 10, 2015 by Robert

Norka-Multi-Shot-40-4-smToronto. This is the final issue of our 40th year. We begin our 41st year with issue 41-1 this  coming May. For this issue, which hit the post office yesterday afternoon, there are a number of interesting items researched by our members. Editor Bob Lansdale has once again produced a masterpiece with articles of interest to all collectors.

We begin with reports on the November and December meetings. In November, past president Mike Robinson took a break from his pursuit of a doctorate to offer up his views on the daguerreotype and what makes each one unique. Fascinating and enlightening. For our annual Show and Tell in December, there is a brief note and a photo essay by editor Lansdale.

Continue reading →

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PHSC Auction is March 15, 2015!

Posted on February 5, 2015 by Robert

20150205-142844-image-smToronto. The PHSC is holding its annual auction on March 15, 2015 this year at the usual location in Toronto (Long Branch) at the Royal Legion Hall on Lakeshore just west of Brown’s Line. We are beginning to receive photographs of items that will be offered at this year’s auction. Below are some of the early items. Pictures of items will be posted when received.

Our auctioneer will be past president Clint while the vetting at the door will be headed by John Kantymir. Both Clint and John have a wealth of background and knowledge of camera collecting. Bring those items you no longer need and buy some special goodies for your collection. Lots of free parking and easy access by TTC or car.

Click on “Continue reading” to see just a few of the items committed so far (even more just uploaded!) When I  have enough, I will do a slide show of items to be auctioned:

Continue reading →

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AGO mounts an exhibit of 1940/1 photos of a Jewish Ghetto

Posted on February 4, 2015 by Robert

Henryk RossToronto. PHSC member and speaker Maia Sutnik narrates this brief video of an AGO exhibit of Polish life recorded quietly in the Jewish Ghetto at Lodz in Poland in 1940 and 1941 by photographer Henryk Ross. Ross was forced by the Nazi regime to record life in the Ghetto in those dark days of the second World War. At left are the papers of Henryk Ross.

Maia is the Curator of Photography at the AGO. She has a fine eye for many interesting photographs and related memorabilia. This brief video appeared on the web site of the Globe and Mail and is well worth watching (before you head for the AGO, of course).

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The Camera that captured readers’ lives

Posted on January 26, 2015 by Robert

merrylseetaisteps624BrownieBBCToronto. A few weeks back on January 7, 2015 I posted a link to the BBC celebrating Kodak’s clever little Brownie camera. Today member, Ross Forfar, who owns Kominek’s camera repair sent me this link  to a series of annotated photographs in the BBC News Magazine  celebrating the variety of ways the little Brownies were used over the years to capture history – family and world.

Use the link like I did and enjoy this article and its steps back through time…

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Toronto Observed Through Three Generations

Posted on January 26, 2015 by Robert
HarryJoy and Tom Bochsler at the Market Gallery. Photo courtesy of George Dunbar

Harry Joy and Tom Bochsler at the Market Gallery. Photo courtesy of George Dunbar

Toronto. This show by a trio of photographers: Harry Joy, Doug Hemmy, and Andy Brooks opened at the Market Gallery last Saturday. Thanks to member George Dunbar for this photo of Harry Joy and Tom Bochsler at the event. You can see a poster here that gives the show dates and address.

Harry is about our oldest member  at 97. His son-in-law Wayne Gilbert is also a photographer and our membership secretary. Tom has done a couple of presentation at our monthly meetings over the years.

Be sure to visit the Market Gallery over the next few weeks and see the Toronto of years gone by.

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Newsletter 14-8

Posted on January 18, 2015 by Robert

14-8-Harry-JoyToronto. Just when I think the newsletter can’t get any better, Editor David Bridge delivers another super issue. First off he notes that our speaker this month is a young lady by the name of Summer Leigh. Summer shows unique “then and now” photographs using two centuries-old paintings by the wife of John Graves Simcoe, the first Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada (modern day Ontario). This is  followed by a report on our December show and tell by your webmaster. We mention member Harry Joy’s coming exhibition at the Marker Gallery, notice of many PHSC events and a new Letters to the Editor column. Louise Freyburger has her New Photo Links column followed by the usual Current Events and Want Ads columns. Click here to read or print this edition.

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The Past is Never Far – Summer Leigh

Posted on January 7, 2015 by Robert

AllanGardens_watermark-smNEXT TORONTO MEETING: Wed, Jan 21st, 2015
Summer Leigh is the artist behind The Past is Never Far, a photographic series that explores the extraordinary changes Toronto has experienced since its founding in the 18th century. Ms Leigh held her first camera at the age of 4 and has been an avid photographer ever since. She graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Ryerson University in Toronto, where she currently lives.

The inspiration for this series came from Elizabeth Simcoe’s paintings. In experiencing Toronto’s wildness through Simcoe’s work, Ms Leigh sought out the Simcoe locations and re-documented them 220 years later. Revisiting the sites, she noticed little nuances of the past which caused a deeper appreciation for the spaces we occupy today. Those little hints of the past, like the muddiness still at Fort York, helped Summer realize the past is never far.

The public is welcome.  Go to our Programs page for times and directions.

Continue reading →

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Library of Birmingham Photography Collections at Risk

Posted on January 7, 2015 by Robert
The Sphinx and Great Pyramid by Francis Bedford

The Sphinx and Great Pyramid by Francis Bedford

Bath, UK. On the letterhead of the RPS,  Professor Elizabeth Edwards, Photographic History Research Centre, De Montfort University and Dr Michael Pritchard, The Royal Photographic Society send an urgent message regarding the imminent demise of the famous Library of Birmingham Photography Collections.

The two well known figures in historical photography urge the Birmingham City Council to reconsider their decision to abandon this important collection through draconian funding cuts. It should be noted that Michael Pritchard has spoken at the PHSC as have at least two students from De Montfort University.

My thanks to Bob Lansdale, Steven Evens and Maia Sutnik for their part in bringing this important letter to our notice. Please see the attached letter Professor Edwards and Dr Pritchard co-signed on January 5th of this year for more information. Let us hope decisions are made by knowledgeable people and these valuable collections of British photographic history will not be abandoned.

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The most important cardboard box ever?

Posted on January 7, 2015 by Robert

brownie_no_0_alamy-smLondon England. Member Russ Forfar sent me a note on Monday asking if the attached link was “another article?”. And indeed it is. BBC, London in its NEWS Magazine posted an interesting history and discussion about the Kodak Brownie camera dated January 4, 2015.

The article includes a few Brownie photographs. It is a thoughtful piece on what is a very basic beginner’s camera intended to attract new and young amateurs to the art of photography.

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