Tag Archives: American

was ist das?

Posted on August 5, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. Post WW2, umpteen American companies tried to hop on the American made camera bandwagon. One was the Vokar line made in Dexter, Michigan. The design was said to have originated pre war from the mind of Dick Bills. Mike … Continue reading →

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Leica in Peace and War

Posted on May 30, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. Before and for awhile after the second world war, the Leica was the most popular high-end 35mm camera sold. As many readers know, before WW2, the German camera industry was the undisputed world leader. During WW2, German technology was … Continue reading →

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illuminating and breathless

Posted on September 3, 2020 by Robert

Toronto. This is a photo of a cameraman slowly moving by a wheelie while the lighting and actors stay in place. The lady in the striped dress is none other than the tragic Jean Seberg with her French co-star Jean Paul … Continue reading →

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that’s life

Posted on August 17, 2020 by Robert

Toronto. Ol’ blue eyes sang “That’s Life” back in 1966. The magazine called LIFE is a fascinating history of the middle class American psyche. Thanks to Google Books, every page can now be read. The magazine’s advertisements are a fertile … Continue reading →

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… and the winner is …

Posted on October 27, 2019 by Robert

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 … Continue reading →

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pictures on the spot

Posted on April 27, 2019 by Robert

Toronto. In the last half of the last century, photography had a number of goals for improvement for amateurs. Three come to mind: Faster media, so pictures could be taken indoors or at night; colour at lower cost; and faster … Continue reading →

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when is a Bolsey not a Bolsey?

Posted on April 25, 2019 by Robert

Toronto. When it is an Alpa or Bolex, of course! Jaques Bogopolsky was the camera designer for Paillard, a Swiss company  after they bought out his company, BOL SA. Jaques was born in the Ukraine and went by various names … Continue reading →

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a head for news

Posted on April 24, 2019 by Robert

Toronto. In the 1950s TV was rapidly taking hold as a source for daily news (not the mess of so called “entertainment” we see today amongst the plethora of commercials). Newsreels of the day were shot on film in clips, … Continue reading →

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Another great photographer – Margaret Bourke-White

Posted on March 18, 2019 by Robert

Toronto. One of the attractions of the Chrysler skyscraper in the Big Apple was access to its gargoyles for a spectacular view of New York City. The Chrysler Building was for a brief 11 months the tallest building in the … Continue reading →

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George Tice Exhibition

Posted on March 15, 2019 by Robert

Toronto. “George TICE (1938-) is one of the most important photographer of his generation. He is world famous for his black and white photos representing the American culture, urban and rural landscapes. His work is shown in more than a hundred museums and institutions … Continue reading →

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