Tag Archives: article

I, Robot

Posted on June 10, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. In a March, 1950 article in Popular Science magazine, a “Robot” was shown in a military darkroom. The gadget processed 8×10 colour negatives. A time was MANUALLY set for each bath, then the Robot took over, dunking the films … Continue reading →

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leaping’ lizards, Sandy!

Posted on June 9, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. … as Little Orphan Annie often said to her mutt … This article from the start of 1950 reports a colour projector for less than a sawbuck! While the inexpensive bakelite device projected Kodachrome slides, there was a small … Continue reading →

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computer to the rescue

Posted on May 31, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. In the early 1950s we were blessed with very costly and very crude computers (and little idea of how they could be used). A decade later, massive ‘mechanization’ projects were underway to use computers to do the work of … Continue reading →

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feeling blue

Posted on April 22, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. There are a number of 1800s photographic print processes. One is obvious even to the uninitiated. Cyanotypes can be recognized by their tell-tale blue shades. A more modern equivalent is last century’s ‘blue prints’ offering electrical, architectural, etc. data … Continue reading →

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dem plates, dem plates, dem dry plates

Posted on April 15, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. Member Jeff Ward from up Halifax way writes, “A correspondent informed me that the issue of Scientia Canadensis devoted to photography and science is now available online.” The issue was edited by guest editor Joan Schwartz and featured some … Continue reading →

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bowl on

Posted on December 11, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. Here’s one way to take a neat video of a bowling strike. The technique can be used in other sports too. George Dunbar, a retired cameraman for IBM here in the Big Smoke, used this technique (totally unrelated to … Continue reading →

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a poet, a photographer, an author, a teacher …

Posted on November 28, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. … and president of our Toronto branch 1985- 1987. Stan White at 93 has two more books to his name. Read more about Stan in this Hamilton Spectator/Toronto Star article by Jeff Mahoney. Stan was our resident Stereo expert … Continue reading →

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a bridge too far …

Posted on October 21, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. The other day, George Dunbar sent me an article on the Lethbridge, Alberta ‘High Level Bridge’ over the ‘Oldman River Valley’. The article is illustrated with a photo by the late Toronto photographer Jane Hinton (1936-2020). Some of Ms … Continue reading →

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anything you can do …

Posted on June 27, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. … I can do better! Shades of Annie Get Your Gun! In December of 1941 (by the time this issue hit the stands, Pearl Harbor ad been bombed and America was dragged into WW2 kicking and screaming). This issue … Continue reading →

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Canada, eh?

Posted on May 7, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. My good friend, George Dunbar, came across this captivating article by Martha Langford titled “A Short History of Photography, 1900–2000” at my old Alma Mater (well, I attended SGWU which combined a few years later with Loyola to create Concordia University). … Continue reading →

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