Tag Archives: fair

ye gads, a tryclopes

Posted on April 27, 2025 by Robert

Toronto. Greek mythology had the Cyclopes – a gang of scary giants with one eye in the middle of the forehead! Issue 23-3 uses a photo of an unusual “three-eye” turret device mounted on a Leica camera as its cover … Continue reading →

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the accidental collector

Posted on April 24, 2025 by Robert

Toronto. I bought my first 35mm camera – a Minolta Super A around the late 1950s. I was amazed at the clarity of the f/2 Rokkor lens. About a year later I moved on to an SLR Exakta. It had … Continue reading →

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a slight touch-up is in order …

Posted on April 22, 2025 by Robert

Toronto. Early to mid last century professionals used larger glass plates or cut film to create photographs. Most prints were contact prints making ‘dodge’ and ‘burn’ to adjust exposure and contrast impractical. Instead, professionals would have staff use a retouching … Continue reading →

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t’row da book at him!

Posted on April 18, 2025 by Robert

Toronto. Our society was founded in 1974 during the rapid growth of Photographic Historical Societies –  essentially like-minded folk who collected cameras and possibly old  photographs. Over time ranks swelled as people interested in the history of photography joined, followed … Continue reading →

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steady there, lad

Posted on April 13, 2025 by Robert

Toronto. For a large part of photographic history, the media was so abysmally slow a tripod was necessary plus a means to steady subjects. To  this end, Charlie Kruger offered a light, handy support adjustable for a realistic pose. One … Continue reading →

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pressing out from the masses

Posted on April 10, 2025 by Robert

Toronto. Once studios took off, savvy owners tried ways to differentiate their services from the pack. One way to accomplish this was to use the “McKee’s Cameo, Embossing and Imprint Press” on photographic prints delivered to customers. Issue 23-1 of … Continue reading →

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watch da birdie!

Posted on March 29, 2025 by Robert

Toronto. In the days when emulsions were slow, decent photos needed a few seconds of absolute stillness by the subject. To help, studios added a mechanical ‘bird’ to their camera and for portraits (especially of children) the photographer would exclaim … Continue reading →

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mighty mouse in stereo

Posted on March 28, 2025 by Robert

Toronto. At our fall 1996 fair, the late Bob Lansdale took a number of interesting items back to his ‘mini studio’ and photographed them for issue 22-4 of the journal. In the case of the tiny viewer at left, Bob … Continue reading →

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from mother Russia (with love??)

Posted on March 5, 2025 by Robert

Toronto. Issue 22-1 features a selection of cameras from our 1996 spring fair as photographed by Bob Lansdale and assisted by Tiit Kodar. Among the offered goodies was this rare Russian camera, the USSR Sport from 1935. The photo for … Continue reading →

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a lighter shade of pale

Posted on February 24, 2025 by Robert

Toronto. In the days of film and plates, especially those of ultra slow media, photographers struggled to get correctly exposed and developed negatives and prints. Judicious use of  lighting helped with the slow and contrasty media. Both highlights and shadows … Continue reading →

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