Tag Archives: fair

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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a weird little camera …

Posted on February 14, 2025 by Robert

Toronto. … from a fair nearly three decades ago. The photographs and text by Bob Lnsdale appear in issue 21-4. The writing for this camera says, “Mystery ‘Argus’ camera which has brevittato stamped on the front (Italian for patented). With an Equator … Continue reading →

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horse sense

Posted on February 13, 2025 by Robert

Toronto.  Photo collectors sometimes choose pet/animal photos like these farm horses. Others may collect special prints like this Kodak Autographic print marked “dinner time”. A little ‘horse sense’ goes a long way in deciding if a particular photo would close … Continue reading →

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man of la mancha

Posted on February 11, 2025 by Robert

Toronto. Photo collectors revel in well illuminated, correctly exposed and framed old photos from daguerreotypes to paper prints. In the 1960s, I had the pleasure of attending a performance of   ‘Man of La Mancha‘ at O’Keefe Centre here in … Continue reading →

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a brassy idea

Posted on October 14, 2024 by Robert

Toronto. Alexa Alexiades from Lomography sent me an email recently. Alexa says, “Following the success of our original Lomomatic 110 Camera, we’re proud to announce the elegant new Lomomatic 110 Bellagio [see image at left]. “This latest edition of the … Continue reading →

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