Tag Archives: Fox Talbot

a better mouse trap

Posted on March 6, 2025 by Robert

Toronto. Past president, author, and sports photographer Les Jones sent me a note the other day on an interesting article about Henry’s lost cameras. In January of 1839, Two unique means to capture images created by sunlight were announced. One, … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on a better mouse trap

Lucy again

Posted on August 4, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. No, not the TV series, “I Love Lucy”, and the madcap antics of Lucille Ball, her husband Desi,  and friends. but the tiny drawing aid, the camera lucida. In an earlier post this year (Feb 19th, 2023) titled simply … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Lucy again

room for a better one

Posted on February 21, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. The title is a riff on the old saying, “… build a better mousetrap …“. One of the earliest cameras was called a mousetrap by the spouse of its creator. It was basically a very small camera obscura. A … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on room for a better one

PHSC June 15, 2022 Presentation

Posted on June 7, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. Hi folks, we have another exciting international talk this month. This time, we will be hosting our speaker  from Florence, Italy. Ms Francesca Strobino will be speaking to us via ZOOM on Wednesday, June 15, 2022. Her topic is … Continue reading →

Posted in program | Tagged , | Comments Off on PHSC June 15, 2022 Presentation

what were they thinking?

Posted on October 16, 2020 by Robert

Toronto. Today, we all take photography for granted. Images are shot endlessly to record things once written, or capture family moments, or pets, or property changes, etc. We leave news, tv, political, formal portraits, etc. images to the professionals. With … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on what were they thinking?

holy mouse-traps, Batman!

Posted on April 30, 2020 by Robert

Toronto. Sitting comfortably on vacation on the shores of Lake Como, Henry painted the lush Italian landscape. 1834 was a wonderful year. As he idly dreamed, he thought about ways to capture the scene without recourse to his brushes. Back … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on holy mouse-traps, Batman!

happy birthday Louie

Posted on November 22, 2019 by Robert

Toronto. On November 18th, 1787 – a mere 232 years ago, Louis Jacques Mandé Daguerre was born. And in January 1839 the most important announcement was made: Daguerre (yes this Daguerre) had invented photography. His process created the daguerreotype, a … Continue reading →

Posted in people | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on happy birthday Louie

Sarah and George

Posted on December 21, 2018 by Robert

Toronto. It was spring, 1954 and I was in what would become my last year of formal school for a decade. In its April 26, 1954 issue,  LIFE magazine offered two stimulating articles for photographers and photo-historians. The portrait of … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Sarah and George

Salt and Silver 1840 – 1860 Exhibition

Posted on August 8, 2018 by Robert

Toronto. We often see and hear about the daguerreotype process as it was common and free throughout the world except in England where a licence had to be purchased. This exhibition celebrates the British salt prints of the Fox Talbot process. The … Continue reading →

Posted in photos | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Salt and Silver 1840 – 1860 Exhibition

A fox in the hen house

Posted on November 25, 2017 by Robert

Toronto. Talbot was a well off Englishman who painted landscapes in watercolour. On a European trip in 1834, He chose Lake Como in Italy for one painting. Using a Camera Lucida, he dreamed about being able to capture the scene … Continue reading →

Posted in photos, processes | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on A fox in the hen house