Tag Archives: LIFE

an ‘Arctic Madonna’ c 1937

Posted on February 8, 2023 by Robert

Toronto. Many of us have seen and enjoyed the photography of the late George Hunter, including his iconic portraits of the Inuit people. Surprisingly, an American photographer visited the far north to photograph its people for LIFE magazine back in … Continue reading →

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angel of the morning

Posted on April 20, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. In 1972, Dr Edwin Land electrified the photographic community when he announced his new SLR camera, the SX-70. This incredible camera had all the bells and whistles of contemporary cameras plus creating colour prints, with no waste, in just … Continue reading →

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flogging colour print film in the 1970s

Posted on April 16, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. At first I thought these were two separate shots showing the superiority of Kodak colour film, since cameras or gift sets didn’t appear in the advertisement. Suddenly, I realized that the vertical white bar was a seam. This photo … Continue reading →

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controlling the market

Posted on April 3, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. For decades Kodak controlled the film market by creating new film sizes and the cameras to use them. Heavy advertising prompted the ill informed public to buy the latest Kodak camera and use Kodak film.  An example is this … Continue reading →

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keeping an eye out

Posted on March 21, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. As this late 1971 LIFE ad for Kodak illustrates, marketeers had to be creative and inspired to create new copy far faster than the engineers and designers could make new cameras with new features. This version of Kodak’s relatively … Continue reading →

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big yellow taxi

Posted on February 28, 2021 by Robert

Toronto.  In the days of film, the exposed film was processed and then printed. Prints and the developed film were returned to the owner. In the US, a company called Fotomat was formed. The company’s business plan was simple: Put … Continue reading →

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another way to skin a cat

Posted on February 24, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. It’s the 1970s and your camera doesn’t have a socket for the ubiquitous magicubes. Nor can it use Kodak’s super simple Instamatic film cartridges. What do you do? Well Yashica advertised that their cameras let you take indoor photos … Continue reading →

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taking a bigger slice of the pie

Posted on February 23, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. Post war, every company in the photographic  industry worked hard to gain a bigger market share. Kodak, as shown by this LIFE ad from the May 7, 1971 issue (p 65), grouped all the hot button ideas into one … Continue reading →

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enough already!

Posted on February 19, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. Do you remember the days of photograph contests? Pictures were snapped on film, prints carefully made, and the hopeful shutter-bug mailed his/her pride and joy(s) to an address for assessment by a professional photographer – or a committee of … Continue reading →

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cleaning up with Polaroid & Tide

Posted on February 10, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. As I mentioned in a few posts, advertising costs could be reduced by joining forces with a non-competitor. An example is the Polaroid-Tide ad in the November 29, 1970 issue of LIFE magazine. Enthusiasts – or anyone who saw … Continue reading →

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