Tag Archives: portrait

crime and photography …

Toronto. … the Karsh Caper. In 1941, Karsh captured the essence of Churchill and called the portrait the “Roaring Lion”. In 1988, he donated the signed print to Chateau Laurier hotel in Ottawa. A different copy of the photograph was … Continue reading

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an ambrotype self portrait

Toronto. Over the years, photographic processes continuously evolved. For example, some effort was made to deliver less expensive cased images (Daguerreotype look-a-likes). One solution was to take a negative using the then new wet-plate technology and treat it to reverse … Continue reading

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the importance of connections …

Toronto. When Ev Roseborough took over as editor of Photographic Canadiana, we entered a new era. Ev’s vast network of fellow professional photographers  brought in many new members, some speakers, and a wealth of experience in the photographic industry. This … Continue reading

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remembering Iris …

Toronto. In the article. “IRIS MCCAIG AND THE PORTRAIT OF CHARLES G. MILNE” the late Bob Lansdale relates his chat with Iris at 82 in the early fall 1992 journal issue 18-2. Iris is famous not only as a long … Continue reading

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way before ‘flash’ gordon …

Toronto. … in fact many decades before. NB. For those born after say 1990, here is the article on Mr Gordon. Meantime back  in the late 1800s, some enterprising folk came up with ways to compensate for the abysmally slow … Continue reading

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sitting pretty

Toronto. In the summer of 2005, late editor Bob Lansdale was still busy researching the Chromotype and similar carbon process B&W prints that purported to eliminate the nefarious fading issue that plagued photographs in the mid 1800s. Shown at left … Continue reading

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soft subject, soft lighting

Toronto. An unidentified writer (our editor?) said in a prelude to the article “Wither Soft Light of the 1930s …” “I’ve been perplexed for years by certain lighting of nudes during the pictorial period. I don’t make any great study … Continue reading

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the mystery of Frankie D

Toronto. The next step after the Daguerrotype was the use of glass plates. Initially glass plates used a wet solution (wet-plate) and years later a dry solution (dry-plate). To make the sensitized emulsion ‘hold’ to the glass, a sticky mixture … Continue reading

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doing it right with sweat and tears

Toronto. The slow speed of dry plate emulsions in the 1890s   resulted in two situations: The plates were very contrasty and very slow. Unless a very soft light was used (carefully, highlights would be burnt out (no detail) or … Continue reading

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corny but collectible

Toronto. Image collectors lust after all kinds of images. The farm couple at left while a bit homely to current tastes, hold some unusual items. Collectors might have included this image in their collections for many reasons (process, symbolism, subjects, … Continue reading

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