Here are some scans of some old photos from my collection.
Click on a photo to see an enlargement.
They are useful in showing many things about photography and culture:
Fashion and hairstyles.
Different poses in portraiture.
Lighting.
No one in these photos is related to me. Names and descriptions are taken from handwritten notes on the backs of some of them.
1920’s Wedding Party group Photo
G. R. Gray Photo Studio, Iroquois Ontario, Vintage Portrait
Portrait of Three Gentlemen, with nice pocket watch chains and moustaches, Porter Photo Studios, Moose Jaw N.W.T (Before Saskatchewan existed, the whole area was the North West Territories. Therefore this picture was taken in or before 1905)
Group Wedding Portrait from 1930’s
Victorian man in a top hat and walking cane, J.F. Langhans. Notice the Austro-Hungarian coat of arms in the lower left corner. (click on photo to see larger version) What a beguiling expression he has on his face!
Austro-Hungarian coat of arms on an old photograph. Indivisibiliter ac Inseparabiliter (Latin, Indivisibly and Inseparably)
Old Farm House Photo. The photographer seemed to be more interested in the new house than the family. (click on photo to see larger version)
“To Auntie Evelyn from Ralph and Louise. A Merry Christmas 1899” W. W. Robson photographer, Windsor and Wolfville, Nova Scotia (click on photo to see larger version)
Tinted blue, a lovely Austro Hungarian girl. J. F. Langhans photographer, Prag / Praha (Prague) Wassergasse, 37 (click on photo to see larger version)
Back of the J. F. Langhans blue girl photograph. Notice how the cities of Budejovice and Budweis are written twice in each official language.
…and just for the fun of it, here is a scan of some early 20th century hand made (?) blue green and gold marbled paper. (click on image to see it really close up)
Young girl from Dublin, c. 1900 She has the most pleasing look about her that I have ever seen in any old photograph. Werner & Son photographic studio, 39 Grafton Street DublinModern Colourization by Nicholas Weightman
“Dear Mr Lief,
I was searching for old images to repair on Google. I’ve recently been searching for images to fix to help gain experience in photographic restoration. Here in England I have been considering taking this up as a career. I came across an image whilst searching of a little Victorian Girl, After fixing and colouring the image (Attached) I thought I would try and track down the original owner of the photograph. I found that the image tracked back to a post you made on where you posted many old photographs. I hope you like the new coloured and restored version. As i say this is all part of gaining experience and so i do hope you don’t mind me fixing it.
If you do like the image, would you consent to me displaying it in my photo gallery on my web site.”
May 2016
Nicholas Weightman
Photographers used to proudly proclaim they were “Artists” (Medal of Honour Brussels 1891)
The back of the photograph features; a Painter! “From the Studio of Henri Kostrovitzki” Leigh and Seacombe
The front of the photo features a great beard, and a newspaper used as a posing prop. 108 Brighton st. Seacombe
Photo postcard from World War One
A world war one soldier photographed in a Vancouver studio; Mission Studio, 106 Hastings street
I don’t know why the photographer put so much dead space above his crooked hat. Photographic Studio of P. P. Johnson, Glenwood Minnesota
A mighty collection of Victorian moustaches! Photographic Studio of T. G. Eggleton, Stirling Ontario
Large Format Victorian Group photo
Close up of the group photo
Close up of the group photo
A.E. Holmes Photographic Studio. Chateaugay N.Y. A nice picture of old granny
A 1950’s style portrait. Lyceum Studio Winnipeg Manitoba. Not Victorian but cool anyway
Dixon Photo Studios, Toronto (bit of an unfortunate looking gent) Notice all the Victorian portrait paraphanalia; Fake stone wall, hay bale, painted background, prop paper in his hand. And for some reason his hat is resting on a bit of wood. All this was done indoors and made to look like he was sitting outside.
Victorian Portrait of Two Sisters (?) P.H. Green Photo Studios, Post Office Black, Hunter St, Peterboro. They don’t look much older than 14, but the girl on the right has a wedding ring on. Notice all the stuff lying about, hats and parasols and purses. It’s a bit cluttery for my tastes.
Victorian Family photo; on the back it is written; Fred and Wife (uncle Archie’s Brother) Auntie Annie, Earl, Elmo, Uncle Archie Whitfield
“Auntie Blanche (Dougherty) Fergusson. (Not my auntie. I bought a whole bunch of these old photos in a shop. I have somebody’s Victorian family photos. Odd.)
From the Studio of W J Mertens, Artistic Photographer, Main Street Stouffville, next door to the Advance Printing Office
My. What ears you have! W J Mertens. Artistic Photographer. In the future I might try to pose someone with their hat, gloves and walking stick.
Auntie Anna (Dad’s sister) and Alex Moore. Children’s clothing doesn’t look like that any more! Gray Photo Studio, St Marys Ontario
S J Dixon Electric Light Photo Gallery, Highest award at Toronto Kingston and Hamilton. (Toronto Industrial Exhibition opened Sept 5 1879 aka CNE) Corner of King and Young streets Toronto. (Electric light in the late 1800’s was a novel and high tech thing. It was referred to as “the new process” “the exposure is but One Second”
Headshots and "glam" or model shots. Headshots are easy, because the posing and lighting are strait forward, and fashion or style portraits are tricky because...
[caption id="attachment_41831" align="aligncenter" width="560"] Douglas Riske, May 2012[/caption] "After 17 years at the heart of Manitoba’s arts and cultural community, Douglas Riske will be retiring...
