Reflecting Time – Vintage Camera Photo Walk

Taking photographs with vintage cameras can be both unpredictable and magical. Whether using box cameras, folders, or other historic treasures, all can connect you to a time when everyday people first picked up a camera to record their lives. Before George Eastman created the Kodak camera in 1888, photography was a complicated process mainly left to professionals. When the Kodak  came out, people cold easily take photographs of everything around them, and send in the film for processing and printing. The cost of $25 for the camera, and $10 for processing and reloading was still more than many people could afford though. When the first Brownie camera was introduced in 1900 for $1, photography really became available to the masses. This was the start of an era of visually recording everything. Other manufacturers brought out different cameras and films, camera clubs gathered, and everyone wanted a photograph of something. Today we still use many of these cameras. They are easy to use, and can transport you to a time when photography was a new activity for people. For a great history of the Brownie camera, including how a Canadian author and illustrator was the source of the Brownie name, and who the original Brownies of British and Scottish folklore were, read this paper “George Eastman’s Modern Stone-Age Family: Snapshot Photography and the Brownie’ by Mark Oliver (you may have to log in through a library or educational institution or create your own free account). It’s quite fascinating!

Join us for a photo walk with vintage cameras and learn some history, how to choose a camera that will work, and tricks to using them. Bring your own camera and show it off, or use one of our cameras, and record your environment through a historic lens. You will get a roll of film from Ilford to load into your camera. The accompanying exhibition ‘Reflecting Time’ will be on display April 23 – June 14 at the Beau Photo gallery space.  Submit an image to the exhibition from the walk, or from another outing with your vintage camera.

Space is limited! Register on Eventbrite – https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/reflecting-time-vintage-camera-photo-walk-tickets-1302254320729?aff=oddtdtcreator

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