Kip Praslowicz » Vintage Media

Women From The 1920s

K. Praslowicz — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 14:21:19 +0000

Below is a full motion color Kodachrome film from 1922 created by Kodak. Cinematically it is nothing amazing by today's standards, but I'm finding myself mesmerized by it. If any of these women are still alive, they'd be around 110 years old. Yet, here they are youthful, attractive, and captured in full color during a period where most people can only think of as being black & white.

Found via Photo Utopia

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Women From The 1920s is a post from: K. Praslowicz, Photographer

TIME-O-LITE - 1947 Advertisment

K. Praslowicz — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 04:47:38 +0000

It has been a while since I've yanked an old advertisement for some vintage photography equipment out of my collection to shared with you all. Figured I might as well change that.

I Love All My Family and TIME-O-LITE, Too, Son

You'll get a kick out of the new Time-O-Lite; in fact, you'll probably take it right into the family. Time-O-Lite is the answer to many of your darkroom problems. Split-second accuracy in enlarging and contact printing is just a snap of the fingers with this improved timer. Designed for precision timing in all photographic processes, it assures you of professional results every time—no blurred reproduction—one print or a thousand, uniform in tone and color.

An easy-to-read double scale on the dial makes timing easy—set the white pointer on the outer dial to the desired time; press the button, and does it—perfectly, too.

The inner scale shows the exact time elapsed during the cycle. There's an extra outlet for remote or foot switch control, when you need it.

A Time-O-Lite is not expensive, $24.50 including federal tax; it will pay for itself with savings in photographic paper. Your camera store has Time-O-Lite now. Get yours today.

Industrial Timer Corporation.
110 Edison Place
Newark, New Jersey

A few thoughts on the Time-O-Lite subject

$24.50 is equivilent to $242.30 in 2009 dollars according to Westegg.com Inflation Calculator
Fair warning if you try to research the name Dick Mackay which appears in the upper left of the drawing. I ran his name through Google to see if he was a famous cartoonist or illustrator of the period. Google assumed that I spelled the name wrong and was trying really trying to find information on Dick Mckay instead.
I now know that Dick Mckay is a gay porn star. I know this because I did the search on Google images with safe search off. Do the math.

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TIME-O-LITE - 1947 Advertisment is a post from: K. Praslowicz, Photographer

The Burke & James 4x5 Press, Endorsed by Weegee

K. Praslowicz — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 17:42:18 +0000

Burke & James 4x5 Press Manual
9 Megabytes

Here is a treat for any Burke & James 4x5 Press owners out there, a remastered pdf version of the original Burke & James press manual which I own. I've had a copy of this manual on this site for years, but the quality of that one was rather bad. The new PDF that I created for this version should be much better.

The manual should be able to answer any question you may have about the Burke & James press, and uses some awesome mid 20th century terminology such as Rugged Aeroplane Metal Body. But, as far as I'm concerned, the best part of this manual are the endorsements by the legendary photographer Arthur "Weegee" Fellig that appear throughout it.

The best one of these being a letter written my Weegee which appears on page 5. After some marketing blurbs about the B&J Press, he provides some personal tips on how to being a freelance photographer.

FREE LANCING with the B & J PRESS CAMERA

— by ARTHUR (Weegee) FELLIG

"I use a B & J Press Camera in my work as a free lance Press Photographer. It will photograph anything from a crying baby to a roaring 5 alarm fire. It's the best all-around camera I know of — and I ought to know as I've tried them all."
"If you too want to make money free lancing with a camera, get a B & J Press Camera — and after you get it, study it thoroughly at your leisure. When you are at the scene of a story you have to work fast furiously — and sometimes at a fire at night, while people are screaming and being rescued, the best shots are made the first few minutes. That is why you must know your camera and be able to work it in the dark or by sense of feel. I find the B & J Camera wonderful for working in a hurry as it has no useless gadgets to get in the way."
"Here's how to get tips when a good story is breaking. One of the best sources of information nowadays is a midget radio tuned to the police alarms . . . also I would go around to the press room at police headquarters. That is where all the police reporters wait around for a story to break. They're a good bunch of fellows and will welcome you . . . and besides, they can always use an extra hand at their card games. When a story breaks, they'll take you along with them. The newspapers are always short of cameramen and will welcome a free lancer to give them coverage — especially at night when their staff men are home. They'll always be glad to use you, rather than wake up their own men and break the next day's schedule."
"Here are some helpful hints which I hope you'll find useful:
Don't take a picture of someone just looking into a camera. Editors don't like stiff, posey shots. Catch your subject doing something to give it the human touch.
At auto smash-ups don't throw lighted cigarettes near the scene of the wreckage. It's apt to ignite the spilled gasoline and start a fire or explosion.
At fires, don't drive over the stretched hose lines, as you may break them.
If you promise a cop or a fireman personal prints, keep your promise. This will make everlasting friends.
At the scene of a story, don't wait around for something to happen with your camera in its case . . . have it out and all set. You never know when something will happen.
If one of the crowd asks you a question, don't give them a wise crack flip answer. By being polite you'll be tipped off to good exclusive pictures.
Play ball with the other cameramen. If they should miss a shot, offer them one of yours. This will make friends.
After you sell the photo to a local paper and if you think it has more than local interest, offer it to the big syndicates like Acme Newspictures, etc., and also send a copy to Life Magazine as they pay well.
On pictures with lots of property damage, offer them to the trade magazines also.
And in conclusion, always act like a Gentleman. Don't worry about a press card. Your B & J Camera will get you through any police or fire line. That's what the boys on the papers use and you will be one of them."

Some external Weegee Resources.

Weekend Explorer - Crime Was Weegee’s Oyster - Make sure to watch video included in the article.
Weegee Speaks
Photographer of the day: Weegee - Nice small collection of Weegee photos.
InfraWeegee - Infrared photos by Weegee.

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The Burke & James 4x5 Press, Endorsed by Weegee is a post from: K. Praslowicz, Photographer

Ciro-flex Cameras

K. Praslowicz — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 03:00:54 +0000

Vintage Monday returns!

Ciro-flex

Press photographers, here is an ideal reflex camera for some of your assignments! MODEL D Equipped with "M-F" Syncromatic Alphax NO. 1 Shutter. Speeds from 1/10 to 1/200 of a second, T. and B. exposures. Stops from f3.5 to f.22. Entirely automatic. MODEL E Equipped with "M-F" Synchromatic Rapax No. 1 Set-and-Release Shutter. Speeds from 1 to 1/400 of a second, T. and B. exposures. Stops from f3.5 to f.22. Cocking the shutter automatically cocks the built-in synchronizer at the shutter setting. Model B equipped with a standard Automatic Alphax Shutter. Model C With standard Rapax Set-and-Release shutter.

CIRO CAMERAS, INC.

425 SO. SANDUSKY STREET.
DELAWARE, OHIO

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Ciro-flex Cameras is a post from: K. Praslowicz, Photographer

A Complete PRESS Camera Needs 3 Lenses

K. Praslowicz — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 02:58:27 +0000

Full page ad for the Wollensak Raptar series of lenses. I'm 33% away from the complete lens trifecta as I own a 135mm and a 90mm Raptar

A Complete PRESS Camera NEEDS 3 LENSES

Raptar series II f4.5... for extra speed—the basic lens

Raptar Wide Angle f6.8 for full coverage at close quarters

Raptar Telephoto f5.6 for close-ups of distant objects

You can complete an assignment. . .turn in better pictures when you're fully equipped with three Raptar lenses. The Series II Raptar takes care of all situations that call for a fast, normal focus lens. The Raptar Wide Angle lens gives you the wider coverage you need when you can't back away far enough to include the whole subject. The Raptar Telephoto lens allows close-ups of sports action and other far away shots; head and shoulders portraits where good drawing and perspective are needed. You're never at a loss. Enjoy the advantage of being fully equipped for any picture with these three Wollensak Raptars. . . quality lenses that give you finer definition, sharp brilliant images.

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A Complete PRESS Camera Needs 3 Lenses is a post from: K. Praslowicz, Photographer

Vintage Photography From Modern Mechanix

K. Praslowicz — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 00:32:45 +0000

The Modern Mechanix Blog has posted a few vintage photography articles lately. Keeping with the theme of the vintage camera ads that I've been posting here lately, I thought I'd link up to them and share them with you.

Making Photos as Big as Billboards (Sep, 1930)

Animate Your Photographs (1953)

Enjoy.

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Vintage Photography From Modern Mechanix is a post from: K. Praslowicz, Photographer

The Weston Master II with the Weston Invercone

K. Praslowicz — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 23:32:38 +0000

The Weston Master II with Invercone*. This particular ad was taken from a publication put out in 1950.

The Westone Master II with the Weston Invercone*

Here's the meter that answers every exposure problem. . . indoors or out, with any camera, any film. With your Master you can determine correct exposure quickly and easily, using either the reflected or incident light methods. When the incident light method is preferred, simply snap the Invercone* incident light adapter over the photo cell. If you own a Master (Mod. 715 or 735) ask your dealer to demonstrate the Invercone.

*Trade Mark

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The Weston Master II with the Weston Invercone is a post from: K. Praslowicz, Photographer

Graflex: A Team That Can't Be Beat!

K. Praslowicz — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 03:09:05 +0000

I have a small collection of photography books and periodicals that stretch from the 1940s through the 1980s. Asides from all the wonderful old articles and imagery, I really love looking at the advertisements that are in them. I find it very interesting to see how pieces of equipment that are now considered obsolete where being marketed decades ago when they were considered cutting edge.

I figured that I'd go ahead and start scanning some of these vintage ads to share them here with my readers. I'll see if I can get into a rhythm of regularly posting new vintage photography ads every Monday night.

Monday Night Vintage Night starts with an ad from the Graflex company as printed in 1950. I knew I wasn't crazy thinking I could shoot sports with a Speed Graphic.

The Pacemaker Speed Graphic plus The New Graflite Flash

More and more press photographers all over the world are using the new Pacemaker SPEED GRAPHIC, and claim it's the finest camera they've ever worked with!

And now, to make a team that can't be beat, the new Graflite flash synchronizer—the most versatile, dependable, easiest operating flash unit you've ever had the please of using.

When you're on the spot where fast action is taking place, you should have the one camera whos dependability has been proved time and again . . and the one flash synchronizer that is the result of over eight years of Graflex research.

And remember, with such a "team" no picture possibility is too tough to master . . . feature, human-interest, sport shots can all be taken in stride when you have in your hands a Pacemaker SPEED or Crown GRAPHIC with the new Graflite by Graflex!

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Graflex: A Team That Can't Be Beat! is a post from: K. Praslowicz, Photographer