The history of the Royal Navy is filled with legendary figures both real and imagined. Names like Nelson and Hornblower, Pellew and Aubrey. But there is one name that stands out in the annals of the War of 1812, and that is Philip Broke, or as he became known as Broke of the Shannon. While Broke was one of many captains that served in the blockade of the American coast, his actions turned the luck of the Royal Navy and boosted the flagging morale of the service. Born on 9 September 1776 at Broke Hall in Nacton, England. As the eldest of eleven children, heRead More →

When it comes to photographing sites connected with the naval actions of the war, it can be complicated. Most of the actions take place out on open water, and many don’t have much to photograph especially in the way of ships as many are long gone. Only one ship from the era exists in its original form while another is a rebuild of the historic ship. But if you know where to look there is plenty of things to photograph when it comes to the capture of the Chesapeake. By the summer of 1813, the spirits of the Royal Navy on the North American stationRead More →

While many regiments served with distinction during the Anglo-American War of 1812 on both sides of the fighting, I would not be able to share with you the tales of every single one. As many have histories that stretch well before and after the war and some even, have units that carry on these traditions still today. There is, however, one unit that stands out in the history of the war and of Canada. The 104th (New Brunswick) Regiment of Foot served their king and country both in combat and how they arrived at the main theater of the war. The Fredericton Barracks while notRead More →

We recently posted a link to our Facebook page about the top twenty-two vintage cameras to buy and it generated a lot of discussion about the article. And while we agreed (mostly) on the cameras on the list we felt that there were some better choices for vintage gear that you should buy. So this month we’re giving you the Classic Camera Revival Top Twenty Vintage Cameras to buy! In no particular order… Nikon F2 – This mechanical beauty won’t let you down whatever model you pickup! Pentax 645 – Simple, Easy, Great way to get into Medium Format without breaking the bank Nikon FMRead More →

Fur Trader, Loyalist, Indian Agent, and Officer. William McKay was born in the Mohawk Valley of New York State in 1772. The son of former Non-Commissioned Officer Donald McKay. His father had seen service during the French-Indian War and fought during the assault on Quebec City. Remaining loyal to the crown the family moved to Upper Canada’s St. Lawerence Valley during the American Revolution settling in what would become Glengarry County in Ontario. William and his older brother, Alexander, joined the North West Company in 1790. McKay would begin to trade throughout the northwest of British North America spending much of his time in theRead More →

If you grew up in the 1980s and 1990s, you’d first recognize the sound this camera makes when it takes a photo. It’s a total nostalgia fest from those long family vacations, holiday snaps, and trips to the amusement park. And you would be right; the Nikon AF240SV is a mom camera, designed to be as simple as possible the modern version of the ever present Kodak Camera from the 19th century. You press the button; it does the rest. While my family never used Nikon, we were mostly Minolta; it still was a trip back in time for me to use such a cameraRead More →

One of the unsung heroes of the Anglo-American War of 1812, the burly red-haired Robert Dickson was born to a merchant father in Dumfries Scotland in 1765. After his father’s business had failed, Robert along with his two brothers travelled to Upper Canada to work for their uncle, Robert Hamilton. Hamilton was a wealthy gentleman in Upper Canada, and while the two brothers found success with Hamilton’s business the dull clerical work did not appeal to the adventurous Robert. Robert would find his element in the Northwest upon his posting to Mackinac Island. He expanded his trade network among the northern tribes in both UpperRead More →

While I was not a fan of the last Yashica camera I used in the project, the 137 is a fun camera that is super easy and great to use right off the bat. With squat almost Soviet styling, this camera is certainly one that many people just miss because they never heard of it. And the only Contax camera I knew of for the longest time was the G2. Then I started learning about the older German models, and finally through the Film Photography Project of their SLRs. Special thanks to Chrissie Wu for loaning out this camera for a review! Disclaimer: This isRead More →

The 12th of July is the birthday of the Late George Eastman, one of the many who has brought this wonderful medium of photography to the masses. So in the film community, we call it Kodak Day. So this month we discuss all things Kodak! And we also welcome Andrew Hiltz, a resident of Rochester, New York, as a special guest co-host! Kodak World Headquarters in Rochester, New York Intrepid – Schneider-Kreuznach Symmar-S 1:5.6/210 – Kodak TMax 100 @ ASA-32 – Kodak Xtol (1+1) 8:00 @ 20C Cameras Featured on Today’s Show… Kodak Signet 35 – The Signet 35 was the top dog in KodakRead More →

Robert McDouall was born to a merchant father in March of 1774 in the town of Stranraer, Scotland. Educated at the Felsted School both his father and uncle hoped he would follow in the family trade as a merchant, placing young Robert at a business in London. Robert, however, was drawn to the military life much to his father’s dismay and with his reluctant approval purchased a commission as an ensign in the 49th (Hertfordshire) Regiment of Foot only to three days later purchase a lieutenant commission in the 8th (King’s) Regiment of foot in 1797. He served during the 1801 Egyptian Campaign against theRead More →