TOM MORE

Very sad news this last week. Tom More, owner of Toronto photographic institution, Toronto Black & White passed away suddenly.

I had been processing and printing most of my work there since I was in University. It started with Tom processing my very particular infrared film. I always enjoyed printing, but never wanted to process negs. Too finicky; too easy to make mistakes and ruin your work. Not for Tom, he was a master. We quickly developed a recipe for my work and stuck to it. I developed thousands of negs there. I trusted Tom completely with my work. 

After graduating, I started having Tom print my work as well. He was without a doubt, an artist. After a while, he just knew what I wanted. I'd just drop the neg off, have a chat about something else, and leave. It was always perfect. Often far better than expected. 

Tom was the last holdout in a sea of change. Labs were closing all over the city and the ones that didn't, had to adapt and become something completely different. My impression was that Tom, although he recognized and accepted this new reality, wasn't comfortable with it. His was more of the organic, hands on world. The world of true photography. It was a real loss when he finally closed his doors over a year ago.

It is even a greater loss now.

Photo by RAFY
Tom and the last days of the shop.