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Harry Taylor of Classic Enlargers dies at 93

Classic daughter

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Last night we lost the guru of analog photography, Harry Taylor. He started Classic Enlargers as Omega Classic Enlargers, until Omega got on his tail about using their name. He was passionate about photography and had incredible knowledge of the technology of analog photography. He was 93, and had just recently decided to retire his business.

Many thanks to all of you who have spoken kindly of Harry over the years, and made his life so much more interesting with your phone calls and emails.

Classic daughter, Claire Taylor
 
hi claire

your dad was one of a kind!
a really nice person who loved helping people.
he helped me a handful of times over the years
and supplied me with parts and know-how ...
and i know i felt lost without it.

my sincere condolences to you, your family and friends.

john
 
Claire,
Thank you for responding to my query about his health. I was afraid this would be the answer. I'm so sorry for your loss.

He was practically the Einstein of Omega enlargers and was so helpful to me over the years. He was the epitome of the term "one-of-a-kind."
 
Thanks, it is very nice of you to share this with me. I will pass your message on to my family.
 
Hi Claire
I am sorry for your loss.
I did not know your father, but I hope to be working as long as him, Its a wonderful photograph, I think I have a camera much like the one he is working on.
Bob Carnie
 
He started Classic Enlargers after retiring - which was an inspiration to us all. So we are all looking for careers that will maintain our interest for decades to come!
 
Claire,
Youi father was extremely helpful to me and I think of him everytime I use one of my enlargers (both of which he restored). Is there going to be a service?
Roger Pellegrini
 
Claire,

I purchased a lens cone from your dad a couple of years ago, and throughout our conversations and correspondences I was impressed by his energy and enthusiasm for his work. We should all be so blessed so late in life.

Lee Rust
 
Hi Claire,
Sorry to hear about Harry's passing. I bought an Omega DII, or as your dad used to say, "Omega D Roman Numeral Two" enlarger from him nearly 30 years ago. He used that description to distinguish it from the later D2 model. I still have it to this day, and It has served me well. I remember several conversations with your dad over the years whenever I had questions regarding Omega enlargers. He was always very generous with his time and knowledge. I think that he enjoyed talking on the phone about these enlargers to whoever was interested and was genuinely interested in helping people with their problems. I know that he helped me out on a couple of occasions and was able to provide me with parts I could not find anywhere else. Please accept my sincere condolences.

Mike Sullivan
 
My condolences. For a long time, the answer to any difficult Omega question was "Ask Harry".
 
Unfortunately hackers destroyed Ask Harry and we lost so much of the valuable information dad had written down for all those years. It's a real pity, because Harry put his heart and soul into his work, and loved sharing his knowledge.
 
Haha! I can hear him saying "Roman Numeral Two" right now - he was such a photography nerd!
Thanks for that memory!


 
For those who are interested, I am posting photos of all of Harry Taylor's inventory on Instagram. You can find the posting on Instagram here: @classicenlargers

The photos were taken to share with KHB Photography in Canada, who took over my dad's inventory (for better or for worse). When boxing things up, I took photos of each and every thing. I got some of the part names wrong, but the whole process taught me a lot about Harry's work and his passion for analog photography. Thanks everyone!
 

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Sorry to here this I bought an alining tool from for my Omega D11 and a nice lens for my enlarger RIP Harry
 
RIP Harry
 
RIP Harry
 
I bought a d-2 from Harry in 2012. I think it was one of the last he refurbished. He shipped it in a box he built to be reused but didn’t want it back. He was a pleasure to deal with.
 
An absolutely magnificent Gentleman who always found the time to answer questions and provide advice (GOO advice, mind you). It has been quite a few years since I last bought anything from Harry but my memories of him are good ones and I hope that I can be as generous with what little knowledge I have gained in 79 years of photography! I am so sorry for our loss.
Joel
 

Thank you for your kind words. I hope you can share your knowledge for many years to come!
 
knj said:
I bought a d-2 from Harry in 2012. I think it was one of the last he refurbished. He shipped it in a box he built to be reused but didn’t want it back. He was a pleasure to deal with.
Click to expand...

Thanks! He built those boxes with loving care, to withstand all kinds of bad shipping companies!
 
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