Over in Postal History Corner, a blog from the Canadian Postal and Philatelist Society, you can read all about the process of producing a stamp in 1952.
“The Post Office Department began working on the first Queen Elizabeth definitive set one week after the death of George VI in February, 1952. Officials conferred on the selection of the photograph of the Queen from which a stamp model could be produced. A photo by noted Ottawa photographer Yousuf Karsh was chosen and approved by the Queen.”
1, 3 and 5¢ stamps were issued. Read more.