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Mark Goodrich
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Posted: Mon Jan 1st, 2007 08:28 pm |
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I've decided to sponsor a contest, for the best photo of a fan, to be posted here in this thread, by January 15th.
I will provide an exciting prize at my expense, unless I can convince the Board of Directors to reimburse me. Hello? Board? Dudes? Are you listening?
The purpose of the contest is multi-fold.
1. Get you thinking about taking good photos of fans, because the Galleries are about ready to be updated, by MEMBERS. The goal is not to take the standard mug shot photos for the Galleries, but to take a striking photo, paying attention to how the fan is lit, so when you DO start sending El Webmaster photos, you'll have a sense of what's going to work.
2. I want to critique your photos, not be negatively critical, but make suggestions that will improve your ability to produce an excellent image.
4. Get you to look at your photos with a critical eye, and work with easy to use editing software, to improve them. GO TO GOOGLE.COM AND DOWNLOAD PICASA, AND SPEND TEN MINUTES RUMMAGIN AROUND TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO SEE YOUR PHOTOS AND THEN TRY EDITING ONE, JUST USE "I'M FEELING LUCKY" IF YOU LIKE. THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO WITH PHOTO EDITING SOFTWARE IS CROP YOUR PICTURE TO GET RID OF EXTRANEOUS STUFF.
3. Share pix of fans with everyone, and have fun doing it.
4. Vie for a wonderful prize, something you will be able to share with your extended family, even pass on to future generations. It's a secret, so don't bother asking.
Here's a sample photo I took of one of Paul Pierson's Veritys fans, at Fanfair in Wichita, and here's my critique of it:
I didn't pay close attention to the focus, and as a result, the primary subject, the fan, is blurry. The blank wall behind the fan is in perfect focus. VERY typical auto-focus camera operator error.
If I had turned the fan to face the lamp the brass would have made a nice contrast with the black.
This would have been a really nice photo if I had paid a little closer attention to the details. The lamp is attractive and gives a sense of scale to the fan. I did crop the picture, to tighten the eye's attention on the fan, and I adjusted the color to get rid of the typical yellowish cast an incandescent bulb gives off. Very simple stuff.
I'll be the sole judge of the winner. Snarky comments about submissions will be deleted.
Attached Image (viewed 1471 times):
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Zachary Yarnes
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Posted: Tue Jan 2nd, 2007 02:25 am |
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| I love this idea, I already took a picture of my Vornado Oscillating fan, I wanted to give the idea of an older office where a fan might be seen on a desk by a computer, so I used my vintage laptop in the picture. Attached Image (viewed 1659 times):
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Russ Huber
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Posted: Tue Jan 2nd, 2007 02:52 am |
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Psssst Zach...there is a low budget sci-fi flick by the name of "Riders To The Stars(1954)" with minty Vornado pedestals(plural) in it. Most hard to get a good look at but.. thought I would make you aware. The movie  .
Large 20s to 30s ventilator. It is under new ownership. Updating and adding to the fan gallery is a good thing. I have gone to it plenty to study fans. Your efforts are noticed John. ^_-
Attached Image (viewed 1617 times):
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John McComas
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Posted: Tue Jan 2nd, 2007 03:19 am |
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It's hard to imagine anything better than this classic Canadian Electro-Home pastel collection de elegance!
This was Goo's photo of long ago.
I'm sure he will offer several ways in which this photo could have been made better.
The first one that comes to my mind is the cord clutter...
Attached Image (viewed 1527 times):
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John McComas
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Posted: Tue Jan 2nd, 2007 03:26 am |
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I'm going to offer this one as my best so far.
This was taken outside on the driveway with cloud covering the sun.
Unfortunately, it's not the best angle, even though I like the exposure.
Attached Image (viewed 1548 times):
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John McComas
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Posted: Tue Jan 2nd, 2007 03:28 am |
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As a point of interest, a few minutes later after sun came out.
It just suffers from too much shadows and reflections.
Attached Image (viewed 1405 times):
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Terry Fisher
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Posted: Tue Jan 2nd, 2007 04:00 am |
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Here one using artificial light instead of the best light which is the sun.
Attached Image (viewed 1495 times):
 Last edited on Tue Jan 2nd, 2007 04:04 am by Terry Fisher
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Mark Goodrich
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Posted: Tue Jan 2nd, 2007 04:06 am |
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Nicely done, Zach. The top lighting is nice. If you had a second light available, from over the shooter's left shoulder, it might bring out the base a little more, but the composition is nice, and there's certainly nothing wrong with the lighting as is.
Zachary Yarnes wrote: I love this idea, I already took a picture of my Vornado Oscillating fan, I wanted to give the idea of an older office where a fan might be seen on a desk by a computer, so I used my vintage laptop in the picture. 
Last edited on Tue Jan 2nd, 2007 07:43 am by
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Mark Goodrich
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Posted: Tue Jan 2nd, 2007 04:07 am |
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Cord clutter indeed. Also, a lower camera angle would have been better. In this particular setting, a desk was in the way.
John McComas wrote: It's hard to imagine anything better than this classic Canadian Electro-Home pastel collection de elegance!
This was Goo's photo of long ago.
I'm sure he will offer several ways in which this photo could have been made better.
The first one that comes to my mind is the cord clutter...
Last edited on Tue Jan 2nd, 2007 07:39 am by
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Mark Goodrich
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Posted: Tue Jan 2nd, 2007 04:11 am |
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Excellent points, John. The very best photo lighting is open shade or high overcast, which will light everything evenly and remove shadows. Your two photos illustrate the point nicely.
Both your photos suffer from too high a camera angle, probably THE most common photo error. Your setting, apparently a driveway, didn't give you much choice, as a lower angle would likely have shown background clutter. Suggestion: use a better setting than a driveway.
John McComas wrote: As a point of interest, a few minutes later after sun came out.
It just suffers from too much shadows and reflections.
Last edited on Tue Jan 2nd, 2007 07:40 am by
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Mark Goodrich
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Posted: Tue Jan 2nd, 2007 04:14 am |
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Typical excellent Fisher work, perfectly lit, the dark shadows are well exposed, the brass highlights not overexposed. Terry's photos tend to be shot from a slightly higher angle than I would do, but in this instance it's the right thing, as it shows the ornate detail and catches the most important detail, that it's a water fan.
Terry Fisher wrote: Here one using artificial light instead of the best light which is the sun.
Last edited on Tue Jan 2nd, 2007 07:41 am by
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Mark Goodrich
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Posted: Tue Jan 2nd, 2007 04:24 am |
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Perfect camera placement, lens "eye" even with the center of the fan, thus no distortion of dimensions, lens parallel with the plane of the fan, again producing accurate dimensions, nice plain background with no distractions for the eye. Russ, you might want to play with your photo editing software, see what happens if you punch up the saturation a bit; the blacks will stay black, but you can vary the red; might not be authentic, but might be dramatic. Excellent photo.
Russ Huber wrote: Psssst Zach...there is a low budget sci-fi flick by the name of "Riders To The Stars(1954)" with minty Vornado pedestals(plural) in it. Most hard to get a good look at but.. thought I would make you aware. The movie .
Large 20s to 30s ventilator. It is under new ownership. Updating and adding to the fan gallery is a good thing. I have gone to it plenty to study fans. Your efforts are noticed John. ^_-
Last edited on Tue Jan 2nd, 2007 07:42 am by
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Tony Gilbert
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Posted: Tue Jan 2nd, 2007 04:06 pm |
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| I know there's not a lot of information in this pic, but is there a place in the gallery for something a bit more arty? Attached Image (viewed 1395 times):
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Zachary Yarnes
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Posted: Tue Jan 2nd, 2007 07:27 pm |
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| I tried what you suggested, here's the result. I actually think it looks better with just the one light from above, it made for some nice shadows Attached Image (viewed 1299 times):
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Mark Goodrich
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Posted: Tue Jan 2nd, 2007 07:50 pm |
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Beautiful photo, Tony, why don't you describe how you lit it, for the benefit of the rest of us?
There's no place for this sort of photo in the online galleries, but if you join the club, and submit the photo with perhaps a little article about the fan, it will almost certainly be published in the "Fan Collector."
Tony Gilbert wrote: I know there's not a lot of information in this pic, but is there a place in the gallery for something a bit more arty?
http://afca.mywowbb.com/attachment.php?id=2918Last edited on Tue Jan 2nd, 2007 07:53 pm by Mark Goodrich
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Tony Gilbert
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Posted: Tue Jan 2nd, 2007 09:03 pm |
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Thanks Mark - it's a pic I did a while back and I'm still fairly happy with it.
As for the lighting, it was shot in a studio, but you could replicate it at home by using a simple white wall. Highly reflective subjects, such as fans or cars, usually benefit from being lit by reflected, not direct light. This won't be as intense as direct light so you'll probably need a tripod.
Simply shine a bright, focussed light at the wall, and arrange the fan so the wall is reflected in the blades. If the light on the wall has a brighter central area you should get an effect like in my pic, although admittedly I did emphasise it a bit with Photoshop. The background is a standard cloth backdrop lit with a second light.
I always have a problem photographing fans because they are visually complicated things, and it's always difficult to get a clean and effective compostion out of them. Often the best you can hope for is to show as much detail as possible as clearly as possible.
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Otto Schnellbacher
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Posted: Tue Jan 2nd, 2007 10:03 pm |
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I like this one.It shows:
A. collecting becoming a problem.
B.Greed can be good
C.8inch Emersons are great fans.
Attached Image (viewed 1290 times):
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Mark Goodrich
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Posted: Tue Jan 2nd, 2007 11:59 pm |
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This is a good example of harsh flash lighting. If Otto had been able to bounce the flash off a white ceiling, there wouldn't have been so much reflection (Note you can't read the word "Emerson" clearly on any but the second fan from the left on the middle row, and that one only because it is so tarnished the light didn't reflect. The bright brass reflects so much light back to the camera's meter that the camera closes the shutter too early to allow any of the dark detail of the motors or bases...a very typical example of the difficulty of photographing objects such as old fans, which have such wide variations in light reflectivity.
Placing a white cloth or piece of poster board on the brown table would have helped a lot. I personally don't like the green background, but I know that's Otto's fan room, or used to be.
A simple trick you can try, with any pocketable digital or film camera is to put a little piece of kleenex over the flash, without obscuring the lens, of course, or the meter eye, if it's not in the lens. The meter will compensate for the reduced amount of light and leave the shutter open a little longer, and you'll get a nice, even exposure. The kleenex scatters the light, reducing the "glare." Give it a try.
Otto Schnellbacher wrote: I like this one.It shows:
A. collecting becoming a problem.
B.Greed can be good
C.8inch Emersons are great fans.
http://afca.mywowbb.com/attachment.php?id=2920
 Last edited on Wed Jan 3rd, 2007 12:01 am by Mark Goodrich
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Otto Schnellbacher
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Posted: Wed Jan 3rd, 2007 01:23 am |
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Thanks Mark,
FYI I have the picture without the reflection.I thought all the flash & reflection added to the excess of the fans.Artistic interpretation if you please.
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Sam Peacock
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Posted: Wed Jan 3rd, 2007 01:32 am |
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| . Attached Image (viewed 1429 times):
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Sam Peacock
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Posted: Wed Jan 3rd, 2007 01:36 am |
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| . Attached Image (viewed 1294 times):
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Mark Goodrich
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Posted: Wed Jan 3rd, 2007 02:14 am |
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Wow, what an amazing array of interesting artifacts, Sam. However, as a fan photo (and that's all we're talking about here), all the other stuff distracts the eye. What we're after is photos that draw the eye into the fan, and its details.
As a general photo of a person's eclectic interests, a sort of contextual record, it's great.
Try taking the same photo again, with the camera about a foot lower, and concentrate on getting the plane of the front of the lens parallel with the plane of the wall, see if you like that better.
The camera's 'eye' needs to be looking directly, straight on, at its main subject, in any sort of photograph.
Thanks for sharing the photo.
Sam Peacock wrote: .
Last edited on Wed Jan 3rd, 2007 03:23 pm by Mark Goodrich
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Chad Baker
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Posted: Wed Jan 3rd, 2007 02:17 am |
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Do these pass the test?
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Chad Baker
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Posted: Wed Jan 3rd, 2007 02:18 am |
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| XX Attached Image (viewed 1765 times):
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Mark Goodrich
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Posted: Wed Jan 3rd, 2007 02:31 am |
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YIKES! Those 16-inchers look mighty precarious!
Please remember, any comments are intended to be constructive and instructive.
Your photo illustrates a number of photographic errors.
The camera was tilted, making everything look like it's listing to one side, drawing the eye away from the subjects and towards the straight lines that should be vertical or horizontal, but are not.
Composition, with the intrusive furniture on the left, and the white table on the right, again draws the eye away from the subject.
The dark rug obscures the small fans, and the entire photo is under exposed.
I've taken the photo into an editing suite, and done three simple adjustments, straightened it, cropped it, and told the software to "auto" fix the exposure and color. See what you think.
Another improvement of this particular composition would be a lower camera angle...very much like the photo of my Electrohomes posted by McComas.
Sam Peacock wrote: .
Attached Image (viewed 1238 times):
 Last edited on Wed Jan 3rd, 2007 02:32 am by Mark Goodrich
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Mark Goodrich
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Posted: Wed Jan 3rd, 2007 02:38 am |
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Excellent lighting and composition, Chad. I especially like the way you angled the fan so the swoopy neck draws the eye straight to the more massive motor. The dark background for this highly reflective "white" object is ideal. This is an example of a photo where the reflective properties of the subject dramatically enhance the photograph...ditto your second version.
Chad Baker wrote: Do these pass the test?
Last edited on Wed Jan 3rd, 2007 03:21 pm by Mark Goodrich
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Mark Goodrich
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Posted: Wed Jan 3rd, 2007 02:43 am |
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Chad, offers of kisses ["XX"] will not help your attempts to win the wonderful prize.
I actually like this shot better than the first. Here's an example of less being more, the close focus bringing out more detail, the part not seen inciting the viewer's imagination.
Chad Baker wrote: XX
Last edited on Wed Jan 3rd, 2007 03:22 pm by Mark Goodrich
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Mark Goodrich
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Posted: Wed Jan 3rd, 2007 02:46 am |
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To reiterate: this contest has several porpoises, not least of which is instructive by close examination of each photograph. No comment is meant to be demeaning or negative.
I was hoping others would offer their comments, as we go along...not "great picture" sorts of things, but genuine critiques that might help the photographer and others improve their photos.
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Will Guidry
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Posted: Wed Jan 3rd, 2007 02:47 am |
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| Mr. Goodrich: "Back in the Day" when I was playing with 35mm SLR stuff an Air Force photographer showed me a lighting "trick"...he reached into his camera bag and whipped out some lucky girl's pantyhose and layered this over his flash attachment to "soften" the strobe....told me that this would diffuse the light and reduce that "in your face" glare. Any truth to this? BTW...do you do nudes? :-)) Will de la Bayou
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Mark Goodrich
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Posted: Wed Jan 3rd, 2007 03:00 am |
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yes, that'll work, but beige hose can give the photo an "off" color cast. These days you can fix that easily with software, if you can get the photo stuffed into your computer; most software will correct it with the "automatic fix" feature.
I always carried a paint filter, available at any paint store, when I was using a big flash...could just drape it over the head of the flash and soften the light. These days, with the tiny flashes that are so efficient, kleenex does the trick.
I'll pm you a nude self portrait::moon:
Will Guidry wrote: Mr. Goodrich: "Back in the Day" when I was playing with 35mm SLR stuff an Air Force photographer showed me a lighting "trick"...he reached into his camera bag and whipped out some lucky girl's pantyhose and layered this over his flash attachment to "soften" the strobe....told me that this would diffuse the light and reduce that "in your face" glare. Any truth to this? BTW...do you do nudes? :-)) Will de la Bayou
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Russ Huber
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Posted: Thu Jan 4th, 2007 07:35 am |
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Mark, based on you did ask for comments...I have a few. I am no photography buff. Susan purchased the Panasonic digital 12 x opitical zoom with optical image stabilizer used for the photos I post. She told me the optical zoom feature surpasses the digital zoom. All I know is you turn the dial to "P", put it on automatic focus, push the shutter button in a practiced way, so it auto focuses and ....SNAP!  Then I take a bunch of em just in case of a outa focus... and dump em into Microsoft picture it! (2002) on the puter. I can size em up, and touch em up using this feature. With practice I have done better photos, and can size em up in a jiffy. My point is, I don't know all this fancy camera jive. And if I can do it, anyone can. All I needed was someone's experience, and patience.
To make a good fan picture in simple terms for FAN GALLERY...A CONTRASTING BACKGROUND- GET THE CENTER OF THE FAN IN YOUR CAMERA CROSSHAIRS-NATURAL LIGHTING PREFERED. Well...as best as you can do it. 
I am with you Mark on trying to get as good a quality pictures in the gallery as we best can(detail). But...speaking from my own opinion..I do like the mug shots IN THE GALLERY. There are some great photos in this thread, that merit forum post, and are magazine cover material. But when I go to gallery...I am looking over the fans features, and individual parts...etc. I like the ability to go side to side...front to back...motor tag info....badge. I am there to study, and learn from the Gallery Fans. Just a thought. 
Attached Image (viewed 1119 times):
 Last edited on Thu Jan 4th, 2007 07:57 am by Russ Huber
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Sam Peacock
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Posted: Thu Jan 4th, 2007 10:10 am |
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| . Attached Image (viewed 1203 times):
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Ron Jeter
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Posted: Thu Jan 4th, 2007 05:24 pm |
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| Nothing Ventured Nothing Gained! Attached Image (viewed 1085 times):
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Terry Fisher
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Posted: Thu Jan 4th, 2007 10:05 pm |
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Hey Ron.................
That fan would even look good in Dark!
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Mark Goodrich
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Posted: Fri Jan 5th, 2007 12:23 am |
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The photo contest isn't about mugshots, it's about...taking better photos, with the idea that we'll then have improved skills for taking mugshots.
You're exactly right about putting the center of the fan in the x-hairs, SO LONG AS you get the plane of the camera lens parallel with the subject, and of course soft natural lighting is easiest and best, but any artificial lighting that you can soften, by bounce, or filtering with hose, etc, also does the trick.
Regarding your photo: nice, even light, good camera position. Next time try using a white base to bring out the dark fan base. You needed a little more light, overall, to pop the details. Nice fan, by the way.
Russ Huber wrote: Mark, based on you did ask for comments...I have a few. I am no photography buff. Susan purchased the Panasonic digital 12 x opitical zoom with optical image stabilizer used for the photos I post. She told me the optical zoom feature surpasses the digital zoom. All I know is you turn the dial to "P", put it on automatic focus, push the shutter button in a practiced way, so it auto focuses and ....SNAP! Then I take a bunch of em just in case of a outa focus... and dump em into Microsoft picture it! (2002) on the puter. I can size em up, and touch em up using this feature. With practice I have done better photos, and can size em up in a jiffy. My point is, I don't know all this fancy camera jive. And if I can do it, anyone can. All I needed was someone's experience, and patience.
To make a good fan picture in simple terms for FAN GALLERY...A CONTRASTING BACKGROUND- GET THE CENTER OF THE FAN IN YOUR CAMERA CROSSHAIRS-NATURAL LIGHTING PREFERED. Well...as best as you can do it.
I am with you Mark on trying to get as good a quality pictures in the gallery as we best can(detail). But...speaking from my own opinion..I do like the mug shots IN THE GALLERY. There are some great photos in this thread, that merit forum post, and are magazine cover material. But when I go to gallery...I am looking over the fans features, and individual parts...etc. I like the ability to go side to side...front to back...motor tag info....badge. I am there to study, and learn from the Gallery Fans. Just a thought.
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Mark Goodrich
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Posted: Fri Jan 5th, 2007 12:26 am |
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DANG, Sam, that's a LOT better FAN photo!
Sam Peacock wrote: .
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Robert Kimball
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Posted: Fri Jan 5th, 2007 12:43 am |
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Hey never mind my bad saw the date!!!! Hi Mark Hey when is dead line for the contest to end...????
My Arm is in sling for a few more weeks but would like to submite a photo.. just need the arm .
Bless Craig Kimball
Last edited on Fri Jan 5th, 2007 03:31 am by
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Mark Goodrich
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| Joined: | Mon Nov 14th, 2005 |
| Location: | Austin |
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Posted: Fri Jan 5th, 2007 01:48 am |
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I want to buy that fan, Ron.
If I may, I'll use your photo to illustrate several photo errors, and ways to improve them. This does not necessarily mean you are a bad person.
When taking a photo, the general rule is to have the light behind you.
The busy background distract the eye, and obscure detail of the subject. A plain, preferably neutral background is best.
The dark shadows obscure all the shadow detail. Again, soft, even light from behind the camera (behind you) or slightly off to the side would make a much better exposure.
Compare your shot with Terry Fisher's water fan, and you can see how even lighting and neutral, light background bring out all the detail that's lost in the shadows.
Terry's setup is very simple, and very inexpensive...poster board. Watch for the next edition of the "Fan Collector" for an explanation.
Thanks for posting the photo.
Ron Jeter wrote: Nothing Ventured Nothing Gained!
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Ron Jeter
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| Joined: | Mon Nov 14th, 2005 |
| Location: | Kingsport TN, USA |
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Posted: Fri Jan 5th, 2007 01:56 am |
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| Mark, All help will be appreciated Thanks - sorry, the 96 is not for sale!!!
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Mark Goodrich
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| Location: | Austin |
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Posted: Fri Jan 5th, 2007 03:07 am |
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THAT necessarily makes you a bad person!!!
Ron Jeter wrote: Mark, All help will be appreciated Thanks - sorry, the 96 is not for sale!!!
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