EQUIPMENT The scope of commercial photography within the past few years has become so broad that the subject has been rendered practically inex haustible. In fact, there does not seem to be any line of business, whether it be that of the promoter, manufacturer, advertiser, architect or law yer, where the use of photographs is not essential, or highly beneficial and a saving financially.
There has been a great deal written in this connection, and for this reason I am not touching on the elementary principles, but only intend the following articles to be a help to commercial photographers in general, as well as the portrait man upon whom occasional or frequent calls may be made for services of this nature.
In selecting apparatus for this work, as the commercial photographer is called upon to photograph anything and everything under all conditions of.light and surroundings and yet make good, the first items to consider are adaptabil ity, durability and appearance. It might be well to state here, that appearance is an important factor, for many a good photographer has been misjudged as to his general ability because of a shabby or makeshift outfit. Therefore, the best apparatus that can be obtained will be found to be the wisest investment in the end, and this apparatus naturally varies somewhat according to the line taken up by the photographer. The man in the large city, doing general work, will need a very much more extensive equipment than the one in the small city where the field is limited, or the specialist who does only architectural, legal, animal or some other one-line photography.
Probably the first thing to be considered in the way of equipment is the camera, which, for real serious commercial work, needs to have good bellows length, that is, thirty to thirty-two inches for 8 x 10; a large front board open ing to accommodate different lenses and shutters ; an excessive double swing, and a rising and falling front. This camera, for quick and sure action, must be absolutely rigid, as well as light in weight for convenience in handling. The specifications of such a camera for both 8 x 10 and 11 x 14 are more nearly met in the Folmer & Schwing commercial camera, 'although they cannot be said to he particularly light in weight.
Another good camera for this work, quite a bit cheaper and somewhat lighter, is the Eastman View No. 2. It has not that excessive swing and some of the other minor adjustments of the Folmer & Schwing, but it is a very good all-round instrument.
The Premo View Camera is another desirable selection. This has the advantage of being still lighter in weight and possesses one excellent feature not found in the two above mentioned, that is, a front that can be tilted forward. This is a wonderful help in photographing interiors from a raised position and is a feature incorporated in all banquet cameras, and the subject of how to use it will be discussed in one of the chapters to follow.
A skyscraper camera, while seldom used, and then only in congested quar ters, is convenient to have for photographing tall buildings, but unless one has very frequent calls for work of this kind, the investment, which is considerable, is unnecessary, as the commercial camera, with an extreme wide-angle lens, will do all and more than the skyscraper.
Just a word at this point about camera cases. As those supplied by the manufacturers are usually of canvas, and seldom of a quality to withstand much hard usage, and in a very short time become very shabby, many of the better class operators have their cases made to order by trunk manufacturers to suit their individual needs, and of a material, such as fiber or leather, which will wear well. This also has the advantage of disguising its purpose, keeps the small boys from following, and sets the photographer in a distinct class far removed from the cheap viewman, who carries his camera on a tripod slung over his shoulder.
As for the number of cameras really needed for outside work, three arc sufficient, an 8 x 10, an 11 x 14, and possibly a speed camera. The 8 x 10 size will be used both inside and outside the studio the more frequently, as it is the standard size of today, probably due to the fact that it more readily fits office files, is a good size from which to enlarge, and is of reasonable cost to the customer.