STOVES Illustrations used for stove catalogues formerly were made by the wood cut process, giving very sharp, clean lines, and an even appearance all through which, I think, is the cause of the requirement for so much preparation in the photographing of stoves nowadays.
The stove, to my mind, does not look right prepared, and I am of the belief that the time is not far off when the manufacturers will insist that the stove be photographed in its natural state. I do not mean just put the stove up and give it a "whack" in any old way, but I really think that if a stove is placed right, the proper lighting and exposure given, and good care exercised, that that photograph will look more natural and will sell more stoves to the average customer than one all doped up to make it look like a Fifth Avenue display.
Nevertheless, most of the stove companies now require that their stoves be prepared before photographing, and a good dope for this purpose is made of lamp black or drop black that has been cut in alcohol, thinned down with water and applied with a soft brush, or with an air brush that will take heavy mixtures. The nickel parts either should be puttied or painted up with zinc ointment, and a great deal can be done with these parts by the proper prepara tion, that is, getting the coating, whether putty or the zinc ointment, on smoothly.
A real help in properly illuminating the stove is the tenting mentioned in the previous chapter, as the white muslin throws a light reflection into the dark .crevices, and tones down the black surface.
In view of the great range of contrast from the whites clear down into the black, the exposure given will have to be very full, and should be made on a double coated plate such as the Standard Orthonon or the Hammer Aurora, or a film with considerable body, which means the Commercial film or Com mercial Ortho.
The lens, as in furniture, will have to be one of very long focus, espe cially for ranges, and the position of the camera should be fairly low to show the four legs and also give a more massive appearance.
Prices for stove negatives, including preparation, unlike that of furniture, are generally quite fair—in fact, I do not know of any kick one could make in this connection, so it gives the photographer time to dope the stove and still make money by this method.
Another way to photograph stoves, and a method frequently used by manufacturers, especially in the small towns where they do not want to go to the expense or inconvenience of sending their stoves to the specialist, or bringing him from the city, or where no one is at hand to do this preparatory work, is to make an 8 x 10 negative of the stove with almost any kind of a light, really paying little or no attention to this end, but getting the proper position. That negative is then blocked out and an enlargement made to 11 x 14 or 14 x 17 for retouching by the commercial artists, employed by the photo engravers who are making up the catalogue. Should prints be wanted for traveling men's sample books, those retouched enlargements can be copied and prints made from the copy negative.
Illustrations No. 43 and No. 44 show stoves that have been made by this means, and while an artificial appearance is given to the stove, some manu facturers seem to like it.
Illustration No. 45 is a photograph of a stove that has been prepared, and No. 46 shows a stove, photographed with a living model, for advertising pur poses. This latter line calls for a lens of good covering power and plenty of light, either daylight or artificial, but mostly daylight supplemented with some artificial light. It is a good field and one highly remunerative.