Chefneil

It is a long story, but I want to take some pictures of an organ at the church my daughter is member of the choir. The organ was put together at the request of a BIG guy in our town over a century ago. I want to have a shoot of the instrument and maybe the man, and give the best picture to him. To do this I'll have to ask him for get access. I think he will let me do it just because I ask, but I want to do it right.

Does anyone out there have any suggestions on researching or the organ or how I should approach the topic with the Choir master?

oldtigger Loc: Roanoke Virginia-USA

i want to see a picture of this 140+ year old organ donor receiving he picture.

Chefneil

So glad you appreciate the nuances of my question -_-

Chefneil

So glad you appreciate the nuances of my question -_-

oldtigger Loc: Roanoke Virginia-USA

if this is really a constructed organ over a century old and in regular use then it deserves to be treated as a major research project.
Be prepared to devote a hundred hours or so and get your facts straight.

insman1132 Loc: Southwest Florida

From the Organ standpoint only, I am assuming because of the age of the Organ it is a Pipe Organ with all the pipes exposed, as compared to being housed in Chambers as they do today. So the picture possibilities and angles showing the pipes, etc are probably endless. You will also want to photo behind the pipes where the Bellows is located and can probably get some interesting pictures of the Console. Views of the console in the foreground with the pipes in the background should be interesting. There are so many possibilities. You may want to go on the Internet and search Great Pipe Organs and you should get a lot of picture ideas from what you find on the internet of other organs.

Obviously you start with contact with the Choir Master, and probably the head Pastor of the church also. You can probably get a lot of history from them, but a lot of local research will need to be done with local historical societies, the library, etc, to determine the full story of the Organ.

Sounds like a fun project. Hopefully we will get to see some of your pictures when you are done. Have fun.

Pilot 6 Loc: Eugene, OR

There are two basic types of church organ: tracker action in which the air is released into the pipe by a mechanical mechanism; and electric action in which the pipe recieves air by electrical contacts openning appropriate valves.
A century ago, the electric console (electric action) was widely preferred as most appropriate for the music of the romantic period which had just ended.
This is relevant to your task of photographing the organ. Tracker organs are built around and above the console and usually can be shot head-on (if there aren't too many pulpits, baptismal fonts etc. in the way) getting the entire instrument in a single shot.
Electrical consoled organs can have ranks of pipes all over the church--usually concealed by ornamental grill-work. It could take several shots to get the entire instrument--and there may be no pipes (which MAKE the organ), showing! In that case, get a good shot of the console and another of the most obvious pipe chamber.
Electric organs were developed in the 19th century and that is probably what you'll be dealing with.