Church organs (Page 2): The Cathedral at All Souls. The Biltmore Estate and All Souls have an intertwined history.

Chefneil

Architect1776 wrote:

Is this at the Biltmore Estate?
If so it is very large and a camera mounted flash might work or not.
I would try it or use a tripod and no flash.

The Cathedral at All Souls. The Biltmore Estate and All Souls have an intertwined history.

SueMac Loc: Box Elder, SD

http://www.organstoppizza.com/ Here is another link to a large theater organ. If anyone gets to Mesa, AZ, be sure to go here for a good meal and fantastic music. I hope when you get finished with the photos you share some. My hubby is a retired church organist and for a long time we had a small but fully functional church organ in our RV.

Chefneil

SueMac wrote:

http://www.organstoppizza.com/ Here is another link to a large theater organ. If anyone gets to Mesa, AZ, be sure to go here for a good meal and fantastic music. I hope when you get finished with the photos you share some. My hubby is a retired church organist and for a long time we had a small but fully functional church organ in our RV.

Ill bet that RV sounded great when he played Bach!

SueMac Loc: Box Elder, SD

It was unique. Here are a couple of photos. The first photos is in the Country Coach and the 2nd one is in the Dutch Star

(Download)

sledlover

Having helped build the organ in our church. I would make sure you get shots of the pipes. You might have to squeeze yourself into the pipe chamber. On first thought looking straight down the rank (row) from smallest to largest like soldiers in a row with small in forground .

wweary

The Organ Historical Society (organsociety.org) does spectacular organ photography, usually by Len Levasseur or Bill Van Pelt. Check their calendar, filled with such photos.

David in Dallas Loc: Dallas, Texas, USA

I think it will be essential to attempt to control the perspective. Depending on what you are looking for, photos looking up at the pipes may not be best. Some of your takes should probably be from some distance and more or less level with the pipes. If you are photographing the console, other organists will appreciate it if the writing on the stop knobs/tablets and other controls can be read, and you should try to get all of them covered in one or more pictures. If photographing the Organist at work, views from the side showing legs on the pedals are good to have.

I have several Collections on Flickr® of just pipe organs, but Flickr® is "down" right now and I can't get to them. Maybe later I can provide some links. I'm not suggesting they are great, but you might get some ideas from them.

David in Dallas Loc: Dallas, Texas, USA

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Bill P

Theatre pipe organs are defined by their specific sounding pipes and accessiories, and of course location and purpose, but the elements of the instrument aren't located all over the building. The pipes and other stuff, like drums and other percussion instruments and the occasional piano are located in chambers alongside or above the screen, the only thing located outside the front of the theatre is the blower, which should be in a basement or somewhere far away because of noise.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

Chefneil wrote:

I have the opportunity to photograph an organ here in Asheville. This piece is old and full of history. I want to do it right and have a few ideas however any suggestions out there in Hog land sure can help!

Thx, olc

Use a tripod, aim your flash up and behind you. Go manual with the camera and ttl on the flash, shot and check until you get the exposure right(cause with digital you can do that right) Up and behind flash will show the rich wood without the flash hot spots. Your welcome.

David in Dallas Loc: Dallas, Texas, USA

OK, here is one of the pipe organ Collections: https://www.flickr.com/photos/8712554@N02/collections/72157654561051934/.

I documented the construction of our new pipe organ at the church I attend. You might like to browse through the photographs of that process: https://www.flickr.com/photos/8712554@N02/collections/72157600960784783/.

SueMac Loc: Box Elder, SD

Thanks for sharing all the organ photos. We are sure enjoying all your work.

David in Dallas Loc: Dallas, Texas, USA

SueMac wrote:

Thanks for sharing all the organ photos. We are sure enjoying all your work.

Thanks for the nice comments. I've got about 39,000 pictures on Flickr®, reflecting a good part of my photography since 1960. (I've got about 3000 slides of the 1960-1970 era that have not been scanned--some day.)

BobHartung Loc: Bettendorf, IA

Chefneil wrote:

I have the opportunity to photograph an organ here in Asheville. This piece is old and full of history. I want to do it right and have a few ideas however any suggestions out there in Hog land sure can help!

Thx, olc

I find the pipes interesting. See if you can isolate a few and hopefully you will have some nice side lighting to give definition.

Also, check the foot pedals. This is from Camogli, Italy, a very dark corner of a very old church. It did not turn out the way I wanted, but it will give you an idea perhaps. BTW, you should have seen the look on the priest's face when he hurried around the corner and saw me lying on the floor taking a photo of the pedals of this church organ.

rmorrison1116 Loc: Near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania

GENorkus wrote:

Isn't the largest in Atlantic City near the boardwalk someplace?

I'm not totally sure but... a residential pipe organ has pipes only and where as a theater pipe organ has parts all over the building and includes all kinds of other instruments. Sort of like a glockensfiel. (SP???) They were used to make sounds for silent movies.

A true pipe organist might be able to clear this up for you, (and me).

I believe the organ in Atlantic City convention hall is number two, the Wanamaker organ in, I think it's Lord and Taylor now, the old Wanamaker department store in center city Philadelphia is the largest. The one I'm referring to is in the main conservatory at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square PA. Most visitors to the gardens don't even know it's there.