Camera Ready Antique Gas Engines

Reader Contribution by Staff
Published on June 18, 2012

Our mild Midwest winter transitioned into a mild spring, but by Memorial Day “mild” had left the conversation. It is already turning into a typical sticky summer here in eastern Kansas.

I’m definitely not complaining. I’ll take the heat over snow 365 days a year. And for me, there is nothing better than being barefoot in the warm summer grass, eating burgers from the grill and enjoying the company of friends and family. Add in some antique gas engines (and put on some shoes so I don’t lose any toes, of course) and it sounds like the perfect weekend.

We’re making plans for which shows we’ll be visiting this year, and I can hardly contain my excitement to get out and visit with old friends, and make some new ones as well. I’ve got my camera and voice recorder ready, so I am prepared when I find rare and unusual engines to share with the gas engine community.

And you shouldn’t go to a show without your camera this summer, either. Our staff can only be so many places, so we count on our readers to find great engines and equipment around the world and report back to us. And this year, we’re looking for a great photo to grace the cover of the 2013 Farm Collector Show Directory.

In the fall, we’ll publish a call-out for readers to send in their best show photos from the 2012 season. The staff at Farm Collector and Gas Engine Magazine will select the best of these photos to feature on the cover of the 2013 Farm Collector Show Directory. (You can buy the 2012 Farm Collector Show Directory in our online store.)

We’ll provide more details on specifics in the fall, but the deadline for submissions will be Nov. 2. We ask that you submit good-quality prints or high-resolution digital photos; prints on plain paper and Polaroids will not be considered.

Some things to keep in mind when taking photos:

  • Make sure the whole engine can be seen in the frame, and then take two steps back before taking the photo. This makes it so the engine is still large enough that details are easy to see, and the extra space around the engine gives our designers some canvas to work with so they don’t have to cut off important features.
  • Be mindful of the engine’s surroundings. Are there a lot of people? Trash or debris around the engine? Wait for a break in the crowd and tidy up around the engine to make sure it looks its best.
  • When taking photos outside, be sure to have your back to the sun as the direct sunlight confuses the camera — colors don’t show up as sharply and the sun creates a white glow behind everything.
  • You don’t have to be a professional photographer with expensive equipment, but at least use an actual camera. While mobile technology has made many advances over the years, cell phone cameras just don’t create the same high-quality images that cameras do.

I hope you’re as excited as I am for show season. I can’t wait to see what experiences you capture this summer.

Beth Beavers
Associate Editor
bbeavers@gasenginemagazine.com

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