You may be thinking, "Fans? Why fans? What kind of fan?" After all, there are a number of different sorts.
As to what sort: The sort that you wave languidly about in summer to stir up a breeze is the answer. The sort that ladies used as a handy prop for flirting as well as keeping cool. The sort from which the phrase "fanning out" is derived. As to why: that I can't tell you. I have always liked fans and I wanted to look at photographs of fans. The selection offered by the lovely people who contribute to Creative Commons was varied and beautiful, and it was hard to choose. As always, some of the pictures spoke to me and some didn't. Some I selected are elegantly composed professional photographs; others are tourist snaps made on the fly. Some of the fans are inexpensive souvenirs; some are works of art; some are priceless antiques or heirlooms. For purposes of this essay, I didn't care. My objective in juxtaposing them was to create an artistic piece of my own----a scroll-down collage honoring the photographers who saw these. Because they saw, I see too.
Some of these fans are masterpieces of minimalism and I love them. But the principle on which I operate is the opposite of minimalism. I am all about profusion.
For each of the following photographs, I've linked both to the page where the photo appears in Flickr AND to the photographer's main photo page (so when you love what you see, you can see some more).
I do not own the rights to this Creative Commons photograph, but am
using it in compliance with the terms of the license. Please
don't save or use it without first consulting the terms of the
applicable license. (License is here).
2. Untitled (fans at market) by Bo Brunner
I do not own the rights to this Creative Commons photograph, but am using it in compliance with the terms of the license. Please don't save or use it without first consulting the terms of the applicable license. (License is here).
3.A Closer Look at the Chinese Fan from Suzhou by EEJJ.
I do not own the rights to this Creative Commons photograph, but am using it in compliance with the terms of the license. Please don't save or use it without first consulting the terms of the applicable license. (The license is here.)
4. Folding Fans, Kyoto by Simon Starr (SimonStarr.com)
I do not own the rights to this Creative Commons photograph, but am using it in compliance with the terms of the license. Please don't save or use it without first consulting the terms of the applicable license. (License is here.)
5. Paper Fans by Mayu :P.
I do not own the rights to this Creative Commons photograph, but am using it in compliance with the terms of the license. Please don't save or use it without first consulting the terms of the applicable license. (License is here)
6. China-Xian-fan-of-Poems by Ewen Bell
I do not own the rights to this Creative Commons photograph, but am using it in compliance with the terms of the license. Please don't save or use it without first consulting the terms of the applicable license. (License is here)
7. Fans by Shenghung Lin
I do not own the rights to this Creative Commons photograph, but am using it in compliance with the terms of the license. Please don't save or use it without first consulting the terms of the applicable license. (License is here)
8. Fan by Zoom in Tight
I do not own the rights to this Creative Commons photograph, but am using it in compliance with the terms of the license. Please don't save or use it without first consulting the terms of the applicable license. (The license is here)
9. Serendipity by Paysage du Temps (Prises de sons)
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using it in compliance with the terms of the license. Please
don't save or use it without first consulting the terms of the
applicable license. (The license is here).
10. Fans by David Wilmot.
I do not own the rights to this Creative Commons photograph, but am using it in compliance with the terms of the license. Please don't save or use it without first consulting the terms of the applicable license. (The license is here)
11. Fan Store Cat by Emily (Velvet Skies Will Linger)
I do not own the rights to this Creative Commons photograph, but am using it in compliance with the terms of the license. Please don't save or use it without first consulting the terms of the applicable license. (The license is here)
12. Sensu by Justin Taylor (homepage) 
I do not own the rights to this Creative Commons photograph, but am using it in compliance with the terms of the license. Please don't save or use it without first consulting the terms of the applicable license.(license is here)
13. F is for Fan by Stephanie.
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using it in compliance with the terms of the license. Please
don't save or use it without first consulting the terms of the
applicable license.(license is here)
14. asymmetrical fans by Antje Verena (website)
I do not own the rights to this Creative Commons photograph, but am using it in compliance with the terms of the license. Please don't save or use it without first consulting the terms of the applicable license. (License is here)
16. War Fan 1800-1850 Edo Period Japan Iron bamboo paper colors and lacquer by Mary Harrsch (Mary Harrsch's Home page)
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using it in compliance with the terms of the license. Please
don't save or use it without first consulting the terms of the
applicable license. (The license is here)
16. Belief by Hrvoje Tomic.
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