Tag Archives: wheat field

Harvest near the Snake River

Posted on August 15, 2011 | Leave a comment

Cutting the Wheat - ©Gary Hamburgh 2011 - All Rights Reserved

Last week I spent a couple of days at wheat harvest in the Palouse. The harvest is very late this year due to the weather we had last winter and spring. I visited an area that overlooked Lower Granite Dam on the Snake River to see the harvest in full operation. It was necessary to go farther south in the Palouse to this location because harvest occurs earlier in that area.

Combines Working Together - ©Gary Hamburgh - All Rights Reserved

A Pair of Combines - ©Gary Hamburgh - All Rights Reserved

As I arrived they were just finishing harvesting the winter wheat and the spring wheat was still too green for cutting.  I am including images that give an overall lay of the land as well as the process of cutting and loading the wheat for transport to the grain silos on the river.

View from the Cab - ©Gary Hamburgh - All Rights Reserved

Loading a Truck - ©Gary Hamburgh - All Rights Reserved

The image below was taken as I was standing on the combine. The driver took me right over to the edge to see the view. They actually had just harvested from where I took this picture.

Overlooking Lower Granite Dam - ©Gary Hamburgh - All Rights Reserved

I  hope this post has given you a view of the harvest and some of the terrain where it takes place. If you are interested in photographing the harvest this year, according to the farmers in the area we are still a couple of weeks away from harvesting spring wheat around Colfax and Steptoe Butte.

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Come to Harvest for Great Images

Posted on August 9, 2011 | Leave a comment

Ready for Harvest - Copyright Gary Hamburgh 2010 - All Rights Reserved

It is just about time for me to head over to the Palouse for one of my favorite times of the year. In talking with the farmers in the area, they feel we are just about a week to ten days away from the wheat harvest. If you ever want to capture some great images with large tractors, awesome skies and the actual work that is involved during the wheat harvest, make plans to get to the Palouse during this month.

Combine at Work -©Gary Hamburgh 2010 - All Rights Reserved

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As you prepare to go to this region for photos, plan ahead for the heat which can get into triple digits at times. In addition the conditions are very dusty during harvest in the dry-land farming areas so be prepared to protect your equipment. Even with some extreme conditions, I think you will be rewarded with great images, make new friends and have the opportunity to develop an appreciation for this beautiful region.

I know I will be going over so maybe we will run into each other.

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Vary the Orientation in Your Images

Posted on November 17, 2010 | 4 comments

Clouds over Red Barn 1

As I am sitting in rainy Seattle, I am daydreaming about some of my special sites for photography. Admittedly,  a cloudy sky with an old red barn and abundant wheat crop is one of my favorite views. I can think of no better place for that experience than the Palouse region of eastern Washington.

When you find a scene that you particularly relish,  I would encourage you to shoot it from all angles. In addition I always make a composition in both a landscape and a portrait format. I think each of these can tell a different story or give a more complete story about the scene if both are included. I know this is a simple tip but one that I think will enhance your ability to portray the scene that provided meaning for you.

Clouds over Red Barn 2

Enjoy your time as you visit the Palouse and take in all the beautiful scenery of this photo rich area.

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Isolate Your Subject for Impact

Posted on August 9, 2010 | 2 comments

Old Barn in Wheat Field - ©Gary Hamburgh 2010 - All Rights Reserved

One of my favorite things about photographing in the Palouse is the wide expansive vistas that are available. It makes it very easy to isolate a subject without a lot of wires and clutter around.

The barn in this image was taken in the afternoon and was very easy to shoot from any angle because of the great openness surrounding it. As many times occurs in the Palouse, clouds come up in the afternoon which add to the image. This ability to isolate the subject creates a striking image with simplicity.

To experience this simple beauty, I would suggest a trip to the Palouse area of eastern Washington. Harvest is just starting to get into full swing in the next couple of weeks so the images should be amazing.

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Harvest Is Fast Aproaching

Posted on August 2, 2010 | 2 comments

Ready for Harvest - Copyright Gary Hamburgh 2010 - All Rights Reserved

It is just about time for me to head over to the Palouse for one of my favorite times of the year. In talking with the farmers in the area, they feel we are just about a week to ten days away from the wheat harvest. If you ever want to capture some great images with large tractors, awesome skies and the actual work that is involved during the wheat harvest, make plans to get to the Palouse during this month.

As you prepare to go to this region for photos, plan ahead for the heat which can get into triple digits at times. In addition the conditions are very dusty during harvest in the dry-land farming areas so be prepared to protect your equipment. Even with some extreme conditions, I think you will be rewarded with great images, make new friends and have the opportunity to develop an appreciation for this beautiful region.

I know I will be going over so maybe we will run into each other.

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Utilize Patterns for your Composition

Posted on May 31, 2010 | Leave a comment

Patterns - Copyright Gary Hamburgh 2010 - All Rights Reserved

One of the ideas I like to use as I am compose images in the Palouse, is to simply look for patterns in the fields. These simple patterns can create very striking images as the lines lead you through the image and are also pleasing to the eye.

I also like to visualize these images in both color and black and white. The two images in this post provide an example of the composition that is available by just looking at the patterns that the farmers have created in the fields.

Patterns b&w – Copyright Gary Hamburgh 2010 – All Rights Reserved

As you travel the Palouse making images, remember this simple concept to enhance your photography. The images in this post were created during the recent workshop that I co-directed with Scott Bourne.

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Let Your Phototography Show Your Passion

Posted on February 14, 2010 | Leave a comment

Moon above the Wheat Fields - Copyright Gary Hamburgh 2008 - All Rights Reserved

I spent the last couple of days at a workshop presented by author Terry Gogna who wrote the book “How I Can Get Myself to Do What I Need to Do” . He was a very exciting speaker and gave much advice. I was especially intrigued with his thoughts on motivation and transferred his ideas to my photography.

He discussed 3 types of motivation. External motivation can come from rewards like money or praise. Internal motivation is intrinsic and comes from needs within us. Both of these types of motivation are standard topics whenever motivation is discussed.

The third classification is what really intrigued me. He called it spiritual motivation. This is what really stirs our soul and what we are very passionate about. I feel this passion as I photograph in the Palouse. Its natural beauty and the sculptures that are carved by the farmers really stir my inner soul.

As you are photographing remember this third area of motivation and develop a project that allows you to get to you inner soul. Your images will convey that passion and will be more effective.

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Include something familiar to add perspective

Posted on October 5, 2009 | Leave a comment
High Atop a Bankout Wagon - Copyright Gary Hamburgh 2009 - All Rights Reserved

High Atop a Bankout Wagon - Copyright Gary Hamburgh 2009 - All Rights Reserved

Sometimes it is hard to get the perspective of how large an object, tree, rock or landmark is in a particular image. This is especially true as I like to emphasize the enormity of the equipment used during wheat harvest in the Palouse.

In the photo at the top of the page, I have used one of the workers as he was perched high on a bankout wagon to give perspective to the size of this equipment. These bankout wagons are used in areas where it is not convenient or possible to get a semi-truck and trailer into the field to empty the combine. The bankout wagon is pulled by a tractor to the bottom of the hill where it is unloaded into the semi-truck and trailer so the wheat can be hauled to a grain elevator.

Visit the Palouse and get ready to be amazed at the tremendous size of the equipment. Just the tires alone are almost as tall as a man. Remember using something or someone of a familiar size can add perspective to objects in your images.

In the photo at the top of the page, I have used one of the workers as he was perched high on a bankout wagon to give perspective to the size of this equipment. These bankout wagons are used in areas where it is not convenient or possible to get a semi-truck and trailer into the field to empty the combine. The bankout wagon is pulled by a tractor to the bottom of the hill where it us unloaded into the semi-truck and trailer so the wheat can be hauled to a grain elevator.
Visit the Palouse and get ready to be amazed at the tremendous size of the equipment. Just the tires alone are almost as tall as a man. Remember using something or someone of a familiar size can add perspective to objects in your imagesSometimes it is hard to get the perspective of how large an object, tree, rock or landmark is in a particular image. This is especially true as I like to emphasize the enormity of the equipment used during wheat harvest in the Palouse.
In the photo at the top of the page, I have used one of the workers as he was perched high on a bankout wagon to give perspective to the size of this equipment. These bankout wagons are used in areas where it is not convenient or possible to get a semi-truck and trailer into the field to empty the combine. The bankout wagon is pulled by a tractor to the bottom of the hill where it us unloaded into the semi-truck and trailer so the wheat can be hauled to a grain elevator.
Visit the Palouse and get ready to be amazed at the tremendous size of the equipment. Just the tires alone are almost as tall as a man. Remember using something or someone of a familiar size can add perspective to objects in your images.

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Create images that share your experiences

Posted on September 1, 2009 | 1 comment

Combines at Harvest - Copyright Gary Hamburgh - All Rights Reserved

Combines at Harvest - Copyright Gary Hamburgh - All Rights Reserved

I have stated many times that “I hope to share the beauty that i see with others.” That is my goal as a photographer to share the actual experience that I am having with others.  I love to see vibrant exciting scenes that depict what is actually happening  at the time. I attempt to put myself in a position and frame of mind so I can feel like I am part of the environment and then capture that so others can enjoy that experience later.

I have shown the entire scene as I saw it in the photo at the top. In the second photo i was riding in the combine with the driver to show the details that he sees as he is cutting the wheat. I must admit that it is an awesome experience riding in the combine especially as the terrain steepens.

View from a Combine - Copyright Gary Hamburgh - All Rights Reserved

View from a Combine - Copyright Gary Hamburgh - All Rights Reserved

As you create and share your images with others consider the idea of helping to give them the same sense of time and place that you experienced. I believe this will help you to be more creative and give more impact to your images.

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Controlling artifacts in your images

Posted on August 25, 2009 | Leave a comment

Heading to Unload - Copyright Gary Hamburgh 2009 _ All Rights Reserved

Heading to Unload - Copyright Gary Hamburgh 2009 _ All Rights Reserved

I am sharing an article that discusses a very real problem that can exist in some of your images. The problem is artifacts which are blotchy or jagged areas that appear in the image when you zoom in.

This article was written by Nicole Young and was published by Scott Bourne on Photofocus.  The article explains artifacts and offers some advice for avoiding the problem.

I hope you find this article helpful and will utilize the information as you are creating wonderful images.

Combines at Work - Copyright Gary Hamburgh 2009 - All Rights Reserved

Combines at Work - Copyright Gary Hamburgh 2009 - All Rights Reserved

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