Tag Archives: combine

Harvest near the Snake River

Posted on August 15, 2011 | Leave a comment

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.

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.

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.

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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Posted in Palouse Landscapes, Photography Advice

Tagged agriculture, combine, farming, harvest, John Deere, landscape, tractor, wheat, wheat field

Controlling artifacts in your images

Posted on August 25, 2009 | Leave a comment

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

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Posted in Palouse Landscapes, Photography Advice

Tagged agriculture, artifact, combine, farming, harvest, harvester, landscape, Palouse, photography, tractor, wheat, wheat field

Grain Elevators in the Palouse

Posted on August 23, 2009 | 3 comments

Grain Elevator on Harvey Shaw Road - Copyright Gary Hamburgh 2009 - All Rights Reserved

While traveling through the Palouse, it is always nice to shoot the beautiful contours, shapes and colors. In addition I like to include barns and old homesteads in the images. I would like to suggest another element of architecture that is often overlooked and that is the grain elevators.

Rolling Hills Lead to the Valley - Copyright Gary Hamburgh - All Rights Reserved

Grain elevators are in abundance in this region and are a very important part of the economy and lifestyle of the grain growers in the Palouse. These large structures can be seen in the countryside as well as in many of the towns. They are typically very large and many times fill the sky as you come upon them. They can be made of various materials but the most of them are made of concrete or steel. Each one seems to have a character of its own and is definitely an addition to the landscape or the overall look of small town.

Harvesting near a Grain Elevator - Copyright Gary Hamburgh 2009 - All Rights Reserved

In this post I have included several elevators and attempted to show how they can be the focus of your compostion or just an element with the overall context of the image.

Grain Elevator in Morning Light - Copyright Gary Hamburgh - All Rights Reserved

I would suggest that you start a collection of images of these awesome gigantic structures that are one of the symbols of life in the Palouse. I find it rewarding and sometimes a challenge to photograph these elevators. Give it a try and enjoy the opportunity as well as the result.

Grain Elevator Fills the Sky - Copyright Gary Hamburgh - All Rights Reserved

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Posted in Palouse Landscapes, Photography Advice

Tagged agriculture, clouds, combine, elevator, farming, grain elevator, harvest, harvester, John Deere, landscape, photography, wheat

Dust as a Creative Element in Your Images

Posted on August 20, 2009 | Leave a comment

Light Filters through Dust and Chaff - Copyright Gary Hamburgh 2009 - All Rights Reserved

A week or so ago, I posted about being careful while shooting the harvest because of the extreme dust. I suggested protecting your gear with rain covers.

Dust surrounds Truck - Copyright Gary Hamburgh 2009 - All Rights Reserved

Last night I had the privilege of shooting the wheat harvest in the Palouse again. This time after protecting my gear, I decided to use the dust that literally fills the air at times as an element to enhance my images. By using the dust in the image a more complete story of the harvest is told. After all, this is dry land farming with no irrigation and dust is very prevalent.

Combine Silhouette at Sunset - Copyright Gary Hamburgh 2009 - All Rights Reserved

By planning for the dust it can emphasize the conditions of the field and also give some substance to the lighting conditions. Remember if used with some forethought dust may become your friend.

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Posted in Palouse Landscapes, Photography Advice

Tagged agriculture, combine, dust, farming, harvest, harvester, John Deere, landscape, Palouse, photography, sunset, tractor, wheat

Make your Images into Products

Posted on August 19, 2009 | Leave a comment

A Deere against the Sky - Copyright Gary Hamburgh 2009 - All Rights Reserved

I am going to share this great post entitled “Want to go Pro? Productize Your Work” by my friend and mentor Scott Bourne. Be creative in putting your images into a product.

Visit the Palouse and share your great images with the world on a collection of products.

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Posted in Palouse Landscapes, Photography Advice

Tagged agriculture, combine, farming, harvest, harvester, John Deere, landscape, Palouse, photography, tractor, wheat, wheat field

Choose your Combine by Color

Posted on August 17, 2009 | 1 comment

John Deere Combine 1 by Gary Hamburgh - All Rights Reserved

When shooting harvest in the Palouse not only are you treated to some beautiful landscape, but the various colors of the farm equipment adds to your images.

John Deere Combine 2 by Gary Hamburgh - All Rights Reserved

John Deere combine 3 by Gary Hamburgh - All Rights Reserved

In this post I am going to mainly just share images with you that were taken during the wheat harvest last week in the Palouse. The harvests showing the John Deere and Case combines were shot near Steptoe Butte. Each of the growers that was using these two brands was harvesting between 8500 and 10,000 acres. These are large operations and involve several combines and trucks at each location.

Case IH Combine 3 by Gary Hamburgh - All Rights Reserved

Case IH Combine by Gary Hamburgh - All Rights Reserved

Case IH Combine 1 by Gary Hamburgh - All Rights Reserved

The harvest showing the Gleaner equipment was shot near Dayton, WA. They were harvesting only 4500 acres and using two combines. In this process a tractor pulls a wagon up to the high country where the grain is emptied then the tractor pulls the wagon down to where it is loaded in a truck.

Gleaner Combine 2 by Gary Hamburgh - All Rights Reserved

Gleaner Combine 1 by Gary Hamburgh - All Rights Reserved

Gleaner Combine 3 by Gary Hamburgh - All Rights Reserved

The dog in the last picture belongs to the man driving the combine. He runs with the combine all day, every day during the harvest.

Try to get to the Palouse to photograph the harvest. It is a colorful scene and very interesting to observe. Hopefully the images in this post let you experience some of the process and scenery that is involved during the wheat harvest.

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Posted in Palouse Landscapes, Photography Advice

Tagged agriculture, clouds, combine, farming, harvest, harvester, John Deere, landscape, Palouse, photography, Steptoe Butte, tractor, wheat, wheat field

Protecting Your Gear in Dusty Conditions

Posted on August 14, 2009 | Leave a comment

Combine Kicks up Dust by Gary Hamburgh - All Rights Reserved

I recently spent the last week shooting wheat harvest in the Palouse area near Colfax, WA. It was a great experience and the scenery was terrific. I quickly became very much aware that I needed to protect my camera gear from the dust that is kicked up by the combines.

The best way to protect your gear in these dusty conditions is with the rain covers you use when you shoot in the rain. They will also protect and keep dust off your gear. I have rarely been in conditions with the extreme dust and chaff that is surrounding you continually. Another word of caution, don’t get directly behind the combine as they are spewing out excessive amounts of dust and chaff whenever they are cutting. In addition to protecting your gear wear something to cover yourself as well because you will be extracting dirt and straw from your person for quite a while if you don’t.

Dust and Chaff in the Air by Gary Hamburgh - All Rights Reserved

In the images that are displayed in this post hopefully you get the idea of the dust and debris that is present. Have a great time shooting the harvest but be prepared so you and your gear can have a more enjoyable time.

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Posted in Palouse Landscapes, Photography Advice

Tagged agriculture, combine, farming, harvest, John Deere, landscape, Palouse, photography, tractor, wheat, wheat field

Lentil Harvest in the Palouse

Posted on August 9, 2009 | 4 comments

Harvest has finally begun in the Palouse. Everything is several weeks later than normal but a visit now will allow you to see the harvest in full swing. Farmers work long hours each day to get the fields cut and the seeds into storage. In addition to the cereal crops of wheat and barley, lentils are also grown and harvested in the Palouse region.

Patterns of Rows by Gary Hamburgh - All Rights Reserved

Palouse farmers generally harvest lentils by mowing and swathing, or they may combine the crop. Swathing is often necessary to kill green weeds and allow them to dry so the lentils can be threshed efficiently. Plants are usually swathed when the pods turn a cream to golden color; then older pods will be dry and their seeds firm.

Lentil Patterns by Gary Hamburgh - All Rights Reserved

The images in this blog were all taken from Steptoe Butte in eastern Washington. This high vantage point gives an almost aerial view so the many patterns and contours of the land and crops can be appreciated. Lentil harvest provides beautiful colors and patterns to enrich the landscape in this picturesque region. Visit this region and come away with some truly unique and colorful images of the harvest.

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Posted in Palouse Landscapes, Photography Advice

Tagged agriculture, combine, farming, harvest, harvester, landscape, lentils, Palouse, photography, Steptoe Butte

Show Your Work

Posted on April 22, 2009 | Leave a comment

Red Combine at Work by Gary Hamburgh - All Rights Reserved

As I have worked over the last few years with my mentor Scott Bourne, he reminds me of three things that will help you to become more successful. They are the following:

1. Show your work

2. Show your work

3. Show your work

He says this to provide emphasis of how important it is to show your work. Getting your work in front of people is so critical to your success in selling. Remember that no one will probably show up at your front door looking to buy your work.

Find any avenue that you can to show your work. I will be showing my work at Walla Walla University in an exhibition for alumni weekend in a couple of days. I taught at the university for thirty four years so many of my former students and colleagues will come by to see my work. It will provide a good opportunity to display my work as well as let people know about the business that I am now involved in.

Below are some of the pieces of artwork that will be displayed during the exhibition. They will all be large gallery wrapped canvases.

Chocolate and Caramel Mounds by Gary Hamburgh - All Rights Reserved

Fading Light by Gary Hamburgh - All Rights Reserved

Wheels in the Wheat by Gary Hamburgh - All Rights Reserved

Evening Light in the Palouse by Gary Hamburgh - All Rights Reserved

Winn Road Barn in Snow by Gary Hamburgh - All Rights Reserved

Remember look for any opportunity you can to follow the advice of “Show your work”.

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Posted in Palouse Landscapes

Tagged barn, clouds, combine, harvest, harvester, landscape, Palouse, Steptoe Butte, tractor, wheat

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS Review

Posted on April 16, 2009 | 1 comment

ef100-400_45-56lisu_586x2251

EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS

I have owned this lens for over two years and it has been a real workhorse for me because of its versatility. This is not the sharpest, fastest or most convenient lens that I own but when I combine what it gives me shot after shot it is indispensable to me. I will discuss some of the things I don’t like about the lens and then talk about its positives.

The push pull zoom is something I still don’t care for. It takes both hands to manipulate it if it is in a locked position. Fortunately I haven’t had any of the dust problems that some people have talked about because of this design, but I find it to be inconvenient. Also the lens for me seems a bit slow on the auto-focus. This has become very evident to me when I am trying to lock on a bird in flight.

Now to the reasons why it has become my favorite walk-around lens. The tremendous versatility it provides because of its zoom range is valuable to me. I find that I use this lens for shooting landscapes as well as wildlife. I may have the lens mounted on a tripod capturing an image of the patterns and textures of the terrain when I notice a bird come into my vicinity. I can immediately adjust to capture that image without changing my lens. This has even become more of an advantage as I have changed to the 5D Mark II with the full frame sensor. I really enjoy being able to use the 100 mm at its full focal length for the landscapes.

The lens is also fairly light to hand hold and the IS feature works very well. The images are sharp and only start to soften slightly as I use the maximum aperture f5.6 at 400 mm. You will find it is important to remember to turn off the IS when you mount it on a tripod and turn it back on again when you hand hold. I fail to do this once in a while and the image sharpness does suffer.

Below are some images that I have taken with this lens in the Palouse that shows its versatility.

Road to the Clouds by Gary Hamburgh - All Rights Reserved - ISO 200 f/13 1/320 200 mm

Ring-necked Pheasant by Gary Hamburgh - All Rights Reserved - ISO 800 f/5.6 1/250 260 mm

Red Combine by Gary Hamburgh - All Rights Reserved - ISO 200 f/10 1/500 400 mm

Red Barn with Fence by Gary Hamburgh - All Rights Reserved - ISO 250 f/11 1/500 120 mm

Mule Deer in Flight by Gary Hamburgh - All Rights Reserved - ISO 1600 f/5.6 1/250 400 mm

I would highly recommend this lens to anyone wanting a good quality walk-around zoom lens. Thanks to its versatility and portability, I think you will find it will become one of your favorite tools as well.

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Posted in Palouse Landscapes, Wildlife in the Palouse

Tagged animal, barn, clouds, combine, deer, harvest, harvester, landscape, mule deer, Palouse, tractor, windmill

Tag Archives: combine

Harvest near the Snake River

Controlling artifacts in your images

Grain Elevators in the Palouse

Dust as a Creative Element in Your Images

Make your Images into Products

Choose your Combine by Color

Protecting Your Gear in Dusty Conditions

Lentil Harvest in the Palouse

Show Your Work

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS Review

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