Tag Archives: farming

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

Come to Harvest for Great Images

Posted on August 9, 2011 | Leave a comment

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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Posted in Photography Advice

Tagged agriculture, clouds, farming, landscape, photography, wheat, wheat field

Isolate Your Subject for Impact

Posted on August 9, 2010 | 2 comments

GHamburgh_MG_3381-Old-Barn-in-Wheat-Field

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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Posted in Palouse Landscapes, Photography Advice

Tagged agriculture, barn, clouds, farming, landscape, Palouse, photography, wheat, wheat field

Harvest Is Fast Aproaching

Posted on August 2, 2010 | 2 comments

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

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Posted in Photography Advice

Tagged agriculture, clouds, farming, landscape, photography, wheat, wheat field

Communicating through Your Photographs

Posted on July 1, 2010 | 1 comment

Ghamburgh_MG_7758-Mornng-View-from-Steptoe-Butte

I was reading a post by my mentor Scott Bourne on Photofocus this morning. The article is entitled “Five Ways to Get People to Connect with Your Photographs ” and I found the thoughts to be very interesting and useful.

As I read it through a couple of times, I felt the urge to share his thoughts so you can incorporate them into your image making. I believe if you give these ideas a try your work may become more provocative to the audience that views it.

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Posted in Palouse Landscapes, Photography Advice

Tagged farming, landscape, Palouse, photography

Utilize Patterns for your Composition

Posted on May 31, 2010 | Leave a comment

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.

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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Posted in Palouse Landscapes, Photography Advice

Tagged agriculture, farming, landscape, Palouse, photography, wheat, wheat field

Let Your Phototography Show Your Passion

Posted on February 14, 2010 | Leave a comment

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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Posted in Palouse Landscapes, Photography Advice

Tagged farming, landscape, Palouse, photography, wheat field

In a Rut?

Posted on January 22, 2010 | 1 comment

I was sent an article a couple of days ago by a friend and I thought I would share it with you. It is entitled “Choose Your Rut Carefully” and it was written by Lori Woodward Simons. The article deals with how an artist gains a following and becomes known for a particular style or subject.

I have been enjoying photographing in the Palouse for the last few years and that subject has been something I have been known for. As I read the article it made me think about that subject matter and how it fits into my overall work of photography.

I think as you read the article, it will make you do some thinking about your style and how you want to be known. Being in a “rut” can be good or bad depending on your interest and goals.

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Posted in Palouse Landscapes, Photography Advice

Tagged agriculture, barn, farming, landscape, Palouse, photography

To be Simple

Posted on January 5, 2010 | Leave a comment

To be Simple is to be Great!

While on Christmas vacation, this sign caught my eye in a restaurant. It isn’t a great image but I liked the message. This is a meaningful message to me in life as well as in photography.

I have posted messages about simplicity before but the sign at the top of this post reminded me again of the importance of simplicity in your photos. The picture below is very simple but allows me to wonder what is the story behind this deserted homestead. I ask questions like “did anyone ever live here?’, “where did they go when they left,?”, or “do their descendants live in a newer house and farm the land in the background?”

In a simple photo, the viewer gets the message of what you feel is important in the image. If they want to they can fill in the blanks or read between the lines. When you look for simplicity many times it is just as important to know what to leave out of the composition as it is to know what elements to include.

Remember, keeping the concept of simplicity in mind as you create your compositions may provide you with stronger message in your images.

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Posted in Palouse Landscapes, Photography Advice

Tagged clouds, farming, homestead, landscape, Palouse, photography

Use Your Images to Brighten Your Day

Posted on December 7, 2009 | 1 comment

GHamburgh_MG_0731-Yellow-and-Green-Fields

During the winter when days are cold and bleak, I like to remember the beauty of the Palouse by looking at images from another season. The picture at the top of this post was taken last summer when the canola fields were in full bloom. The temperature was in the 90’s, I was dressed in shorts and enjoying the sunshine.

As I heard the news this morning, it was reported the temperature was 7 degrees with a possibility of snow in the Palouse. In Seattle where I live it is in the low 20’s. It definitely did me some good to look at the images from this summer to brighten my spirits and warm my inner soul.

Enjoy your images and see if it works for you.

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Posted in Palouse Landscapes

Tagged farming, landscape, Palouse

Tag Archives: farming

Harvest near the Snake River

Come to Harvest for Great Images

Isolate Your Subject for Impact

Harvest Is Fast Aproaching

Communicating through Your Photographs

Utilize Patterns for your Composition

Let Your Phototography Show Your Passion

In a Rut?

To be Simple

Use Your Images to Brighten Your Day

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