Tag Archives: wheat

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

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

Transporting the wheat to market

Posted on September 3, 2009 | Leave a comment

The last few weeks I have been photographing the wheat harvest and sharing aspects of that process.

Waiting to Load - Copyright Gary Hamburgh 2009 - All Rights Reserved

Yesterday as I was leaving Colfax on my way to Walla Walla I decided to stop at Central Ferry and watch another part of getting the wheat to market.

It is a colorful process watching the tugboats and barges as they wait to be filled and then start on the long journey downriver to market. Central Ferry is located on the Snake River and it is interesting to watch the large trucks unload and then eventually the grain is transferred from the elevators to the waiting barges.

Getting Underway - Copyright Gary Hamburgh 2009-All Rights Reserved

Take the opportunity to visit Central Ferry and you will get some great images as well as be able to see still another step in the wheat harvest.

Headed Downriver to Market - Copyright Gary Hamburgh 2009 - All Rights Reserved

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Posted in Palouse Landscapes, Photography Advice

Tagged agriculture, barge, farming, grain elevator, harvest, landscape, Palouse, photography, tugboat, wheat

Create images that share your experiences

Posted on September 1, 2009 | 1 comment

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

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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Posted in Palouse Landscapes, Photography Advice

Tagged agriculture, farming, harvester, landscape, Palouse, photography, 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

Tag Archives: wheat

Harvest near the Snake River

Come to Harvest for Great Images

Isolate Your Subject for Impact

Harvest Is Fast Aproaching

Utilize Patterns for your Composition

Transporting the wheat to market

Create images that share your experiences

Controlling artifacts in your images

Grain Elevators in the Palouse

Dust as a Creative Element in Your Images

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