Meanygate meanderings (and beyond) - a farmed landscape

[Ed Sutton]

Has the mud submerged the crop in this scene Dave? It looks like a tide of earth has washed over them. Nice photo.

I think it must have done, there is a slight downward slope towards the camera here and dip where the silt has settled. A bit more obvious in this pic.

 

[Ed Sutton]

Agree about the tower blocks thing.

Shot four is wonderul. The mesh looks like a wave on a beach taken with a slow shutter speed.

Thanks. The mesh, and fleeces, can look deceptively like water in certain conditions.

 

[Ed Sutton]

I hadn't expected to take any/many photographs this evening as it was late and Sundays haven't proved very productive. However I was wrong. Apart from some satisfying pictures of starlings perched on a pylon (which are nothing to do with this project but might be another one!) I got a couple for this project's files. Some maybes too.

In descending order of usefulness:









Just a sunset of a still wet field.



For what it's worth I went old school - 50mm only. It was like stepping back forty years to when that and a 28mm was all I had. Part of me wishes I had the bottle to revert to that approach.

 

[ancient_mariner]

For what it's worth I went old school - 50mm only. It was like stepping back forty years to when that and a 28mm was all I had. Part of me wishes I had the bottle to revert to that approach.

It may well be a phase that will change when I travel and have to shoot on the run, but I'm tending to shoot with just one or 2 primes at the moment. Usually 55/35 or 85/35, but I also dragged out an old Nikkor 135 f2.8 last week. I do it because I like the rendering of a prime over zoom - the fixed focal length does force one to work a little differently, but I don't see that as an advantage.

 

[Ed Sutton]

It may well be a phase that will change when I travel and have to shoot on the run, but I'm tending to shoot with just one or 2 primes at the moment. Usually 55/35 or 85/35, but I also dragged out an old Nikkor 135 f2.8 last week. I do it because I like the rendering of a prime over zoom - the fixed focal length does force one to work a little differently, but I don't see that as an advantage.

My reason for daydreaming about going 'old school' is to stop me taking the kind of pictures I don't want to take. For example, I have an aversion to 24mm as a focal length. It's where the wide angle look starts to appear, but my mid range zooms both start at 24mm, so when I need to go wide the lens gets zoomed right out - if only I could fit a hard stop at 28mm.

It's about knowing the sort of pictures I want to take, and 28mm to 50mm is the range where I could make 90% of them, with something longer to take detail shots without having to get too close.

I like restricting my options too. It may not be an advantage, as such, but it does make me concentrate on framing, whereas zooms make me lazy. The trick is to not worry about the pictures you couldn't take. Eliminate the FOMO!

 

[ancient_mariner]

Personally I like 24mm and happily use 18mm or wider where appropriate provided it's well corrected. Curiously I seldom use anything above 105mm - the 135mm was a bit of a novelty.

 

[Ed Sutton]

Personally I like 24mm and happily use 18mm or wider where appropriate provided it's well corrected. Curiously I seldom use anything above 105mm - the 135mm was a bit of a novelty.

I'm the opposite! I've restricted my wide, wide to an old 20mm Nikkor which I only use for tight spots, or very occasionally for effect. It's replaced the 14-24 I had and the 18-35 I'm getting rid of. Both nice lenses in their way but never worked for me. I find the the 20mm does the same job - I'm happier cutting theings in half at the edge of the frame than getting them all in with that stretched look you can get with ultra wides. It's also tiny, which means for the little it gets used I can leave it in my bag all the time without it adding much weight or taking up space.

I suppose the reason we have all these focal lengths is that everyone sees pictures differently.

 

[ancient_mariner]

I'm the opposite! I've restricted my wide, wide to an old 20mm Nikkor which I only use for tight spots, or very occasionally for effect. It's replaced the 14-24 I had and the 18-35 I'm getting rid of. Both nice lenses in their way but never worked for me. I find the the 20mm does the same job - I'm happier cutting theings in half at the edge of the frame than getting them all in with that stretched look you can get with ultra wides. It's also tiny, which means for the little it gets used I can leave it in my bag all the time without it adding much weight or taking up space.

I suppose the reason we have all these focal lengths is that everyone sees pictures differently.

I think for me, the UW is about how I can frame up and compose, rather than trying to get everything in. I can use it to make small close things seem big and big distant things small, reversing the compression of a tele. Mind you, occasionally it IS good if you have to get everything (or everyone) in.

 

[Ed Sutton]

I can use it to make small close things seem big and big distant things small...

Don't tell Father Dougal!

 

[Mr Badger]

40mm is my favourite if I've got to have a fixed lens on my camera; I find 50mm is often too 'tight' and 35mm is often too wide for a lot of street and documentary stuff. That's where a 24-70, 24-105 or 28-135 walkabout type zoom comes in handy, for those times when 40mm isn't quite right.

 

[Ed Sutton]

40mm is my favourite if I've got to have a fixed lens on my camera; I find 50mm is often too 'tight' and 35mm is often too wide for a lot of street and documentary stuff. That's where a 24-70, 24-105 or 28-135 walkabout type zoom comes in handy, for those times when 40mm isn't quite right.

For a walkabout zoom I'm happy with my 24-85 most of the time as it's small and light and the zoom range suits me - a lot of pics in this thread have been made with it - but out in the flatlands it curves the horizon too much. For everything else it's fine. But it goes to 24mm!! If my ancient 28-105 wasn't a bit crap at the longer end (even by my undemanding standards) and had stabilisation, I'd probably use that all the time. I've stopped using my 28-300 for two reasons - it curves horizons and it goes to 300mm. I'm trying to stay away from the longer focal lengths. But it is a handy lens.

 

[Mr Badger]

For a walkabout zoom I'm happy with my 24-85 most of the time as it's small and light and the zoom range suits me - a lot of pics in this thread have been made with it - but out in the flatlands it curves the horizon too much. For everything else it's fine. But it goes to 24mm!! If my ancient 28-105 wasn't a bit crap at the longer end (even by my undemanding standards) and had stabilisation, I'd probably use that all the time. I've stopped using my 28-300 for two reasons - it curves horizons and it goes to 300mm. I'm trying to stay away from the longer focal lengths. But it is a handy lens.

My 24-105 L is my usual zoom for (full frame) digital stuff but I use an old 28-135 IS (non L) lens on my EOS 35mm film cameras, and I do find that extra 30mm at the top end can be useful at times, but don't often miss the -4mm at the wide end. However, as a fixed focal length lens, I do like 40mm as I find it has a very natural look to it.

Have you ever looked at the XIF data to see what sort of focal length you've taken most of the above shots at? Might be (mildly) interesting to do next time it's raining and you can't go photographing or fishing.

 

[Ed Sutton]

My 24-105 L is my usual zoom for (full frame) digital stuff but I use an old 28-135 IS (non L) lens on my EOS 35mm film cameras, and I do find that extra 30mm at the top end can be useful at times, but don't often miss the -4mm at the wide end. However, as a fixed focal length lens, I do like 40mm as I find it has a very natural look to it.

Have you ever looked at the XIF data to see what sort of focal length you've taken most of the above shots at? Might be (mildly) interesting to do next time it's raining and you can't go photographing or fishing.

I've not checked focal lengths for this project, but I've done it in the past. It's raining now so I'll take a look!

 

[Ed Sutton]

A quick and rough inspection suggests 24/28mm (shortest focal length on four zooms), round about 50mm (some with zooms some with a prime), 85mm (longest focal length on the most used lens) and 300mm (longest focal length on two zooms). 35mm was in there with a shout too.

It was interesting that round-about-50mm applied across the board of zooms.

Back to trying to organise the pictures in my poultry book...

 

[ancient_mariner]

Maybe you need to buy a Sony A7RIV and the new Tamron 28-200.

 

[Ed Sutton]

Maybe you need to buy a Sony A7RIV and the new Tamron 28-200.

The 35-150 for F mount is more appealing.

 

[Ed Sutton]

Very little today, just the one picture - but it makes an interesting comparison.

Last week.

Today.

 

[superpippo]

Remarkable how much growth there has been in only a week. Quite intriguing ‘before’ and ‘after’ shots

 

[Ed Sutton]

It was unexpectedly wet this morning. I didn't realise so much rain had come down yesterday evening and last night, so I was lucky to avoid wet feet. The growers weren't so lucky with one field which had dried turned back into a lake and the field in the above post wet again.



One of the workers was checking it out, spade in hand, and told me they'd only managed a day and a half planting this last week because of the weather and condition of the land. None of the cereal crops have been harvested yet, Barley has really suffered lying nearly flat having been battered by the rain and wind. After the threat of drought in early spring it's turned out to be a wet old summer.



Just a snap of an old tractor which is still in use.

 

[Ed Sutton]

Something I got a snap of a few days ago but wanted a better picture of. A sight you probably wouldn't have seen before Halloween got Americanised. What's wrong with making lanterns from turnips?





Rather more traditional.

 

[Ed Sutton]

I was a good lad today and got on with work this morning. But when the sun came out after lunch I reasoned some glue needed time to cure and shot off in the car (the field path being flooded) to take a figure of eight route.

Having discussed the matter with a potato grower who was installing a diesel pump out on the old marsh some years back I know that one of the difficulties in keeping the land drained is not so much keeping your own drains and ditches in good order, but finding ways to overcome poorly maintained ditches downstream. This is probably one reason some fields hold water longer than others, why pumps are used to pipe water across fields from ditch to ditch, and why some ditches have no or very little flow. Today there were pumps running and a couple of mini-diggers in action all trying to get the water away.





The rain and wind hasn't done the cereal crops any favours at all, with barley almost flattened in a lot of places and nothing on this moss harvested yet. I keep trying to get a picture which shows the sorry state of a crop but they all end up looking an indistinct mess. Like this one. Maybe printed larg enough to show the finer detail?



The celery harvester is still by the track and with the light being favourable I made a few pics of a scenic nature. Although probably not scenic enough for the TP Rural and Scenic forum!



I was trying to make a picture of the two old tractors, but couldn't get an angle which made it work, so I went wider to include the farmers who I've chatted with a time or two now.



They spotted me!



I got some other pictures for the project in addition to these few, so a productive hour and a half which has revitalised my enthusiasm.

 

[Ed Sutton]

Scenic sunsets from last night. I got some better pics on my way home after sunset, but they're not for this project...





Some from this morning showing the effects of the weather. I think the one of the barley manages to illustrate its battered state.







Pylons are a frustration. Crop them or shoot wider? I can never decided.

 

[ancient_mariner]

Pylons are a frustration. Crop them or shoot wider? I can never decided.

They're as much a part of the scene as anything else, so I'd say try to include them in a way that doesn't harm the overall image.

 

[Ed Sutton]

They're as much a part of the scene as anything else, so I'd say try to include them in a way that doesn't harm the overall image.

That's the problem. Include all the pylon and get sky that adds nothing to the picture, or crop the pylon so only a part of it shows and the overall balance is improved but the pylon 'stump' looks a bit odd.

On second look it might be better all in. NB the one above and this one are two different frames, not one cropped and one uncropped. I always hedge my bets!

 

[ancient_mariner]

That's the problem. Include all the pylon and get sky that adds nothing to the picture, or crop the pylon so only a part of it shows and the overall balance is improved but the pylon 'stump' looks a bit odd.

That alternative image is fine, but TBH I'd rather 'shop out a pylon than have it half in. I don't see it as being 'dishonest' to remove junk from an image provided it doesn't alter the scene's meaning.

 

[Ed Sutton]

That alternative image is fine, but TBH I'd rather 'shop out a pylon than have it half in. I don't see it as being 'dishonest' to remove junk from an image provided it doesn't alter the scene's meaning.

I don't 'shop' things out other than dust bunnies - unless I'm making 'art' pictures. Just the way I am. If I was to get rid of the stump it would have to be cropped out, either (preferably) in camera or after the fact.

The more I look at the two the more I prefer the second one posted.

 

[ancient_mariner]

The more I look at the two the more I prefer the second one posted.

I do too, though if I may be so bold, I'd probably just lift the foreground a little to bring out the pattern/texture.

 

[Ed Sutton]

I do too, though if I may be so bold, I'd probably just lift the foreground a little to bring out the pattern/texture.

It's a quick job pulled almost straight out of LR as I hadn't processed it until just now. I think all I did was bring the clouds in a bit.

 

[Ed Sutton]

The last day of summer and still there's horrible wetness and ruined crops.






A weedy field.



Random detail.



On drier, sandier, land in the area cereals are being harvested but still not in great condition. So this pic's not part of the project per se.



I'll see how the next month goes as regards carrying on with this as there'll be less activity, and hence fewer changes. Although the geese will be back in about three weeks so a few pictures of them and the swans grazing the deserted winter fields will be a challenge to make.

 

[Ed Sutton]

One field of cereal has been combined today, but I missed the action, arriving just as the baler left. So nothing fresh added really.

A potato field ready for lifting.


A drying field showing the effect of the flooding on the crop.



Discarded strawberries - which were a big draw for butterflies and wasps.



And a lonely crate.



Time to have a break from this. Maybe...

 

[ancient_mariner]

That last image makes me think of 2 blue buckets.

 

[Ed Sutton]

More of the same old stuff I guess.







I still haven't found out what this is about. It doesn't look as if it's been cut for hay or silage, and the grass seems a bit coarse for turf.





I've walked past this trailer a fair few times but only noticed this textural detail today. Strange how things like that happen.

 

[Mr Badger]

That last image makes me think of 2 blue buckets.

Don't start!

 

[Ed Sutton]

At long last the combines are out. I didn't have much time to spare so only got a handful of pictures, most of which were junk.





Yesterday evening this combine was bogged down in another field and being fitted with an extra set of wheels. While drier than it has been the ground is still pretty soft.

 

[Ed Sutton]

Another rushed walk today shoehorned in between jobs.

Barley battered so badly that a fair bit has been left behind that the combine couldn't scrape up. This being an extreme example.



Damage caused by water pooling. more evident now the remaining crop has grown.



Last cut of what I think will be silage.



But land still being prepared for planting.



I took this last one because, well, just because the dog seemed top be perfectly placed.

 

[Ed Sutton]

It's been hit and miss lately. Mostly miss. Harvesting and baling has nearly all been done with the warm spell, but it's been done while I've been otherwise engaged.



I almost got another pic of a combine combining but by the time I arrived on the scene it had just finished the field... Instead I got some snaps of it loading a trailer. I wanted a wider shot with combine and trailer in but didn't have time to change lenses and if I'd stepped back any further I'd have fallen in a ditch! I like the way this one shows how the grain is fed through and auger.



I've been trying to take photos of round bales which aren't the usual round bale clichés. It's not easy. Boring light, boring composition. That'll have to do.



Then it was back to pictures of fields in various stages of cultivation.



The big flood is slowly receding, but the farmer is working around t.


I can't work this one out, but the pattern caught my eye.



Autumn is certainly here. The geese there's a chill early morning, leaves are starting to turn and fall, and the pinkfoots are back. Already much of the stuble has been worked over in readiness for the next crop. Hoping to get out earlyish tomorrow for a longish walk.

 

[FishyFish]

I’ve seen harvesters loading the trucks on many occasions, but seeing your shot above Is the first time I’ve actually realised that it’s some sort of Archimedes screw that takes the grain up the arm.

i like the rivets at the top too - it gives it an air of some sort of multi-eyed Lovecraftian monster.

 

[Ed Sutton]

I’ve seen harvesters loading the trucks on many occasions, but seeing your shot above Is the first time I’ve actually realised that it’s some sort of Archimedes screw that takes the grain up the arm.

i like the rivets at the top too - it gives it an air of some sort of multi-eyed Lovecraftian monster.

I must have got lucky with that shot because the others I took don't illustrate the effect as clearly. I think it must have been getting to the dregs in the grain tank.

 

[Ed Sutton]

Yesterday brought home to me that it's time to move on from this project. At least for the time being. Or maybe start looking at it from a different angle.

With the arable crops gathered in there is fresh work to be done. One of the autumn/winter jobs is clearing the ditches. I don't particularly like telephoto compression but this picture shows what is being done and also gives an impression of the depth of the ditches. After heavy rain they can be full to the brim and flowing.



A week or so back I had a chat with one of the growers who had doffed his cap for the camera earlier. Recently turned 90 and still out there. I said I'd drop some prints off for him.



Yesterday I had the prints with me and his son was coming back along the track as I got near their yard. Farming is in their blood, it's something they just do. He told me that his homework at school was working on the farm and as soon as he could he left school to carry on farming. They have four tractors. The newest being a 1990 vintage! The others are from the 1980s (below) and the other two I've photographed before which are 1960s. I guess they suit the land and the work. Plus there's less to go wrong with them than the computerised, GPS controlled monsters, and they are easily maintained.

Only a snap as I couldn't get my shadow out of the shot.



I'll continue walking the area, but not so determinedly looking to add to this project. I will start to sort the pictures out to make some sense of what I've got. Maybe a zine to come?

 

[Ed Sutton]

I was looking back trhough some pictures the other day and thought I'd check which lens I'd used because I was sure they were taken on one of my 'pro' lenses. Turns out they weren't. So I'll be keeping hold of my 28-300 despite what the internet say about it!

Here's one it took today. I always think cropping to 5x4 and putting a white border round a picture makes anything look like 'art'. So best viewed on black.