Sheep etc.

[Ed Sutton]

Royal Lancashire Show today.

It's a funny game, photography. I grabbed this shot through the crowd barrier, thought it looked a promising idea that would be better without the bars. I took seven more of other sheep by poking the lens through the bars. None of them looked as good as this very first frame. This happens a lot to me. More pics and thoughts later.

 

[Ed Sutton]

I've reached an impasse with sheep shows. It's got difficult to find photos that are different, and I've also got sucked in to taking the kind of photos that the sheep folk expect. Not that I mind doing that but it seems to be stopping me seeing other pictures. I set off today with the idea of adopting a different approach but it didn't happen. In part that's because I hadn't realise the gates open to the public just before judging begins. (I could have got an exhibitors pass but left it too late...) so I missed the penning and preparation. There also wasn't a great number of Lonks or Gritstones entered, so not much of interest as far as book type projects goes. It was more of the same old with an odd attempt at something wacky. The pic in the previous post is definitely my 'shot of the day'.





Only three Lonk flocks represented.







Wackyish.

 

[Ed Sutton]

Tenuous link to sheep alert!

Had a short visit to Helmshore Textile Museum this afternoon, and got a one-to-one version of their wool processing tour and talk. An interesting museum it is too, which I'll go back to fo a longer look. Sadly, given the location in Lonk country, the sheep on the information boards is a Yorkshire sheep - a Swaledale. I made an informal complaint!

Apparently the mill's chimney was built across the road, up a hill, as it was cheaper than building a taller chimney at the mill itself. These mill owners were always looking to save money!



The chimney in this picture is another mill's.



The offending Swaledale...



Recreation of handloom weaving and child labour.



Suppression of the Luddites display and video.



Sheepish gifts.

 

[Ed Sutton]

Another low turnout of Lonks today at Garstang. But maybe a couple of decent pics among what I took?

 

[Ed Sutton]

I've been hoping to get a 'sheep among the ruins' pic for some time.

Would this Lonk lamb oblige by posing nicely?



What do people think?





Can't win 'em all.

 

[Ed Sutton]

It's a funny old game. Halifax show on Saturday and I was lacking enthusiasm. Sunday at Trawden and it was altogether different and I took lots more photos. I can't say the results were much better though!

 

[Cloudforest]

I really like the close-up head Dave and LonK Power is pretty good too.

From the previous post "Sheep Among the Ruins", I like the second.

 

[Ed Sutton]

I really like the close-up head Dave and LonK Power is pretty good too.

From the previous post "Sheep Among the Ruins", I like the second.

Thanks Pete.

I've got a few versions of a Lonk Power polo with sheep and people in the background but this might be my best yet.

The close up is going on my next batch of business cards.

 

[Ed Sutton]

Made an incursion into enemy territory today to see an exhibition at the Dales Countryside Museum to see the exhibition about 'commons' land use. Photography, video, poetry, quotes from land users/managers, and historic artefacts. I passed some sheep being penned on my way there, but didn't stop because they were Swaledales.

I found the photos and paintings lack-lustre or trying too hard (printing the film edge is pretentious IMO), the artefacts, however, were fascinating. The mixed lighting was a pain. You'd think exhibition spaces would have got it sorted by now.

 

[Ed Sutton]

I could feel autumn in the air today at Hornby Sheep Show, a proper local show for local people. Yes, there were Lonks, but most of my better shots were of other breeds.

Probably my best Lonk pics of the day.





'Country Bred' is an old cross of Lonk with Dalesbred or Swaledale. These days it's pure Lonks that are entered. The only reason the class retains the Country Bred name is the old trophies have it engraved on them. Traditions die hard!



Mules arriving and being washed. The cloth caught mid-throw made lifts this picture I think.



Bluefaced Leicesters.





More...

 

[Ed Sutton]

Gotcha!



Herdwick.



I tried some detail shots but didn't really have a suitable lens but it's given me some ideas.



Lonk close-ups.





Thanks for looking in.

 

[Ed Sutton]

A hectic long weekend with three shows in three counties over four days involving over 300 road miles. All for a couple of reasonable photos!

As a standalone pic from Hope Show, this (rare for me black and white) is probably my best of the lot.



That said I made another conversion from my Hope snaps of the Murmuring Wheel, a hasty attempt at a portrait of a wool spinner and her wheel. It needed more time to get the right amount of blur on the spokes, and probably a different setting/background. The idea is there though. Even rarer than a mono pic is the fact I cropped this to a non-standard ratio to eliminate some intrusions camera right.



Saturday's show was at Chipping and while it started dry and ended dry and sunny, the bit in between when the sheep judging took place was WET! I blamed my lack of decent pics on trying to hold and umbrella with one hand and use the camera with the other... The muddy rosette summed things up for me.



Hope was on Monday and it stayed dry. I had no excuses up my sleeve. There was a poor turnout of Lonks but I got two shots that might go in the file for my book.



I liked the wonky Lonk sign, but not much else in this one.



There were lots o Gritstones as it's the breed society's venue for their Champion of Champions show. The judge signing off the results. would have been good for the book. Maybe I can photoshop some horns onto the Gritstone?



If there are any worth showing from Kilnsey I'll make another post in due course.

 

[Ed Sutton]

A short video clip to show how the pros go about photographing the prize winning sheep. The process went on a lot longer than I could be bothered recording!

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSGrUnhubWk

 

[Ed Sutton]

Kilnsey Show. Increasingly at these shows attempts are being made to provide information about what's going on for the benefit of the non-farming public.



All the main breeds of sheep had new information boards.



In the sheep pens the show went on as usual.







Judging over the pens were deserted.

 

[Clive K]

Made an incursion into enemy territory today to see an exhibition at the Dales Countryside Museum to see the exhibition about 'commons' land use. Photography, video, poetry, quotes from land users/managers, and historic artefacts. I passed some sheep being penned on my way there, but didn't stop because they were Swaledales.

I found the photos and paintings lack-lustre or trying too hard (printing the film edge is pretentious IMO), the artefacts, however, were fascinating. The mixed lighting was a pain. You'd think exhibition spaces would have got it sorted by now.

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I find it sad that you were so dismissive of the photos in the exhibition. If you were to study them and ask yourself why they were selected for display you might pick up on things that would help you progress.

 

[Ed Sutton]

I find it sad that you were so dismissive of the photos in the exhibition. If you were to study them and ask yourself why they were selected for display you might pick up on things that would help you progress.

There's quite a lot of wall text telling the story of the commons. Most of the photos were clearly chosen to illustrate this. There were a few standalone photos that were worth spending a bit of time with. The artefacts were much more interesting for me though.

As an exhibition about the history and future of the commons it's very good. As a photography exhibition (which it isn't) it's average.

There was a much better exhibition of photographs regarding farming in the dales at the same museum in 2017.

 

[Clive K]

If you cannot see what element you are missing from the relevant exhibition photos that are evident to me even at this distance then your photography of country competitions is hardly likely to improve. This is reflected in your comments about how pro's photograph the winning competitors. It is all going over your head.

That's it from me. I won't trouble you again.

 

[Ed Sutton]

If you cannot see what element you are missing from the relevant exhibition photos that are evident to me even at this distance then your photography of country competitions is hardly likely to improve. This is reflected in your comments about how pro's photograph the winning competitors. It is all going over your head.

Perhaps you could enlighten me?

 

[Ed Sutton]

I got invited to something different last night. A Young Farmers' Charity Speed Shear. It wasn't quite what I was expecting!

The shearing competition was as I thought it would be. The disco lights and pounding bass wasn't.

The event took place in the main ring at Gisburn mart in front of a packed house.



Shearing is done against the clock in a few classes, including under 21 and veteran, and not a male preserve.



Time isn't everything, judges deduct points for wool left on the sheep and any nicks to the skin.



I knew it would be fairly dark but the disco lights really played havoc with white balance.



The heats were just one sheep per shearer. In the finals they had to clip two.



On your marks...



A challenging evening as far as the photography for a number of reasons. The light was one, but the way the shearers work round and turn the sheep was another. I'd start off with a good angle to see sheep and shearer's face then seconds later they'd have their back to me. Lesson's learned though.

 

[Ed Sutton]

Bentham Show is held in the auction mart and is very cramped in the sheep pens. There is a 'Black-Faced' sheep class which is usually all Lonks, but this year there were some Scotch Blackfaced sheep entered too. They are descended from the same Heath Sheep as the Lonk, Swaledale, Dalesbred and Rough Fell. The one with the grey nose is the Blackie.




The Judge was a Lonk man and unsurprisingly Lonks took most of the rosettes home. They were the majority of sheep in the class.





I made a slightly better effort of photographing the winner. Great to see the younger generations taking an interest.



The overall champion sheep was a Bluefaced Leicester. Photographed for comedic effect...



...and being congratulated here.



Thanks for looking.

 

[Ed Sutton]

Show season is all but over for me. The big Westmorland Count was last Wednesday and Thursday, sheep on the first day. Another low turnout of Lonks ,but hundreds of other sheep.

Emma was left to fetch teh Lee's Lonks on her own while husband and son parked the pickup and trailer!



New to showing Lonks are the Pepper family. Sheep mad Edie watched over by mum Amy.



There was an outdoor photo exhibition of Amy Bateman's book project, 40 Farms, about Lakeland farming. A great way to show photos to a wider public.



I took a look at some other breeds.

Rough Fells (AKA Kendal Roughs) were well represented as always on their home turf.



Plenty of Herdwicks too.




There were rare/minority breeds there too. Well behaved Hebridean's being led to their pens.



Saturday I was closer to home in the Hodder Valley.

TBC

 

[Ed Sutton]

The Hodder Valley Show moves venue each year. This year it was right by the river at Newton. It's a show that seems to me to be just the right size. Easy to get round but still with lots to see.



A Facebook shout out for more Lonk entries saw one of the best turnouts of the season.



Plenty of life left in this bib and brace!









The autumn sales have already kicked off, but I missed last Saturday's by being at Hodder, and I have a work commitment next weekend. So that'll be me going silent for a while!

Thanks for looking as always.

 

[Ed Sutton]

The silence is broken! On Saturday I'd arranged to follow the Lonk markers as they did their rounds registering sheep yesterday. I wasn't sure if it would come off so didn't mention it. A last minute message and I had the prospect of finding a farm way off the beaten track by 7.30am!

Registered sheep are eligible to enter the association's shows and sales and is a requirement for entry in the Great Yorkshire Show too. Fees are charged which help the association's finances.

The sheep are judged for confirmation to the breed standard, and those that pass muster are horn branded, ewes on the right horn only, tups on both.





Sheep are gathered and penned in readiness for inspection and tension mounts.



One slight fault will see a tup rejected.



There's no smoke without fire.



There's plenty of smoke! Still photos, and even video, can't get across what the experience is like.



Looking back there's a couple of shots maybe I should have got. But I'm not sure they'd have added much or make the cut for my book.

It was a privilege to be invited along to make an effort at recording the day. I learned a bit more about sheep and sheep dogs too.

 

[Ed Sutton]

Autumn's a busy time in the sheep world with society shows and sales as the search for fresh breeding stock gets underway prior to the tups starting work. The Clitheroe horned and hill-going sheep sale is the first event of the season for me

I often try a slow shutter speed when the sheep are going through the ring but I'm not sure it adds anything to the story.



Who's looking at who?



Next up the annual Lonk show at it's traditional location.



There's a couple of classes for the best wool on a sheep.



The following day I was off to Holmfirth to photograph the Whitefaced Woodland show and sale. A new one for me and a tricky venue to take photos in.



Pre-sale tooth checking.

 

[Woolsocks]

Am I going to get in trouble for commenting ?

I've always found livestock auctions interesting. Especially the auctioneer fast pace talking. I did not expect to see a woman wearing yoga pants though. That was a shock. Jeans are the life of all farmers around here. Not many eat lamb here, except for Muslims and some French (from the nation). And most wool is from Australia. Rare to see any sheep. Cows and bulls. Nice to see images of pampered sheep. Keep em comming

 

[Peter123]

Where is “here”?

 

[Woolsocks]

Where is “here"

When I was young I went to my first livestock auction. It was in Alberta, Canada. Some horses and food stock. But 90% is cattle. A lot of forests are being cleared with bull dozers(I watched it happen when I was 8 years old). Some land is farmed. Other land that is "retaken" is used for cattle grazing. The industry in Alberta is huge. There is so much cattle they end up exporting to all other provinces as well as foreign exports to Japan etc. Unlike dog breeders who use proven blood lines and tests for disease. Farmers who raise cattle can tell just by looking at them run around the pen. Fascinating stuff. I've never seen in person sheep being cleaned and groomed for auction. Almost reminds me of dog shows, but much more hairy.

 

[Ed Sutton]

Where is “here”?

Which post are you referring to?

 

[Peter123]

Which post are you referring to?

The one directly above mine.
.

 

[Peter123]

When I was young I went to my first livestock auction. It was in Alberta, Canada. Some horses and food stock. But 90% is cattle. A lot of forests are being cleared with bull dozers(I watched it happen when I was 8 years old). Some land is farmed. Other land that is "retaken" is used for cattle grazing. The industry in Alberta is huge. There is so much cattle they end up exporting to all other provinces as well as foreign exports to Japan etc. Unlike dog breeders who use proven blood lines and tests for disease. Farmers who raise cattle can tell just by looking at them run around the pen. Fascinating stuff. I've never seen in person sheep being cleaned and groomed for auction. Almost reminds me of dog shows, but much more hairy.

It helps if you fill in your location in your profile.

 

[Ed Sutton]

The one directly above mine.
.

Ah.

 

[Peter123]

Ah.

Ed. I assume you've read/seen Ian Lawson's work on Herdwicks?
I went to the exhibition at Reged when it first came out.
Also, my wife bought me Forty Farms by Amy Bateman (I went to school with one of the farmer's featured).
Ian Lawson's images do stand out to me.

 

[Ed Sutton]

Ed. I assume you've read/seen Ian Lawson's work on Herdwicks?
I went to the exhibition at Reged when it first came out.
Also, my wife bought me Forty Farms by Amy Bateman (I went to school with one of the farmer's featured).
Ian Lawson's images do stand out to me.

I have seen some of both. Not a fan of Lawson's first Herdwick pictures. I found the processing a bit garish. Although I've seen some more recent stuff that looked toned down.

I was going to buy a copy of Amy Bateman's book at the Westmorland show but she was too busy talking to someone to take my cash, so I put it back in my wallet. It's cheaper on Amazon anyway so I'll get a copy eventually!

I have probably mentioned the John and Eliza Forder's books on hill farming somewhere in this thread. They are pretty much my touchstone when it comes to this kind of thing. Available quite cheaply on the s/h market now and well worth a look IMO.

John Bentley's recent book is good. Melissa Peakman's Teeswater project deserves to be published IMO. Bill Robertson's photos mostly of Rough Fells and Herdwicks are worth checking out on X/Twitter - he might be working on a book.

 

[Peter123]

Yes, when I saw the pictures I thought the printer had overdone the reds in particular.

 

[Ed Sutton]

I think it's time to pause this thread until I have something new to photograph as I'm repeating events, subjects and themes. I'm mostly photographing for my Lonk book project now in any case.

So for now...

The Lonk show was held in sunshine and showers. There's something about the details in this picture that I like, as well as the overall composition. It's busy, but I like busy photos.



After the show I went with Eli and Eli junior to photograph them sorting Lonks from Gritstones, and then split the Lonks into groups for the annual sale the following weekend.



The sale was a good one for trade.



There were 30 shearling tups entered in the pre-sale show, which took some time to judge.



One of them was a bit on the lively side. As it came into the shed it headed straight for me, then leapt knocking me flat on my back. Luckily I was uninjured. It could have been nasty hitting a concrete floor as my camera found out!



Needless to say, after initial concern for my well being my mishap has now become a source of amusement!

So that's it for now. Thanks to all who have looked in and commented. Now to concentrate on that book.

 

[superpippo]

Best of luck with the book.
This thread has always been an interesting read and your cross references to other authors/photographers has been useful and enlightening.

 

[Ed Sutton]

Best of luck with the book.
This thread has always been an interesting read and your cross references to other authors/photographers has been useful and enlightening.

Thanks Alan. It's nice to make other people's work known. The book is in one of it's hiatus periods, but should soon be moving again.

 

[Ed Sutton]

I think it's time to pause this thread until I have something new to photograph

Purely by chance I bumped into Steve again and he invited me to photograph his sheep being dipped for scab the following day before the went away for a winter holiday near the coast.

This year has been bad for sheep scab. Steve had dipped in the summer, but a recurrence in a couple or three sheep made him call themobile dipper in again to prevent his sheep spreading it to neighbouring flocks where they will be wintering.

This photo has no artistic merit, but it shows the mobile dipper which can be towed by a pickup. The ramps at each end stow on/under the trailer in transit.



The sheep go up the ramp and into the dipping tank where they stay for a minute, being dunked at intervals.



There's only one way out of the tank and that's close off by a gate. I don't like ultrawide lenses but when there isn't much space they are useful and I put up with the inevitable distortion when in close. To get this shot I was teetering on the narrow foot ramp, holding on to the side of the sheep ramp with my left hand!





Out of teh tank and the sheep stand to shake and drip dry before being released back to the field.






More...

 

[Ed Sutton]

the job is priced per sheep. A counter is used to keep tally. Shearers use them too.



The dipping stick.



I was pleased with this shot as it shows the flow of sheep from dipper to field.



That was my unexpected photo shoot. Some useful additions to the files for my book too. Thanks for looking.