Questions From a Photo Student
About once a month or more I am contacted by a photo student who is tasked with interviewing a photography. To be honest, I am always confused why someone would want to interview me for such an assignment with so many great photographers out there, but I am always willing to help. Such was the case this past week when a college student contacted me. She said she was considering a career in agriculture photography and wondered if I would answer her questions. I was of course happy to oblige. Here were my answers.
1.) Do you live on a farm?
No, but I grew up on a dairy farm. Worked there for 10 years (9 to 19).
2.) What inspired you to photograph agriculture?
I love photography, but I was looking for a niche. Everyone thinks they are a photographer these days, and unless a photographer owns a niche, whether it be geographical or topical, they get lost in the fray. I began photographing the hidden roads of rural Montana in 2010 and that led me to the world of ranching. Wheat and grain farming naturally followed since they are also a big part of Montana’s economy. It kind of took off from there. Of course, my farming experience helped a little, too.
3.) What camera do you use?
I have several cameras. My main camera is a Canon EOS 5DS R, but I also use a Canon 5D EOS Mark III and Canon EOS 7D Mark II.
4.) Do shoot in RAW or JPEG mode?
Almost all of my photos are shot in RAW format and then post-processed. All of the photos you see were taken in RAW and adjusted in some way in my digital darkroom.
5.) What is the best thing about agriculture photography?
The people, probably. They are down to Earth, willing to help, and they love to have their families, operation, and industry photographed. They are proud of what they do. Sometimes other subjects can be pretentious and difficult to work with. I have yet to meet anything with two legs on a farm or ranch that is difficult. If it has four legs, however, that’s a different story.
6.) What’s your favorite thing to photograph when you are on a farm?
I don’t know if I have a favorite thing. I just want to make compelling photos and tell great stories with my camera. I could care less what the subject or topic is as long as i can show it in an interesting way. I’m photographing with my mind and my camera, and I do the best possible job to tell a story visually. Tell me to photograph a stop sign, and as boring as it might be, I would enjoy trying to tell its story.
7.) Why do you prefer agriculture photography over other photographic styles?
Agriculture is really a perfect blend between (1) environmental portraiture, (2) landscape photography, (3) documentary photography, (4) still life photography, and even some (5) automotive photography (although the autos are farm tractors and equipment instead). So as a photographer you never get bored when you’re shooting. You can try on different hats all of the time and not be locked to a certain style.
8.) What editing tools do you use to edit your photos?
Adobe Photoshop
9.) Is there some sort of message you trying to communicate through your photos?
Yes, there is always a message I am hoping to convey. But the message depends on the subject, available lighting, the client who hires me, the story I’m trying to tell, etc. If it is cloudy, then maybe I want to create something moody. If it is sunny, I might want to create something cheerful. But more important than anything is arriving on site and surveying I see and asking myself what message or story I want to tell. Then it is up to me to make the photos that tell that story.
10.) Who are some people who influenced your photography? And why do you look up to them?
The artists who have had the biggest impact on me are (1) Ansel Adams (long before I ever jumped into the world of photography, I became enamored with his photographs…every year I needed a new Ansel Adams calendar), (2) I then became a huge fan of the minimalist works of the Japanese photographer Hiroshi Sugimoto, (3) and as I fell in love with the world of color photography, I studied artists like Mark Rothko for his use of color and composition. (4) Lastly, I became a fan of the storytelling in Henri Cartier-Bresson‘s work.
The only other influence I think I have is one developed on my own. I grew up on a farm and every spring, summer, and fall I would have to help cut hay, chop hay, rake hay, bale hay, etc. which means I was driving around in circles all day long on an open-air tractor. Doing so made it easy for my mind to wander. I would play games; focusing on an object on the horizon and try to see something different in it or on the landscape in front of me.
11.) Did I go to school to study photography?
No. And I encourage people not to do so. I did, however, study business, which has allowed me to be successful in photography where most, frankly, either fail or do not make much money. I encourage people to study business or pursuits that compliment photography and make photography your hobby until people start giving your large sums of money for the work you create and share online. That’s when you will know you made it. It took me about 9 years before I was comfortable taking a leap and becoming a professional photographer. That said, I did study on my own. And I made a lot of photos. I read books, attended seminars, asked questions, experimented with trial and error, and spent a ton of time on my own making photos and editing them. So while I did not pay money to learn from someone else, I did spend as much (if not more) time learning on my own.
12.) How does photography make me feel?
I like to explore. I always have. And I enjoy the high of “getting the shot.” Whenever I can make a photo or tell a story other people talk about, naturally it makes me feel good. But more so, it gives me personal gratification without the need of others to stroke my ego. Even if another person never complimented my photography, I’ve studied photography enough on my own to know what a good photograph is and what a bad one is. And when I get close to perfection (a goal none of my photos has ever yet achieved), I feel great. But remember, it also feels great to pay your bills and earn an income for your needs and the needs of others. When you can turn your passion into income, then you’ll never go to work another day in your life.
