Safety and Respect of the Animals
Shooting large animals such as cows and bulls has a risk of danger to the farmer, photographer and animals. So all of the many hundreds of images taken around the animals were mainly in the company of the farmer. Whilst taking such shots, I was instructed how to move amongst and approach the herd as they were not used to my presence, in order not to panic or make them protective of their young in an aggressive manner. During this time as my view was was restricted by viewing down the camera lens, the farmer acted as a spare pair of eyes, should an animal behave erratically.
Cows are beautiful and friendly, but also protective of the young within the herd, so a great deal of care and respect was taken at all times whilst photographing the animals as they grazed etc.
All shots taken during veterinary procedures etc, where animals had to be separated for short times or moved away from the herd, I remained outside the designated holding area and used a longer lens in order not to make the animals necessary but unpleasant treatment more stressful than was required.
Whilst shooting during the winter months I shot from inside the barns with the animals. This was in the same restrictive area as the cows but with the farmer present. The animals were clean and constantly feeding, so had little interest in myself. Also over timer they became more familiar with my presence and inquisitive, often becoming over friendly.
The most dangerous part of the shoot was probably during the Farmer's assistance of the problem birth. For the heffer was in pain and stress and required a rope and pulley to be used to assist the heffer giving birth. This initially made the heffer run around the shed whilst attached to a pulley and a farmer. At the the same time watching the farmer verbally calm the heffer down and assist in the birth was an amazing moment.
I photographed the calves birth, growth and finally be taken to the abattoir to become meat. I could have made the story about the life of a single animal but that seemed prejudicial and sadly a foregone conclusion; making the more complete story of a working farm unable to be told correctly. Therefore allowing viewing people to create an opinion with just a small part of the story represented in images.
Photographing the Non -Animal Parts of the Farm
As with the animal shooting, photographing crop treatment, harvest etc, whilst hanging from the cab of a very large motor vehicle over moving blades is not without risk. However I wanted the viewer to feel part of the process and this involved taking a few agreed risks. As did standing as close to the front of a moving vehicle whilst partaking in its mechanical role, with a wide angled lens, again for the same reason. I wanted to capture the element of "aggressiveness" in these "monster" like machines carrying out their various roles. For these large machines are very expensive and have a realness about them and the potential dangers of working around them.
Choice Of Equipment
I used 3 lens lengths to complete this shoot. The mix was on a 15-35mm, 35-70mm and 70-200mm (used very occasionally)
The vast majority was on wide angle to retain the closeness and due to the vast size of my animal subjects. I used focal lengths which captured rather than distorted the images.
Image manipulation was minimal, occasional cropping, sharpening and relighting when appropriate, but overall as little as possible.
The cameras used were 3 different canon bodies (none of which were full frame sensors - this suited use of wide angle without distortion) and my mobile phone camera at the abattoir in order not to make the management nervous, even though permission was given.
Filling The frame
There were many difficult choices whilst framing my images. I needed to get close enough to the subject to demonstrate the procedure etc but far enough not to exclude important details occurring in the background. For example omitting aggressive behaviour toward an animal outside the frame by the farmer etc would have created a false narrative and omitted relevant detail.
Therefore frame selection whilst shooting was paramount in my mind. I therefore used a wider shot than required and cropped post shoot in order not to omit detail. This was relevant as events often occurred at speed and could not be repeated, due to time, money and most importantly animal welfare.
Comments