Meanygate meanderings (and beyond) - a farmed landscape

Yes, I see what you mean. The grid works as a picture on its own and highlights the differences between the individual frames; the zine only gives you the individual image.
 
Boots said:
Yes, I see what you mean. The grid works as a picture on its own and highlights the differences between the individual frames; the zine only gives you the individual image.
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Maybe a different format with two pictures per page (four per spread) would work better? Or just leave them as a grid!
 
jerry12953 said:
I wonder if you could crop one of the pair on p14 /15 to lose the buildings on the horizon?
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Probably.

What this exercise has done is point out that I'd have been better off if I'd shot with a plan to make a set of identically framed shots. :banghead:
 
Ed Sutton said:
Probably.

What this exercise has done is point out that I'd have been better off if I'd shot with a plan to make a set of identically framed shots. :banghead:
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Could you postpone completion of the project (or that part of it) and return in the spring with that in mind? Working with "nature" often entails delays like this.

Incidentally, do you know of a book that discusses the preparation of one's work for a photo book? I have a very good one on preparing work for exhibition purposes but that's a different kettle of fish.
 
jerry12953 said:
Could you postpone completion of the project (or that part of it) and return in the spring with that in mind? Working with "nature" often entails delays like this.
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I will be back as it's on my doorstep and I might well revisit the theme to try to make a set of more consistent pictures. The problem with that is is that when I am deliberately trying to make pictures to a plan either they don't work out or I get bored with the process. If I get an idea and carry it out while the it still excites me things tend to succeed, when I revisit an idea after the initial thrill has gone it become a chore.

I've also planned out a number of projects based around a series of preconceived pictures and given up after taking two or three because it's like box ticking. It's the element of not knowing what will appear before me that I find inspiring in photography. The chance to be surprised by what the world throws at me.

There are lots of people for whom the planning and execution of an idea works really well. They have the patience to wait for the right conditions and so forth. While I'm waiting I start wandering off (in my mind and physically) and start taking photos of other stuff, then forget what it was I was supposed to be photographing!

It's possible that if I revisit my files I might find a more visually coherent set of pictures as one thing I do is to take variations of compositions - on the basis that I don't know how I'll end up using the pictures and one version might work better than another. I know some people think you should only try to take the one composition as taking more suggests you haven't got it right, but when I used to write for fishing mags I always tried to get horizontal and vertical pictures and pictures with lots of negative space to help with page layouts.(Early on I was told that the more picture options you provide the better the chance of getting an article published. :)) This has carried over into my general photography. More so since I have started making zines and things.

On the whole I think I might just start again and see if I can make a larger book/zine with a wider variety of pictures. I can see how a larger page size with small grids combined with the more documentary pictures could work. Although I am hoping to expand the documentary side next year now I've got to know a few farmers. So it might end up as a work in progress.

jerry12953 said:
Incidentally, do you know of a book that discusses the preparation of one's work for a photo book?
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I've not come across anything like that yet, but it would be useful. I have seen a few bits and bobs on various websites but they've not really told me much I hadn't worked out for myself. It might be worth having a search.
 
I get where you're coming from, I think. You know what works for you!

I'm getting to the point where I might want to put my "Homage to Fay Godwin" into some kind of physical form in the near future. I'm making progress with the b&w conversions and still manage the odd new snap now and again.

Ed Sutton said:
as taking more suggests you haven't got it right
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I'm with you there......there's often no such thing as "right" or you only realise what it is after a long period of assessment and reflection.
 
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jerry12953 said:
I get where you're coming from, I think. You know what works for you!
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I know my faults. ;)

jerry12953 said:
I'm getting to the point where I might want to put my "Homage to Fay Godwin" into some kind of physical form in the near future. I'm making progress with the b&w conversions and still manage the odd new snap now and again.
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Sounds an interesting project. I take it you are considering book form?

jerry12953 said:
I'm with you there......there's often no such thing as "right" or you only realise what it is after a long period of assessment and reflection.
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Or what is 'right' for display/publication in a particular context. And, yes, the passage of time does affect how we respond to our (and other people's) pictures.
 
Last meandering of 2020. A definite change in conditions. Heavy overnight frost followed by sunshine to melt the surface and evening mist as the temperature dropped again.

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A new pump has been installed. This is about as close to a 'traditional' landscape picture as I'm likely to own up to!

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I've only just realised there's a bird perched on this trailer. It isn't on the next frame.

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I rather like your third frame, and your final one... very 2001 A Space Odyssey
 
Boots said:
I rather like your third frame, and your final one... very 2001 A Space Odyssey
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I've always liked photographing with the sun in fog.

Right back to when I started taking photos in 1877 1977. :D
 
First meandering of 2021. It must have been a cold one last night as the canal had a lid on this morning, but I couldn't face sliding about on the ice early doors. Where the sun hadn't got to the tarmac it was still like a skating rink after noon when I got out.

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I’ve found those ‘stretchy coiled spring’ things that you can put onto your boots work well on icy tarmac.
 
sphexx said:
I’ve found those ‘stretchy coiled spring’ things that you can put onto your boots work well on icy tarmac.
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I think I know the things you mean.

If I order some that should see the frosts disappear until next winter. (y)
 
These are the things I’ve used — not this make, it’s just the first I found.

Anti-Slip Shoes Ice Grips, 1 Pair Stainless Steel Ice Shoes Grippers Walker safety Winter Traction Device Snow Cleats Traction : Amazon.co.uk: Sports & Outdoors

Shop Anti-Slip Shoes Ice Grips, 1 Pair Stainless Steel Ice Shoes Grippers Walker safety Winter Traction Device Snow Cleats Traction. Free delivery and returns on all eligible orders.
www.amazon.co.uk

I also tried the ‘spikes’ that you screw into the soles of your boots that people use for ice running & they worked until they came out — no doubt depends on the soles but I wasn’t going to ruin all my footwear experimenting, especially since the spring things worked for me :).
 
Still icy out there, but some land has been ploughed (but not photographed...). The diesel pump has been moved upstream as it were, but piped to discharge in the same place. The pumping has lowered the ditch level and cause the ice to break.

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I don't give pictures titles but this one could be '2020'. :giggle:

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The weather's been grim this week so I've mostly not been going out. When I did it was only for short walks late on.

For some reason this picture of pinkfoots heading over the moss to the marsh makes me feel like I'm out there even though there's only sky. I've always found it difficult to take pictures of these flocks which get across the numbers but this one is coming close.

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Most of the human activity on the moss, and elsewhere round here, recently has been ditch clearing. A couple of times over the last few weeks I've arrived when work was over for the day. On Tuesday I missed out because the digger had been busy and was a bit far off.

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I doubt I'll manage to fit many wanderings in for a while now as I've got a load of work to cacth up on now the stuff I've been waiting for has arrived, so after a trip to the post today I drove round the meanygates rather than walk to see what things looked like in the mist and frost. Misty, frosty and deserted as it turned out.

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Funny how you can suddenly spot stuff that you must have walked past a few times. For some reason these pumpkin stalks (?) stood out today.

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Then there's taking a route you've not walked for a while and finding something's changed. Like this fresh pile of, I think, strawberry leaves.

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And a freshly cut channel to drain one of the flooded fields.

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I also took a rare for me vertical shot which provides more of an explanation. It has given me a nudge to take more verticals.

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Finally a pump has developed a leak.

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#1 is weird! #3 is good and (I think) #4 would be great with a little crop top and bottom
 
Too wet to walk across the fields today so I had a quick spin in the car when it looked like the rain had stopped, only to get caught out in a shower after I parked up. It's put some water down. So much the pumps won't be much use until it starts finding its own way out.

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The cattle have a bit of dry(ish) ground left, where their hay is stashed.

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Much the same round me, in North York’s but not much rain has fallen actually where I am.
 
sphexx said:
Much the same round me, in North York’s but not much rain has fallen actually where I am.
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It's probably all fallen here before it got to the Pennines! :D Although there's snow drifts up Buttertubs way from what I've seen on Twitter.
 
Ed Sutton said:
It's probably all fallen here before it got to the Pennines! :D Although there's snow drifts up Buttertubs way from what I've seen on Twitter.
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My comment wasn’t clear, plenty of flooded fields between here and York so you didn’t keep it all to yourself :(.
 
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