Farmland photography: March update (2023)
Taking on a journey through the Canadian prairies for a 5-year photography spree, I've found myself snapping up Alberta's farmlands like a hungry toddler at a cake buffet. My aim? To bring you monthly updates and, at some point, get friendly with the local farmers to add an extra sprinkle of authenticity to my photography tales.
March has been a veritable production line of prairie imagery – I ventured out on four separate occasions, to be precise.
March 05, 2023
Alberta in March is chillier than a snowman's freezer, with temperatures still comfortably below 0 degrees Celsius. On the 5th, I navigated the farmlands of Leduc. Despite a 120-kilometer snowy voyage, the day was as fruitful as a chocolate teapot.
Racing against the sunrise, I did manage to snap a few shots. While they had some lovely hues, the vibrancy was about as impressive as a spoon. One picture featuring a somewhat disinterested horse got an artsy makeover, showing off the sky's colors and the foreground's nippiness.
March 12, 2023
The second outing felt more like winning a small lottery prize, even if the snow did its best to impersonate an enthusiastic tap dancer. This time, I pointed my car towards Devon, intending to get better shots.
I managed to capture a variety of monochrome and color images. The biggest challenge was finding compositions that didn't look like their siblings. Thankfully, the animal kingdom was more cooperative, especially a curious fox that posed for me like a seasoned supermodel.
Post fox photography, with a smorgasbord of grayscale shots and some mild hues; I decided to call it a day. But as luck would have it, on my way back, I was treated to a sparkling snow show in the sun. I captured some truly breathtaking shots featuring a lone tree, a lineup of trees, and beautiful black & white imagery of the sun covered with fog.
March 18, 2023
Opting for a sunset drive to Legal, Alberta, I hoped to bag some dramatic shots of the dusk hues against the farmland structures. But, the sun, in all its glory, was just not feeling very cooperative. It was kind of like asking a cat to fetch – you know what you want, but it just doesn't happen.
After what seemed like a futile mission, the Range Road of Alberta threw me a bone – a barn with poly tanks, to be precise. With my optimism restored, I experimented with various compositions before heading home.
March 26, 2023
Embarking on a foggy drive towards Leduc in the early morning, I had grand illusions of replicating the foggy morning spectacle I witnessed on New Year's Day. Alas, the universe had other plans, and the sunrise was about as vibrant as a beige carpet.
Yet, the foggy morning did lend a surreal quality to the farmland structures bathed in the sun's glow, resulting in some rather intriguing snaps. The only downside was the GF 100-200mmF5.6 lens - great but not as long as I'd have liked, kind of like my patience on a Monday morning.
I wish GFX had longer zoom that does not cost a fortune (like the GF 250mm) and built for a body builder
Closure
Despite this, March was a mixed bag of results, much like a grab bag from your favorite candy store. Still, onwards and upwards - bring it on, April!
I'd love to hear your thoughts on my photographic journey or if you feel there's something else I should zoom in on in the prairies.
Oh, and my gear? It remains the same, and the GF100-200mmF5.6 is sticking to my camera like a loyal sidekick, faithfully capturing the magic of the farmlands.