Corporate Redundancy Photo

Photographer’s Note

Large corporations have taken over most of the small small family farms. A few years ago, when I visited Nova Scotia, Robbie’s grandchildren were still driving this old tractor around his farm. I have a picture of Robbie towing his mother on a wagon behind this tractor when it was new; at least 50 years ago. There is another of my husband on the tractor as a child. Now Robbie has died, his son lost the farm and the old tractor rusts away. The big corporate famer who leased the land, sprayed the the blueberry plains across the road into non-productivity. However, I picked blueberries around the tractor even though it has been over 40 years since the farm was worked.

The land where the tractor now sits was his father, Eddie’s, farm. Eddie never owned a tractor; he farmed his 200 acres with horses until he died in 1965. Eddie's oldest son Carl lived on the farm until he died in the early 80s. After that the farm was available for visitors; Robbie’s wife always fixed the place up for guests and the two daughters paid for most of the on-going costs. Now the electricity has been shut off, but there are still signs of love for the old farm. My husband spent summers here and his photos show the place to be in surprisingly good shape.

The children always called their father, Eddie. There is a story about an aunt who tried to get his daughter Grace to use more familiar terms. “If you call your father, Dad,” the aunt promised, “I’ll buy you a new coat.”

This was a very tempting offer and Grace had to think it over. When the aunt returned to asked if she was to get a new coat, Grace said tearfully, “I’d rather have an Eddie than a new coat.”

pboehringer, MickeyP, gunbud, jwmunro, Greg1949, berek, carper, Dpbours, Floydian, AiresSantos, broglia, PixelTerror, Gerrit, ktanska, belido, josepmarin, kmarscher, xuaxo, nwoehnl, MLINES, kiwi_explorer, Angelillo, bakes888, singuanti, john_c, robertosalguero, John_F_Kennedy, devimeuxbe, Henryk_Bilor, banyanman, askiblair, TheMystic, happypoppeye, dareco, stevedinicol, gracious, scobert, avene, samrat_roy1, denisn72 has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

MickeyP (33) 2007-08-12 17:48

We, Americans, can relate to this, Pat... It is unfortunate that only the small secrets need to be protected. The big ones are kept secret by public incredulity, as Mr. McCluhan once noticed.
Corporations are in fact the feudal kings and princes of the 21st century and unless we all wake up one day and take to the streets expressing our rage and showing our strength and power, we may slowly turn into modern day slaves.
What happened to the spirit of the Sixties? Are we all morons caught in the "me" consciousness; too busy looking good metro-sexuals with intelligence level of an ameba?
There is something heavenly behind the silhouette of the rusty tractor and its agonizing helplessness hidden inside the green pastures. It speaks to me: it shouts and it whispers grasping for air just like a dying person...
If I could give you a hundred points at once for this picture, Pat, I would!

gunbud (27833) 2007-08-12 18:20

Hi Pat,
There is much rich color and fine details to this ghost tractor abandoned on land that as gone wild. Wonderful sky that speaks of days when this farm was productive for those who loved it. There was something on TV during the last presidental campagin about this retired auto worker who's last hourly rate of pay was higher than the combined hourly pay of his son, daughter-in-law and grandson. So it is not only happening on the farms but in the city as well.
Regards, Tom

jwmunro (6573) 2007-08-12 19:39

Hello Pat -

Using the family tracker as a FG element for a wonderful landscape makes for an interesting picture and interesting story. I think the tight crop works and the wonderful sky just adds drama to the image. Well done!

Thank you for sharing.

John

ribeiroantonio (21905) 2007-08-12 20:52

That is a nice old tractor indeed. The colours in your picture are fantastic and that sky is superb. Just a question, is the picture not a little bit tilted to the right? It gives me that impression. Well done.
Antonio

PS. Peter’s suggestion about Larry’s old pictures is a good one.

Greg1949 (8507) 2007-08-12 21:21

What a story Pat, I had to read it twice to make sure I didn't miss anything. The photo is great, the composition is fine, the light is adout perfect and then your story gives it a new dimension. Fantastic job.

My only regret is that the story is playing itself out all over the globe and I fear the world will really regret all this one day in the not so distant future.

Greg

berek (28901) 2007-08-12 21:38

Hi Pat,
lovely landscape with old tractor. beautiful colours and very good framing. have a nice week.
B.Erek

jurek1951 (25978) 2007-08-12 21:59

Hi Pat,
It is a very pleasant landscape. very nice composition,The sky is very imposant with a nice colorscale in the clouds from white to darkly,
Geork

Dpbours (220) 2007-08-12 23:40

Hi Pat,

Wow, that is what I call a good shot of rust :-). Wow, what a story! Still on horse power in 1965. My father is a hobby farmer and uses an antique tractor of 50 years old, so there surely were tractors around that time. Hahaha, funny story about the coat!
Perhaps a lower PoV with less sky? I just feel it would be even more attractive if the horizon would be so in the middle of the shot. :-)

Greetings, Dennis

Floydian (30970) 2007-08-13 0:19

Hello Patricia,
What a fine note, very nice to read, gives me a feeling of back to the old days and seeing your picture it only enhance that feeling. The crop is tight, but i like that. For a moment it gave me that Bodie feeling, although this one is much greener than Bodie ever was i think ;-)
Strong and deep colors with high contrast, i like that so much, it's completly my way of photography...excellent work..!!!
Regards, Henk

AiresSantos (42040) 2007-08-13 0:27

Hi Pat,
Very nice composition with a lovely sky. I like details, this ghost tractor abandoned on land that as gone wild. Excellent colours and light well managed
TFS and greetings
Aires

pablominto (40600) 2007-08-13 0:30

Hello Pat,
A nostalgic image with a sad story...
This happens all over the world, at least in countries where industrialized farming is a must to be able to compete...
I notice the rich colours and the good light, lovely details including the attractive sky!
Greetings,
Pablo -

:-) OK-

broglia (3341) 2007-08-13 0:33

Wonderful shot Pat, nice tight composition and the colours appear very natural. The patch of sunlight on the field is priceless. The excellent notes make this a fabulous documentary piece. TFS, Roberto

PixelTerror (86060) 2007-08-13 1:41

Hi Pat,
Looks like you've been travelling far away of your base... nice rural view with a good ray of light onto the field and good rendering of the decayed tractor despite it being in the shade, the clouds populate the sky very nicely.
HLJ, Jean-Yves

carper (64784) 2007-08-13 3:14

lovely shot Pat,
the details of that tractor into the fantastic green tones, with the good light and the fine contrast made this shot very good and the good sky made it complete, very well seen and good photojob here Pat,have a nice day.
gr. jaap

ktanska (16559) 2007-08-13 4:47

Hi Pat,
Lovely shot although the tractor itself is too tightly framed from the front. I like the combination of rust and growing shrubs. Also the background is nice with impressive cloud and sunlit patch.
In Finland large corporations are not interested in farms because there's no money to be made of them.
I'll add this to my theme of old tractors. Which marque is it?
Kari

belido (16421) 2007-08-13 7:04

Hi Pat,

excellent composition with nicely saturated colors and sharpness. I really like those textures and details. Incredible lighting management. Very attractive image. Well done! Just sad about the story...
Regards,
Carlos

feather (49860) 2007-08-13 7:27

Touching note Pat; also one to make you angry.
The rusting tractor is a fitting image to match the note. I love the dramtic sky you had too.
Kath

pboehringer (770) 2007-08-13 7:49

Pat, a good shot with outstanding colors and composition with a very sad story. It seems that the whole world and society changed dramatically in the last 50 years. I'm not quite sure if for better.
Probably a frame littel bit less tight would have been better. It seems to me that there is no space for breathing and yet a beautiful documentary of a nice past. Why not posting a WS with the very old photographies - Larry as a kid on this tractor?
Regards, Peter

[2] +

Cormac (26449) 2007-08-13 7:52

It's a common enough sight in rural areas, but what makes this photo uncommon is the great lighting. That spotlight of sun on the fields adds something special there, and the clouds are shown in great detail too. Excellent work!

josepmarin (33785) 2007-08-13 8:23

Hi Patricia,
This one is a beautiful but a bit sad composition, for what you say in your note.
This old left tractor opens the look us towards a very nice landscape and with a splendid sky, in an image with very good light and beautiful colors.
A beautiful work accompanied of a very interesting note.
Friendly regards, HLJ
Josep

Standa (1861) 2007-08-13 9:20

Hi Pat,
for me is this shot fantastic. Full of nostalgy and excellent captured. All here is well balanced and focused: colours, composition (I like grass in front which makes nice framing), sky, horizont, sharpness.... Well done!
Have a nice week,
Stanislav

kmarscher (2881) 2007-08-13 17:28

I am drawn to farmlands and lived on one for a few of my early years so I appreciate the story ;) and the fantastic shot that is so engaging due to the fore-mid-and background that are all rich in detail and color. Splendid, Pat!
Kathy

izmirli (3129) 2007-08-13 17:35

merhaba dear pat
wonderful landscape and old tractor.wonderful blue sky and clouds.well done.
best regards.
gürkan akçakır.

nwoehnl (120) 2007-08-14 2:41

Fine storytelling in this beautiful photo, Pat. Good inclusion of the rusty equipment in the foreground, and vivid colors all along to the back. I like the streak of sunlight that delivers a brighter streak of green tonality on the grass, and the slightly ominous but beautifully-textured clouds as a topping. Very interesting notes, too.

MLINES (10880) 2007-08-14 17:35

Hi Pat. A very global situation it seems. I like your subject as it brings back memories of Massey Fergusson tractors very similar to this one when we were kids visiting rural relatives too. Wonderful for the site to see this one. TFS. Murray.

xuaxo (5717) 2007-08-15 0:17

Olá Pat,
A beautiful picture for a sad story.
But that story is the same all over the world.
For example, Portugal has a lot of land that is not producing. However, we have to import most of what we eat, and it is expensive.
My family and friends from the poor and dry Cape Verde when they see Portugal's countryside can't understand why so much land and water is not used to produce food. I can't understand either. What I know is that we buy and eat what the big corporations produce, import and sell here.
SAA,
F
Edit: I can't open Larry's workshop bonus photo; it's just blank. But I can see the thumbnail.

kiwi_explorer (12195) 2007-08-15 1:05

Hi Pat,
Well captured scene and aptly titled. The colors and overall contrast in this photo is outstanding. You've composed this very well. Excellent work! tfs
Cheers,
Renier

Angelillo (9065) 2007-08-15 1:17

Hi Pat,

Very useful note, it's the feudalism of modern times. In some senses I think is worst, because today there's not even honor codes! About the shot is beautiful, the old abandoned tractor it's a metaphore of death between the natural life so well colored and rich! The light and the sky are extraordinary! Beautiful shot. Thanks.

Greetings,
Angel.

bakes888 (18165) 2007-08-15 2:28

Hi Pat. Unfortunately money talks louder than true values. The bigger operations are taking over here also and the land is suffering from all this “intensive” farming. Great photo. The field with the dramatic sky make a great backdrop for this well used workhorse. Nice work and thanks for sharing.
Cheers, Paul.

delic (6735) 2007-08-15 15:07

Hello Pat,
You have found a very attractive subject here. Composition is good but it's a bit tight. The tractor needs some brightening. The sky is nice with fluffy clouds, but I would consider cropping it a bit. I enjoyed reading the note. Best wishes,
Hakan

singuanti (15240) 2007-08-15 17:56

Hi Pat. You could almost use a wide-angle here to really fit that amazing sky in even better not to mention the beautiful foreground. I love old tractors like these mostly because of the color and textures they always seem to have. Your DOF is fantastic and you were obviously cognizant of it when you shot f/16. Fantastic shot Pat!

robertosalguero (110) 2007-08-16 23:43

Hello Pat. I visited a farm this past weekend and I get a chance to see some beautiful antiques while there. The farm is old and the original farmhouse is still there, though is super bad shape and almost falling to pieces. Just like the tractor in the picture, they also have an old truck that my friend is planning to restore someday. Lots of work as I see it!...Your picture is very nice. The old, rusty tractor is a beautiful piece of junk sitting there and gracing the view. So many memories in a piece of equipment. The note regarding the farm past and present is kind of sad. Too bad that companies now take care of a place that once was the pride of a family. Thanks for sharing this image and the history beind the farm. Cheers :-)

Roberto

John_F_Kennedy (31355) 2007-08-17 1:57

Very attractive shot. Beautiful photo, the light is very nice, very good mood and well composed.
Best wishes,
Achim

john_c (24635) 2007-08-17 7:40

Hi Pat,
Well, these kinds of shots accompanied by your endearing note always cause me to be wistful and wish for a slower paced society. Thankfully parts of the Maritimes are still relishing the past and a down home lifestyle...The tractor is superbly framed here, cloaked by the field growth. There is good depth and I like your large format. Nostalgia unlimited here. I shall be back there in a month. Cheers.
John

Scharan (13951) 2007-08-17 13:06

Olá Pat

Bonita foto, composição, cores e luz.
Ótimo trabalho Pat, uma imagem com boa nitidez e textura.
Grande abraço,
Vera.

jmcl (13771) 2007-08-17 22:38

Hi Pat,

This image speaks loudly Pat .. The slightly harsh light adds to ambience .. I love the inclusion of the vast rural sky thanks to your format .. I wish you had a nudge of space past the nose of that tractor .. I grew up in rural South Dakota ... big budget corporate farming and rural flight has changed the universe .. melancholy and funny note .. very very nice.

take care,

John

darrasin (2860) 2007-08-20 21:28

Hello Pat! Wonderful story and image, post like this make TE such a great site. The composition is excellent and all the colors are warmly saturated and a pleasure to look at. Very wise to feature that wonderful sky too!

Well done!
Doug

devimeuxbe (55865) 2007-08-20 23:13

Hi Patricia
this old tractor lost in the countryside is interesting. Excellent composition with also a nice sky.
Well done
Bertrand

lestans (15452) 2007-08-22 12:57

Ciao Pat! I forgot this one of yours, it is wonderful!! What a light on these fields! And what a good forground. This countryside is full of life. Fantastic shot! Thank you!
Livia

PJE (19425) 2007-08-22 16:02

Pat the corporate takeover of farms along the Atlantic region has spread across the country out west as well. In our BC province there still remains some smaller dairy farms that allow farmers to make a decent living.
I love the tractor in the foreground in this photo. Add to that the interesting highlights make for an excellent presentation by including the long perspective. I also like the tractors theme and was suprised to find a photo of a tractor that I took a few years ago. Thanks for sharing Pat!

Henryk_Bilor (20365) 2007-08-23 1:06

Hi Pat
Sad picture, but very nice coloured. Interesting composition.
Regards

banyanman (7716) 2007-08-24 7:34

Hi Pat. A very interesting note to accompany this nice still life cum landscape photo. My only criticism would be that the crop is a bit tight on the front of the tractor. Now I'm worried about all those Canadian blueberries I have been eating - I didn't realise they sprayed them with so many chemicals! Cheers . . . David

Angshu (33637) 2007-08-25 1:28

Hi Pat
Well taken shot...the dereliction with the BG of lush green fields. I like your tightest of tight crops. The sky with your favourite clouds form an excellent cap. A very touching note, so well written. Wonderful all round work Pat
Best Regards
Angshu

askiblair (116) 2007-09-01 11:33

Nice shot! I love those clouds. I got a similar shot of the same area. TFS.

paura (38348) 2007-09-02 19:33

Pat,
A lovely landscape. The composition, with old tractor, is very interesting. Sharpness and colors are also very nice.

Well done.

Paulo

TheMystic (896) 2007-09-05 13:23

Great story and a wondefully nostalgic picture. Colors are well saturated, the contrast between the rusty tractor and the lush green is striking, as is the cloudy sky with a shaft of light illuminating the field.
Cheers
Otto

happypoppeye (4060) 2007-09-07 15:54

Great colors Pat. Nice saturated greens, blues and the contrasting reds in the rusted tractor. Sharp and detailed. Composition is excellent also. Just a great looking photo with a great note and title.

Nice work.
John

dareco (17104) 2007-09-15 16:21

What a beautiful story and very much like my own. I love the old farm I grew up on, no one lives there now. Your picture makes me feel very sentimental. Very well done!! Great color! TFS

gracious (20017) 2007-10-06 0:51

Hello Pat,
this is a great and powerful composition!
good pov with great sense of depth, awesome colour and so much details in it!
very well done and composed
TFS
cheers
Tony

marietom (31898) 2007-10-10 1:56

Bonjour pat,

Joli format carré pour nous permettre de découvrir cette "merveille" de rouille !
Marie

venslens (436) 2007-10-18 3:34

it is painful for me to say that this is a good photograph,good compo, great lighting etc., we in india are falling prey for this ruthless corporate tyranny too. farm lands are seized by the corporates to construct factories and the government is happy about it.

scobert (5333) 2008-04-30 11:43

Hi Pat,
A great photo and your usual excellent notes. You did a great job of composition and I love the dappled lighting created by the sun partially being obscurred by the clouds. This photo also has blistering sharpness, without being oversharpened. Even compared to the D300, the D70 is still an excellent camera. Megapixels are overrated. The D70 had 6 megapixels and I believe that the "sweetspot" is between 6 and 8 magapixels for general photography. The 10 and 12 megapixel size was the least of my reasons for purchasing the D200 and the D300. This is really a great photograph!
Stan

samrat_roy1 (683) 2008-05-06 22:15

hi pat
it surely is a very touching story. the look of the tractor makes me wonder about our own life. this is what life is.....isnt it? everyone loves us when we are useful to them, as soon as anything bad happens....they forget us! a true dedication to life, this picture is one of my favourite. thanks for sharing...
cheers

P.S: i will be out of TE for the next two weeks! but do keep in touch...

denisn72 (6979) 2009-06-21 18:11

Hi Pat!
The landscape is awesome as well as the colours.
The old tractor makes a great foreground.
This abandoned Farmall is in bad shape.
It had better days I guess but I like to look at it. Very interesting note and many thanks for sharing!
Best regards
Denis!