agriculture Archives - Page 2 of 3 - Sean Phillips Photography

Grain Bin Panorama

I went out for a sunrise photoshoot with my Dad the other day while he was visiting for the holidays. It was really nice to be able to head out at a very civilized time (8:00 AM) and still be there in plenty of time to fully enjoy the Magic Hour. This is very different from the other seasons where the sunrise is much earlier in the day, and is one of the few advantages that winter photography has over the summer.

I’ve shot these grain bins before but because of their position relative to the sunrise I knew they would be a good photogenic subject to share with my Dad.

The End of the Harvest

I saw these granaries in a farm field with a conveyor parked in front just as the sun was setting. The last remnants of daylight were starting to fade on the distant horizon. The nearby farmers had only recently finishing up with the harvest and it seemed like a fitting metaphor that the equipment was still parked there as the light faded into night. Everything will soon be put away for the winter, ready to be used again when the time comes that they are needed.

My First Snowy Owl of the Season

I stopped to make a few images of a really great sunset tonight, with a couple of grain bins in a massive Prairie field. It was very beautiful and I managed to catch the indigo sky rising up out of the horizon while the pink glow remained above it. It was one of those magical skies that you really have to visit the Prairies to see.

While I walked back to my truck when I realized that I had parked underneath a beautiful Snowy Owl perching on a power pole. I’ve spent many hours searching for these elusive birds over the last couple of winters and have only rarely seen them. This one wasn’t very happy to have me there, but it must not have minded too much or it would have flown away when I first arrived. I can’t believe I didn’t see it when I first pulled up, and it’s even more amazing that it just stayed there and ignored me. I got to watch it and make images for several minutes before it got too dark. I’m still excited about it several hours later!

Powerful Sunset

I was desperately looking for a scene that would do justice to the beautiful pink glow on these clouds just after the sunset. I almost missed my chance until I saw these power lines in the distance and I was very happy to be able to make the image. I love the contrast between the striking yellow stubble in the prairie field below, and the vivid blue of the sky above.

The Full Moon Rising

I often plan photoshoots to coincide with the moonset at sunrise, around the time of the full moon. This event only happens on one day (or very rarely two days) each month, and as often as not it is obscured by clouds or fog, or I simply can’t make it out at that time on that day of the month. It is a very beautiful thing to see the moon painted with the colors of the sunrise and it really is worth making an extra effort to get out to see it.

I have only rarely considered that the moonrise at sunset is equally beautiful and powerful to see, and I haven’t paid nearly as much attention to the timing of that event each month. It was a happy accident today when I just happened to look over my shoulder and noticed that the moon was rising behind me, and it appeared to be huge against the horizon! I quickly found a nice agricultural scene that would highlight the beauty of the dusky colored moon and made a few nice images.