PHOTOGRAPH INFO

This photograph was taken a little over a week ago as (who else?) Jakey was repairing and servicing the silo unloader at the Thaler dairy farm. As the silo is filled during the growing season, the unloader sits atop the packed-down silage (the cows' food). When it's time to use the silage, the unloader digs it up and blows it out one of the silo "doors" into a feed chute. From there the silage goes onto a conveyer and into a giant mixer, where it gets blended with other types of feed to produce a "TMR", or a total mixed ration.

This photograph was shot in one of several silos at the farm. It's a concrete stave silo, 20 feet wide and 80 feet high, built around 1978.

Thanks to Gerry for letting us into the silo, and to Jakey for all the info. (Did I get it right this time? Hahahaha...)

Post-processing: Shot with the Canon EOS 5D and the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L lens at 24mm, ISO 3200, shutter speed 1/30s and aperture f/5. (Next time, tripod...hahahha.)

The Canon 5D allows you to shoot in "RAW+JPEG" format - which means you get a copy of both the RAW file and a camera-processed JPEG file. Although I usually work with RAW files, I've been having fun using the dual mode to create monochrome JPEG copies of the files. I think the 5D handles the monochrome processing really nicely; to me it looks a lot like Neopan 1600 film, which I love. So this image is a 5D-processed monochrome JPEG, although I've used a basic curves adjustment to brighten it a little, and I did some slight color balancing as well.

I think this image looks grainer than it really is because of the cement walls, the coating of dust everywhere and the dust blowing around in the light; it's really not all that grainy on close inspection of the large file. I didn't use any noise reduction software on this, btw.

SPECIAL NOTE: I was shocked (yes, indeed) to find my site was on the front page of digg.com today for several hours: I had 4,000 visitors and 27,000 page views in ONE hour! Great for CNN, but my server blew apart under the pressure -- YIKES! So my apologies to anyone who tried to access the site today and got bumped -- thanks for trying again later! I think we're back to normal now (fingers crossed). :)

Thank you for visiting Durham Township!

--Kathleen

Boy do I know the name of that tune. I have been in Jakey's place in my youth.

My recommendation is that Jakey and anyone else that goes up into the silo should be wearing dust masks. Do have any idea how much molds and fungus are floating around up there. It is NOT a lung healthy environment.

While I've never been into a silo for storing silage before, but I've scooped out my share of grain bins. Thanks for taking me back home to the farm in this picture!

Beautiful shot.

I always wondered exactly how a silo worked, now I know. Beautiful pictures and a little education on the side.

4,000/hour and 27,000 page views, yikes is right, but awesome just the same.

Kathleen -

This shot is absolutely stunning. Timeless. The encompassing mechanics vs. the human interaction portrayed is draw dropping. Almost like the Wizard of Oz is building the machines from War of the Worlds.

Very Killer Bees!!

-Garth

Wow! Amazing! There is nothing else to say!!

i like this one. one of those old look shots. it looks like shot from early 1900 ct. and i like how that little boy looks att fathers work. jut amazing shot.well done K. :)

just gorgeous. great story, great machine, great composition, amaaaaazing light. i love the details, like jakey's features, your son's boots, the light on his cheek, the way he's standing. wow, i just love this one. the care you took in composing and processing it is really clear and i'm so glad it's black and white. so nice, great job all around.

Wonderful composition, and very nice lighting, but the key to this shot, to me, is the rich texture.

This is such a timeless image, it could have been taken 100 years ago. Beautiful tones, great lighting, overall a stunning photograph!

Unbelievable photo, Kathleen. Beautiful beyond words. Just wow... And congrats on Digg... Server strain, but well deserved..!

I was wondering about the lack of dust masks...

It's a great slice of farm life, and view most of us have never seen.

The top half seems grainier because and floating particles; it's almost as if the machinery could use more noise.

You seem to use a lot the wide end of that 24-70. Maybe you should feel more comfortable with a wide angle zoom. That said, I like very much your wide vision and the traetment you give to your pictures.

I forgot to say, nice shot! Good dramatic lighting. Congratulations on the poplularity of your site! It is well deserived. I have you in my RSS feed and so monitor what you put up.

I could really stare at this image all day. It takes me back to my childhood in the Rocky Mountian West, helping my grandfather repair equipment on his large dairy farm.

My grandfather, and the farm, are now gone, but this beautiful image took me from my office in New York City and make me a five year old boy again. Thanks for taking me back!

Excellent work, as always!

I am a long time visitor, but don't comment very often. I love your work. You have a great eye and are quite an inspiration. Your photos tell stories. I would love to visit your part of the world one day. Keep up the good work!

beautiful!

i can't believe this picture is the result of one exposure! There's great details in both the shadows and highlights. Besides technically impressive, the content is eye-opening too. The little boy in huge wellingtons is really cute, by the way. :)

beautiful!

This reminds me of a scene out of the film Pitch Black - the mine shaft scene at the begining! Anyway, enough about the film - this shot is amazing :)

Beautiful ! The upper part is like the bell tower of a cathedral, the mechanics -because all in black and white- make me think of the mechanics of the church clock where I went with my father every day when I was a kid. The texture and the light in this photo are almost touchable.

Superb b&w, and wonderful light!

This is a timeless shot and says a great deal for the quality of Canons' 5D and pro lens the exp is spot on and the detail is outstanding, and at 3200 superb. As an aside picking up on what someone mentioned earlier I cannot believe they are not wearing face masks, why???

congrats on the DIGG
love this shot, very "old timey", its all amazing :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

Wow, this is just outstanding! A beautiful light you captured, and I think the graininess actually adds to the overall mood of this shot.

I'm curious about the advantage of using the JPEG file for the monochrome conversion, if there is an advantage. Is it because you don't have to fool with the usual adjustments that you'd need to apply to the RAW file? I'm curious because my Nikon D2X has the same RAW+JPEG option, but I haven't yet thought of a good reason to shoot in that mode, especially as it drastically reduces the space on the memory card.

By the way, Kathleen, if you wouldn't mind being a little more specific about your Photoshop technique, how did you convert this to monochrome?

Thanks, everyone!

As far as why they weren't wearing dustmasks, it wasn't really that dusty except near the "doors" where the bits of grain were blowing in from the outside. But I'm sure Jakey will chime in with his own answer once he gets a chance.

Judith: I use the RAW+JPG mode because it gives me a set of proofs that come in handy when I want to share the files with someone. I also use the JPG files as a guideline for skin tones. And in this case, I use RAW+JPEG because the 5D does a smashing job of creating monochrome images on its own. I didn't convert this; it's the camera's doing. I just applied a basic curves adjustment and some slight color toning.

I'm using a 4GB Microdrive so space usually isn't a concern. I also have four 2GB CF cards as backup. :)

i keep coming back to this shot, i really like it a lot :)

This is a great shot in a really unique environment.

amazing lighting! it seems the little one is learning the tricks of the trade from a master at the game!

One of the most beautiful B&W shots I've ever seen (and I'm a colour guy, myself). Just gorgeous.

A very different photo of what you usually shoot, it's a great one. The monochrome processing suits perfectly to the ambience of the scene. And the grain in this case adds value.
Congratulations.

I'd no idea what a silo unloader is, but hey, THIS IS A NICE MONOCHROME SHOT!! I think it could be made into a movie poster you know?