PHOTOGRAPH INFO
This photo was taken on Thursday night around 7:30 p.m. Billy occasionally works at the Thaler dairy farm; on Thursday evening he helped unload freshly baled hay into the old barn.
The two "lights" behind Billy are the result of the evening sun coming through small ventilation windows on the opposite wall of the old stone barn. (According to Jerry Thaler, the barn was built in the late 1700s by Hessians who settled in the region after the Revolutionary War. The barn is full of fascinating details -- I'll work on photographing some of them over the summer.)
Post-processing: Shot with the Canon EOS 5D
Thank you for visiting Durham Township!
--Kathleen
Interesting....the farmer advertises NYC, not JD, IH/Case, FS or Milk, it does a body good. Nice light.
Posted by JPH on May 26, 2007 7:14 AMCool Portrait
Posted by keith on May 26, 2007 8:09 AMA perfectly chosen shot for this weekend!
He stands before you, the epitome of the American man. Young, strong, full of hope. When this country was formed, the farmer was its backbone. They answered the call, put down their implements and picked up their weapons. They were ready to serve, ready to sacrifice and they did; not because it was ordered but because it was the right thing to do and they continue to do so today.
It should not be lost on any of us that he stands in the harvest that is his trade with the sunlight in front of him. He has a smile on his face that helps to dispell the weariness in his eyes. He wears blue jeans and tee shirt, the dress of the common man, with a remembrance, a tribute, to the innocents who died for simply being in our country. He leans on the pen or perhaps a cage that is closing in upon him, making it harder to be free and raise the crops that his family has raised for generations. His eyes are not bloodshot and tired from staring at a computer screen. His hands and back do not ache from typing on a keyboard. His fortune is not won or lost in the electronic world.
He gets up early, he goes to bed late, practicing the trade that made this country great.He is a man of the earth with a strong right arm resting on his thigh, ready to answer the call, poised to pick up either plowshare or rifle.
And behind him is a different light, a light that is in two parts. Are they in direct conflict or a complement to each other? A light of hope or the foreshadowing of an end to a way of life?
Let us not forget, on this special weekend, where we came from and what sacrifices have been made on our behalf.
I continue to admire your work and always enjoy the information you provide about your locations and subjects. Can't wait for the old barn photos.
Posted by melody on May 27, 2007 10:15 PMFantastic light!
Posted by Paulo Jorge Oliveira on May 28, 2007 9:51 AMThis is a very nice portrait in a classic setting. This seems like an "Everyman" portrait of the American farmer.
Posted by Russ on May 29, 2007 9:54 AMWe have heard of Superman, Batman, Spiderman, Tinman, but when a crime goes down in the real world, it is not long before somebody yells, "Hay Man!"
Just out in time for the summer. Now showing at a great photoblog near you.....bails of fun for the whole family....bring your green card.....don't miss the trailer, you'll love it!
Posted by david tinnon on May 29, 2007 3:55 PMThat's why Canon is so good! You can push the ISO and still get full detail.
Great photos everyday! Thanks for being there!