Photographing the golden, whispering wheat fields.

Line of trees in a wheat field and dark sky

Okay, okay so I’ve gone crazy and have made sooo many stops along the roadside this last month to photograph those awesome, golden fields!!

Photographing those golden, whispering wheat fields is a privilege and a joy. Each year opportunities arise for the photographer as the seasons come and go. The sun heads north to the cold, and the moon seems to take on a brighter, paler shade of gold.

My first experience photographing a wheat field many years ago was inspiring and a lesson in farm life and the Australian countryside.

The wind was blowing, a wave of warm air flowing and touching the sheaves of wheat. Each wheat plant moved in unison and harmony with the ones beside it and around it, simply rolling, cascading, floating and sweeping across the sunburnt field. I was mesmerised and I felt like I was in heaven. Seriously… the swishing sound, the waves of the wind blowing across the field, the magical feeling, the breeze on my face, the sun just setting. The vastness of the field, the colour, and the sight like no other on any farmland I had ever visited. I reckon I had a tear or two or three. A moment of worship to the creator of heaven and earth!

Farmers are the artists of the earth, I am sure they too appreciate what they have done.

Actually one Novemeber whilst lingering over a field leaning on the fence taking photographs of a harvester working, a man in this enormous machine stopped and yelled out his window “Do ya wanna ride?” I freaked out thinking “Oh my goodness in the middle of the Aussie countryside a man in a harvester is trying to wooo me?? I said the most silly thing!

“Umm I’ll go and ask my husband.”

He replied, “Yeah we’ve got two harvesters working today he can ride in the other one.”

And so we did…. had the ride of our life and learnt quite a bit from our conversations with the drivers.

Back to my point…. Do they enjoy what they do?

I commented “Oh this must be boring for you, you must be so used to this type of work?

To which he replied, “No, we love it, we talk to each other all day on the radios, we unload the wheat regularly onto the chaser, we chase foxes, snakes, rats and birds away, the harvester never stops, a tractor comes alongside to give us food…. and so and so on…AND we have quite regularly given friends, family and strange women with camera’s, rides on the harvester…never a dull moment really!!

An experience we never forget and seem to always talk about each year as we pass their fields.

Golden wheat field and faint dark tree in the background

Swirling golden wheat fields and a bird flying above

The two images above are my artsy efforts to show how my mind received and interpreted the wavy motion of the wheat as the winds and breezes swept over this field. ( Use the liquify tool in photoshop to make some swirls and twirls and bends.)

Wheat fields over the hills and white clouds

Wheat field and an old house in background

Harvester in a wheat field harvesting the grain

Wheat field with harvester way in the distance

As a photographer….

One of the best times to photograph a wheat field is usually as the sun sets, this gives the wheat or barley a very golden aura. I also find a very grey overcast day good too. Use a tripod and I usually set my camera at 100 or over, for my shutter speed, and between 5.6 and 11 for aperture.

Your favorite locations have the unique ability to change with the seasons, the time of day and the weather. How could a photographer ever get bored?? The variety of these golden farmers fields is endless. I found a few good tips in this article on how to adapt in your photography skills in each season. READ HERE

I have darkened the sky in a few of the above photos or changed the sky completely. Photoshop has a sky replacement tool. You can take a photograph of a sky you like, then import into photoshop and then add that sky to your landscape shot. It will be two of your own images combined into one.

The sky replacement tool is a lot of fun and very simple to use. For a good and formative Utube video on how to use this photoshop tool READ HERE

Extra note I never wander into any farmers fields. Please stick to your side of the fence. They will thank you for that and maybe you will even be offered a ride as we were!!

Travel -local

Trekking to South Australia lone Apostle.

Locating Yorke Peninsula’s lone apostle.

Embarking on a walk over the towering cliffs of the...

Oct 8, 2023

Travel -local

A strange and eerie place to visit

I am very excited to share this blog because it is a...

Aug 16, 2023

Travel -local

Snowy mountains near Lake heron New Zealand

Photographing the New Zealand mountains

Blizzards, below zero temperatures, snow, slippery...

Aug 16, 2024

Is pink a good colour in photography?

Pink

Pink is rich in symbolism and can portray many concepts. Pink is timeless and over the years has been used for love, romance, babies and a general feeling of warmth. Pink is a combination of red and white, and sometimes soft hues of orange. Red is one of the primary colours and very bright and stimulating, hence the addition of white produces a soft and warm shade which appeals to our feminine side. However even men have a feminine side and can appreciate the beauty of pink!!

Pink is calm and soft and warm. A predominant shade when the sun sets and when the sun rises, pink is often spell binding in its ability to lighten and soften our thought patterns. Pink is used regularly and often in photography and is a great choice when photographing outdoors.

Here are some ideas on how to get the best out of your landscape photography incorporating the colour pink.

1. Sunset. I regularly see people gather in various locations to view a sunset. Why because of its beauty and no doubt its tendency to calm and soothe us. A sunset is a great opportunity to visit your favorite photography locations and experiment with settings as the sun goes down. I have learnt to slow my shutter speed as the sun gets lower in the sky.

2. Sunrise is not so frequented by the crowds, perhaps because they are still sleeping. A sunrise has a sharper and crisper element to it, whereas a sunset is more musky and muted. Sunrise does require you to get up early but when I visit the mountains I am never disappointed. So get up early and take a stroll to a good spot to sit and watch the morning light. I am not good at using a tripod, but I always do for early morning shots.

3. Pink is often associated with babies, children, girls and clothing and rooms. watch out for shades of pink in homes, and clothing. And as I said before don’t exclude men, Rick Stein a TV food presenter very often wears a pink shirt and it looks great! Hence when putting people into your landscape shots a hint of pink will make them stand out and yet add a touch of gentleness and warmth.

4. Most times in a setting sun I will actually not photograph the sun but will turn in the exact opposite direction and photograph from this angle. In fact most of my shots below are of this type of shot. The pinks are vivid and and slowly turn to a purply blue shade. Timing is critical so be in your location at least an hour to 30 mins before the sun sets.

5. Try slowing your camera shutter speed down to create an even softer effect. Practise and practise again. I constantly check my shots in the view finder and then make any alterations to my camera settings.

CHECK THIS OUT a great article by Lisa Michelle Burns on how to achieve those pastel shades in your landscape photography.

Enjoy the evening hues when you next view the heavens as the sun is setting.

Photography

Canola fields are here again, get your camera out!!

The canola fields of South Australia are quite spectacular. Yellow being the brightest visible...

Wendy Philip|Sep 28, 2022

Photography

The beautiful Chinamans Hat Island

Chinamans Hat Island is located in the Dhilba Garuunda National Park Yorke Peninsula. As the seasons and the weather change so does the look of this tiny but beautiful island.

Wendy Philip|Oct 1, 2022

Photography

Photographing surfing, (what not to do.)

Surfing life in South Australia... .....is mainly centred around family holidays and...

Wendy Philip|Oct 12, 2022

Is light blue a good colour in photography

Colour lightens our life and adds such a beautiful dimension to all we see.

How clever is our God to come up with a concept like colour. Through our eyes we absorb the beauty of creation in an array of colours. Each sunset, each green grassy slope, each red harsh desert, the ocean, greens to deep blues… one certainly could write pages of descriptions, endless and timeless.

We need light to see these colours, darkness cannot comprehend or display any colour at all.

One of the most tranquil and calming colours apparently is light blue.

Soft and gentle, cool and clear. From snowy mountains captured in the South Island of New Zealand to brilliant coastal sights captured in South Australia.

Light blue is good for your health and your soul. As we view this soft colour endorphines are released and we are calmed and soothed. Being a cool colour it also has a cleansing and refreshing effect on us.

Conclusion….Yes, light blue is a fabulous colour to use in your photography!

Tips to get that soft light blue colour.

*Editing your photos becomes a must, as the blue of the sky or the ocean is quite a vivid blue and very often is not that soft gentle shade we want. I generally desaturate my images and try and tone down the brightness of the blue. I often raise the exposure a little as well.

* You may try adding a haze of white over your blue sky to soften it. I use photoshop for this.

* Snowy scenes are often perfect for that light blue shade. The sky in the early morning around the mountains can look quite spectacular. Once again try the desaturation slider if the blue is too intense.

* Try photgraphing on a cloudy day and try different settings. Experimentation is a great way to perfect your art.

* In South Australia there are some magnificent salt lakes that are that exact soft light blue shade. So if you are fortunate enough to live near some salt lakes, try your hand at photographing those.

* Dial the shutter speed down a bit so your images are a fraction lighter. Take a look and make the necessary changes.

Good luck and have fun.

Gallery

Black and white images of our coastline

Black and white ocean with one white cloud

Black and white images stand out as being simple and yet bold.

Photographing the coastline and then converting the image to black and white often makes for calming, simplistic and interesting scenes.

To make my home beautiful is to make my life beautiful.

The spaces I create around myself must be calming and nice to look at. They should be enjoyable for guests and practical to live, sleep, cook, entertain and move around in.

I have a soft coastal theme in my home. White walls and neutral coloured furniture. My prints and paintings are mainly of the ocean.

Let me try to explain what the ocean vibe does to my soul….. and how I enjoy black and white prints. (Let me say, not all my prints are black and white, I love a pop of colour here and there in my home for a bit of vibrance and that uplifting feel.)

1. Waves have patterns, lines and give you a sense of motion. The creation of a wave is beyond my understanding but they are inspiring and the many different facets of a wave make them wonderful to photograph. From enormous, daunting, misty waves to completely calm and tranquil scenes, sometimes I just sit and absorb.

2. A boat or yacht can convey a sense of freedom. Yachts are one of my favorite things to photograph. The white sail contrasts beautifully with the darker background colour of the ocean.

3. Seabirds also give a sense of freedom. Soaring, flying, gazing. Seabirds make great images which can be converted into black and white.

4. A splash of colour in a dark ocean image, mystifying and elegant. This can draw the eye to a particular object.

5. People…Busy beach scenes seem to be all the go at the moment. If you are in the mood to take a few photographs of this genre, choose a hot afternoon and head to a crowded beach. It’s so much fun planning and instigating a simple photoshoot like this. Take lots of images and then view the details up close. You’ll see people chatting, people eating, swimmers, dogs, children, sandcastles, and all manner of things. These images can be a “Wheres Wally?” to a viewer. Lots of fun and very interesting.

6. Black and white. When I get my images home I usually transfer them to a programme called Silver Efex so that I can convert them to black and white. I then usually use the structure slider and minimise the hard lines. It’s personal and about what YOU like. Take your time to experiment with your settings and then choose your preferred option.

Black and white is timeless. It will not date as quickly as colour. I encourage you to get your black and white ocean images framed and put them on your walls.

Two basic colours at the end of the spectrum provide room for our imaginations. Two extremes of light and dark with many shades of grey in between. It’s perhaps the shades of grey that provide the connections between the black and white. This makes it easier for our eye to roam around the image, appreciating the variations.

surfer runs up the beach black and white

Photography

Canola fields are here again, get your camera out!!

The canola fields of South Australia are quite spectacular. Yellow being the brightest visible colour in the spectrum makes these fields an eye...

Wendy Philip|Sep 28, 2022

Photography

The beautiful Chinamans Hat Island

Chinamans Hat Island is located in the Dhilba Garuunda National Park Yorke Peninsula. As the seasons and the weather change so does the look of this tiny but beautiful island.

Wendy Philip|Oct 1, 2022

Photography

Photographing surfing, (what not to do.)

Surfing life in South Australia... .....is mainly centred around family holidays and extra weekend breaks. Over the years I have learnt...

Wendy Philip|Oct 12, 2022

Locating Yorke Peninsula’s lone apostle.

Embarking on a walk over the towering cliffs of the south end of Yorke Peninsula, we made a journey to try and discover the one lone apostle. A lonely fisherman had reported seeing this legendary rock from his boat in the ocean. But no land living creature, that we knew, had ever pointed out this amazing discovery to us.

Did we really have an apostle? Victoria had twelve, (Yeah right!! There are really only eight and rumour has it, there never, ever were twelve, it was simply a marketing ploy.)

Could South Australia possibly have just one for a few isolated adventurers like me and my husband?
Well we were about to find out!
We felt like the explorers of old….phone, water, sun hat, insect repel, camera, good shoes, snake protectors etc.

I think the explorers of old had note paper instead of a camera, old boots instead of good Nike trekking shoes, kerosene as insect repellent, and as the movies depict they always lost their water on the way so almost died of thirst!!

No dying on the journey for us we’re far too clever and modern.