Happy Cows, Middlehurst, NZ
Fujifilm GFX100S II, GF100-200mmF5.6 R LM OIS WR + 1.4x, f9 @ 1/180 second, ISO 1250.
I'm just back from MIddlehurst where Tony Hewitt and I ran a small workshop this year. Regular readers will have seen many Middlehurst photos appearing in my newsletter and this week is yet another example.
Now, I'm no farmer and a definite city slicker, so what might be impressive to me might be quite ho-hum to others. Nevertheless, Willie, the station owner, was explaining to me how he could move his herds of cattle around the property using virtual fences. Each animal is fitted with a collar and encourged via satellite control and sound effects to stay within borders that can be set easily with a finger over a map on a touch screen. The technology is transforming the farm, encouraging the herd to graze in areas that might normally be left untouched - and thus increasing the efficiency of the property.
Real farmers, please don't write to me explaining my poor use of terminology, but I am getting better! And the reference to 'Mary' is the name of the paddock!
From a photography point of view, there were some wonderful long, golden grasses around the back of Mount Lookout. The cows are like black punctuation marks and I love the angles of the foothills of the Inland Kaikoura range. I have a little more work to do on this image before including it in the annual photo book.
Each year, the workshop participants, along with Tony and me, put together a lavish, large-format photo book based on the images we've taken during the week - and everyone gets a copy. The book is absolutely sensational, a lay-flat album design produced by Graphistudio in Italy. And for those who are interested, we are getting closer to having a portal where you can order your own books from Graphistudio as well.
If you'd like to join Tony and me next year in Middlehurst, we have quite a few people who are tentatively booked already, with one participant returning for her third trip! So, don't delay and if you'd like to register your interest, send Kim an email so when we finalise the dates, she can let you know. We expect to be there in the first or second week of July 2027. Kim's email is
