Strawberry Fields (And Plastics) Forever (VIII) (Variation on a Theme)** *

'Strawberry Fields Forever (VIII)' -- is a variation on a theme,

and, though it may look familiar, is an entirely new workup of a

completely different photo than any I've ever posted. Your ratings

and critiques are invited and most welcome. If you rate harshly or

very critically, please submit a helpful and constructive comment;

please share your superior photographic knowledge to help improve my

photography. Thanks! Enjoy! John

I noticed the pattern first, then I thought it was a desert, so I was forced to really look it over and I see the mesh. very interesting composition.

regards

vallery b

For obvious (I think) reasons this photo is destined for my Presentation 'Threes' in which 'Threes' plays an important part in the exposition and/or composition of the various photos on display therein. The brethren of this photo is in that portfolio now, I think as well as the 'B & W from Then to Now' folder, in case you wish to make a comparison and maybe comment on which of these two 'twin' photos is the better or more pleasing to you.

Thanks.

John (Crosley)

That is somewhat confusing stuff in this photo; it's not actually 'mesh' as you supposed, at all, but it's mounded earth, underlain by irrigation pipes, then overlain by newly planted strawberry plants which have grown under plastic sheets placed there for protection from predators, mold, fungus, etc., and these men, top are working on the plants after workers have cut holes in the plastic to pull the newly-grown plants through the plastic.

And it seems from their equipment that they're applying chemicals to the young plants -- whether pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers in liquid form is unknown to me, or even fungicides (most likely, I've been told by knowledgeable people) is something to be determined (if it can ever be known).

As a matter of fact, earlier editions of this series were entitled 'Strawberry Fields (and Plastics) Forever, and I'm going to change the title now to avoid confusion.

Thanks for commenting and enlightening me about the need to change the title.

John (Crosley)

I like it very much John... kind regards Els, and if you don't mind here is my superior photographic knowledge hahahaha, sorry, I will remove it immediatly, if you have problems with my little change, just wanted to put the horizon straight and a little crop

I do like your crop and workup.

Also, you never should remove anything you post to my comments unless for some reason it's outdated, exceedingly profane or otherwise inappropriate, and then only after considerable thought. I like comments and the ebb and flow of thought is also important to readers.

These guys were working on a hillside, so I kept them perpendicular to the center of the earth, but the hillside slightly slanted, for some verisimilitude.

Others may like your crop better, and I'd like to hear from them; mine is an in-camera crop (an original capture), as I like to frame things in the camera, but I have no anti-cropping stricture at all. I just like not to crop to promote my ability to preach in-camera cropping and to discipline myself to taking proper photos the first time around and not get lazy and depend on the 'digital darkroom' to save my *ss, as many do. In fact, the digital darkroom seems to be a mainstay on this service, and so many of mine just have (these days) shadow/highlight filter applied and really not much else besides some sharpening and an occasional selection for special treatment and not even much of that, generally. Cropping is occasionally used, but not so much.

I always like it when you add something to my portfolio; you have a special eye -- on I would be happy to replicate (if I could, but can't).

So, I rely on stuff like this to get by and my numerous other 'takes' on life -- many of which cannot be described as being in any genre I think, which is why all of them (almost all) are denominated 'street' since for the main part I just get on my feet, car, bus, train or otherwise and while traveling thusly take photos (often from the street, as this one here) (Also there was no category for agriculture, surprisingly enough.

It's a special treat when you stop by Els; please don't let too long pass before you stop by again.

John (Crosley)

I often strive for symmetry in photos such as this, particularly because there are three guys working and two are lower and the center one is higher; in my mind that called for placing them center frame.

In your superior mind, you placed them off center for what very well may be a superior photograph. That way it engages the viewer's eyes more, I think.

In any case, this photo has more than one possibility, which is testament in itself to something special about it, I think. Did you look at its cousin in my 'Black and White from Then to Now' folder? It might be worth a few clicks to compare. They are side by side in frames, if you can imagine. Just guess the good luck to drive by and capture this and that scene.

My hat's off to you for showing me 'how it's done' where people pay 50% of their income in taxes, and still are among the happiest people on earth, though they seldom smile, and also with one of the most droll senses of humor I've ever experienced on the whole, nationally. (It's what happens when a nation has to live next to those bellicose Germans who periodically lust after your small country and its famous cheeses).

Save some gouda for me.

;~))

John (Crosley)

Hey John, ofcourse I will save some cheese for you ;D..... and now I will have a look at your then to now folder,

big smile from Holland Els

Yes, you were kind to the slope. A lot of these fields are on steep hillsides and look like waves cresting in the ocean. As a chemist, I can tell you the sheeting is primarily used to seal in the highly toxic methly bromide gas that is used to kill soil nematodes (grubs) that will attack strawberry roots. Of course, if the crops were rotated, this would also kill the grubs without need of MB--which btw has been banned in the US (Montreal Protocol) starting in 2005 but exemptions are being made for this industry. MB kills all life, not just worms. On top of MB, other insecticides and fungicides are applied topically--like the workers are doing in your photo. It is a very nasty crop to grow and I often wonder if people realize the cost to the planet in eating a sweet strawberry.

Good documentary by you!

Make it Gouda, please.

I get to your country, from time to time (see the blind man on the platform at Amsterdam Centraal Station, in my color portfolio, for instance with the passing train (colors, blue, yellow and white, and he has a guide dog who cannot inform him of the poster with the sexy woman, also colors blue, yellow and white and she has on her shirt the name 'heart breaker'. One of the gems of my photo career, taken in your largest city's front door, in a quick moment, the passing train just a blur at a 1/4 or 1/10th.

Enjoy the B & W folder, please.

I always enjoy your work; always original -- nothing copied from anyone. I know you just take a camera and shoot what you find pleasing and you have an original eye.

Best wishes.

John (Crosley)

Well, I'm familiar with the use of plastic sheeting to kill whatever lurks beneath the soil -- having lived across a road from a heather farm where they once a year killed the buggers with methyl bromide, but there they immediately removed the sheeting -- the same day usually and it went away.

The strawberry growers remove it when they pull up the crop for plowing the next year, so it certainly must serve multiple functions then if your post is correct, which certainly must be true.

For instance, the plastic must (it appears) serve a greenhouse effect, as well as a shield effect from things that would eat small plants from the surface. Workers come along in mid-late November to pull newly-planted and freshly-growing plants through the plastic and the plastic (instead of just being pulled) is left in place. The berries, when they come, and the plant vines/leaves rest atop the plastic.

I watched recently and saw irrigation piles buried inside each mound and wonder if the plastic helps prevent sublimation or evaporation of irrigation water, also, among numerous other helpful effects, otherwise why leave it there all year.

Any thoughts, William?

Other experts?

John (Crosley)

An expert observer and surmiser, but maybe a dunderhead about the 'facts' in such cases. My supposition is the plastic serves multiple functions or it'd just be pulled right away instead of being pulled after nearly a year.

JC