25% off Adobe's photography plan

View fullsize

What a difference digital editing software can make. In fact, it is the single greatest thing you can buy to improve the quality of your photos. I recommend Adobe Photoshop CC or Adobe Photoshop Elements 2019.

The Black Friday specials are here and Adobe has extended an opportunity for me to offer my readers 25% off of its already low-priced photography plan. Normally it would cost $9.99 a month for Adobe Lightroom CC, Adobe Photoshop CC, and 1 TB of storage. Considering the dumbed-down version of Photoshop Elements 2019 costs $99.99, this is helluva deal. If you want to purchase the one thing that will have the greatest impact on the quality of your photos then run (don’t walk) to Adobe’s website to purchase this deal.

My black & white photos used on label for new wine

View fullsize

View fullsize

One of my black & white photos called Brambled Leaves is being used as a label on a new wine called The Few and Far Between by a winery in Walla Walla, Washington called Brook & Bull Cellars. The winery, which is owned by a young but very experienced winery owner named Ashely Trout. Her wines are hand-crafted from vine to bottle, made with small fruit lots sourced from carefully tended vineyards. The winery is located in the beautiful rolling hills of the Walla Walla Valley, situated on the famed South-Side in the midst of the Blue Mountains.

Check out their website and perhaps order a bottle of The Few and Far Between for yourself.

Dreaming of a better Montana farm and ranch magazine

View fullsize

Up until recently Montana's farmers AND ranchers didn't really have a magazine of their own. Yes, there are magazines that cater to both, but with changing commodity prices and outside influences on both Montana farmers and ranchers, some ranchers are thinking more and more about farming and farmers are thinking about ranching. Diversifying one's portfolio, they say, is always good.

A magazine that promotes Montana agriculture would also be nice. A magazine that bridges the gap between the producer and the consumer to better educate them about the fine food products Montana's farmers and ranchers produce would also be helpful. More marketing never hurts, does it?

There was a new magazine that launched last year, and I was excited. But my love affair with that enterprise quickly soured for a variety of reasons. Now in my spare time I dream about the possibility of creating a new magazine that achieves many of the goals above. If agriculture businesses came together to make a better magazine I would be both feet in. I would volunteer my agriculture photography and my writing and time to build a publication that both educated our producers and marketed their products for them.

Know anyone who might be interested? :)

Agriculture photos appear on Montana State University website

View fullsize

For years I wanted to work with the Montana State University College of Agriculture. As one of the top 20 agriculture schools in the country (and the one located in my home state) I craved the opportunity to photograph the work they do, including research and studies. Unfortunately, MSU has a media department that is very protective of its home turn and thus far they have prevented me from working with MSU in any capacity. Until recently.

So how did my ag related photos end up on this MSU website you ask? When the project they are working on together with two other schools is headed by someone who works at the University of Wyoming College of Agriculture and Natural Resources! Look above and check out my photos on the website for Water Agriculture Food Energy Research Nexus (WAFERx) research project between the University of Wyoming, University of South Dakota, and YES, Montana State University.

I've had a great deal of luck working with other schools of agriculture around the country, including departments at the University of Wisconsin, North Dakota State University (NDSU), and Washington State University. But to date, working with Montana State University has been out of the question...which is kind of shame since I pride myself in promoting Montana and its many wonderful institutions as much as I can.

I'm not sure this effort will open any doors within the MSU media department, but I'm happy to be associated with the university nonetheless.

Photo entries into AAEA photo contest

Every year this time the agricultural photographers and writers and graphic artists around the country are gathering their best work to submit for the annual American Agricultural Editors' Association (AAEA) contest, which recognizes the best work for the past year. I recently completed my entries for a variety of different categories. Above are some of my agricultural photography submitted for this year's contest. Hope you enjoy.