Virtual Expert: Harlen Persinger

Freelance photographer Harlen Persinger received AAEA's highest photography honor ­ the AAEA Photographer of the Year Award ­ in 2005. He also placed first in the Nuts and Bolts/Crops and Unpublished Photographs categories in the 2005 AAEA Photo Awards Program.

Explain your photo:

a) What was your initial goal?

b) Go through your thought process and procedures in approaching and/or setting up the photo.

c) What elements of your photo make it exceptional?

d) What advice can you offer to young photographers in pursuing a photo like yours?

The photo that I'm discussing was selected as the first place winner in the Nuts and Bolts Category/Crops in the 2005 AAEA photo contest. It appeared on the cover of the September 2004 issue of Farm Industry News.

My initial goal was to capture a truly unique, colorful harvest scene that shows bountiful yields.

Sunsets can be tricky and often flat. I always try to scout the scene and visualize how it would appear 30 minutes after the sun drops below the horizon. If something stunning occurs, it's normally eight to 10 minutes later.

This photo illustrates exceptional light and composition. No filters were used in the picture. I was able to balance two separate sources of available light and technically everything came out perfect. I saw the truck in the upper right corner of the frame and it was a real bonus when the other combine pulled up and began unloading. Sometimes one has to be a bit lucky to have all the elements line up in the right place for the perfect image.

The best advice I can offer to young photographers in pursuing a photo like this is to allow plenty of time to scout the scene, try to anticipate various angles and then get off the ground to get that unique image. It has taken years of practice to study light and I always continue to practice. Those elements key my success.

How did you begin your career? What advice do you have for those just graduating in ag comm? What does it mean to be a member of AAEA? How do you maintain a high standard of ethics in your writing and your career?

A fellow comrade taught me photography when I served with the military in Viet Nam. While on leave, I purchased a camera and a couple of lenses and have never looked back. My first real taste of photography occurred when I was a 4-H exchange delegate to Norway in 1970.

My advice to any graduate would be to attend seminars and rub shoulders and pick the brains of the masters. I would encourage them to maintain their self-creativity. Make yourself an original - from relating the experience, to conveying the idea, to the completed photo image.

Being a member of AAEA for 30 years has contributed greatly to my career. From various contacts, fellow journalists and friends I have gained the confidence that made me an award-winning photographer.

I appreciate the world of agricultural photography. No two personalities, farms or scenes are alike. You can encounter a different experience every day. I strive for my own standards of perfection. I'm never completely satisfied until I meet them. I'm constantly looking for more than just a scene. I want to interpret the picture. I look for things that affect me emotionally and lift me to a greater challenge.