Abandoned Farmstead
Abandoned Farmstead was one of the most immersive days of photography that I’ve experienced. My mind was filled with thoughts about what life was like for the pioneer family that devoted their lives to building something new.
My wife is from Saskatchewan, so going back to visit her family was a welcome part of our holiday plans. While we were there, I snuck away from time to time to do some photography. I wasn’t familiar with the area, so I’d welcome surprises by picking a direction and just driving until I found subjects to photograph.
I found this abandoned farmstead south of Borden Bridge, a locally famous bridge between Langham and Borden on the Yellowhead Highway. I could only see the house from the road, but as I explored, I found a fascinating collection of old buildings, cars, and farm implements from the past.
Psychologists describe a brain state called “flow”. Thinkers, athletes, and creators/artists are said to enter this state when they are so focused on their work that the outside world is pushed aside. I felt this way when photographing Abandoned Farmstead. Rather than being tired from hiking around on a hot summer day, I felt energized by a day of discovery and creativity.
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Film: Ilford XP2 - A 400 ISO black and white film that is processed with C41 chemicals. Learn More
Camera: Nikon FE2
Lenses: Nikkor 24 f/2.8, Nikkor 35 f/1.4, and Nikkor 105 f/2.5
Post: Adobe Light Room. My goal was to present sharp, clean, black and white images that preserved detail and contrast. The negatives were a few years old, so LR was a great tool for removing dust spots.