There is sometimes a belief that farming photography in Australia is necessarily dull, due to the industrial subjects and rural locations being photographed. Recently I was asked to photograph a robotic dairy farmer in Queensland, for client Bauer Trader Media. Excited at the prospect of futuristic cow-droids with laser teats that this subject matter conjured for me, I accepted the brief. I was also excited by the challenge of getting some striking images from a subject that many may be tempted to shoot without much thought for art direction.

Rising at shit-o-clock for sunrise over the escarpment was well worth it, to catch that magic hour and get some beautiful landscape photography of a cloak of frost rising from the valley floor.
After briefly becoming the only man in history to be bullied by a cow, I was greeted by Farmer Greg, who was very welcoming and enthusiastic to see the “National Geo-style” shots that I’d taken (thanks, Greg)!

You can read all about Greg’s state-of-the-art robotic dairy farm here and if you are in the Gold Coast or Brisbane region, drop by for a guided tour. It’s an awesome way to spend a morning. Enjoy the shots – I hope they make you see farming, rural and industrial photography in a more interesting light than you’re used to…