I interned with Farming Unlimited TV over the 2021 summer. Farming Unlimited TV does a lot of different things, like contract video and photography work for a wide variety of companies and DocTalk with Dr. Dan Thomson. Over the summer, I did some video editing in Adobe Premiere Pro, in addition to capturing b-roll at events and on-farm shoots. I also helped perform on-camera interviews with various event attendees and on location with farmers and ranchers. Moreover, I became more proficient with different types of cameras, like GoPros and drones. When I wasn't helping with video, I was the designated photographer. Several of my favorite projects from the summer are described below.
STUEWE RANCH
One of my first projects of the summer was picturing Angus cattle in the Flint Hills at Stuewe Ranch. It was almost a dream come true; I have always wanted to picture cattle in the Flint Hills while it's green. During this shoot, I was mostly a photographer, and I learned how to work with ranchers to effectively capture content. They know their cattle better than anyone. I also learned more about how to picture cattle when there are challenges, for example, the flies were bad during this shoot. Additionally, black cattle can be difficult to picture due to their color, and I was able to practice my manual camera settings. I also flew a drone for the first time at Stuewe Ranch.
HEINEN BROTHERS AGRA SERVICES
Farming Unlimited TV does a lot of contract video and photography work, and one of their newest clients was Heinen Brothers, an aerial application company. I spent several afternoons picturing aerial applicators in the Atchison and Seneca areas. During these shoots, I mostly took photographs. This was a totally new experience for me--and airplanes are fast. I was able to improve my photography skills through repetition and practice, and I was able to improve my skills with my manual camera settings. Picturing airplanes was out of my comfort zone at first, but I worked to get better at it, and I learned more about aerial application in the process. I also practiced my collaboration skills by working with my supervisors on as-needed basis to capture content, like b-roll and photographs of the airplanes. After the shoot, I edited and sorted my photographs using Adobe Lightroom Classic.
DESERT AIR AG AND THOMAS HELICOPTER
One of my last projects of the summer with Farming Unlimited TV included a trip to Idaho with my supervisor. Heinen Brothers Agra Services has several locations in Idaho, and our goal was to capture b-roll and photographs at two locations: Thomas Helicopter and Desert Air Ag.
At Thomas Helicopter, my supervisor and I split up, and I followed a helicopter all morning while she followed airplanes. I put my multi-tasking skills to work and captured b-roll and photos of the helicopter in action. Picturing and videoing helicopters was a totally new experience for me, and I was able to practice my camera settings. I also practiced my communication skills. I was in an unfamiliar location with new people, by myself, and it required collaboration with the Thomas Helicopter pilots and staff to gather the location of the different fields the helicopter would be headed to.
At Desert Air Ag, I pictured aerial applicators while my supervisor grabbed b-roll. I learned so much about Idaho agriculture and aerial applicators. I further developed my photography and collaboration skills, and pushed myself out of my comfort zone.
