Photographers be like farmers in the Springtime–Prepare the fields

Fuji X-E2, Fuji XF 18-55mm, ISO 1000, ƒ/4.5, 1/500

This is a time you can drive around your neighborhood and see a major difference in lawn care. This photo shows just the difference between spreading Weed & Feed with watering can make in the appearance of your lawn.

It is only the farmer who faithfully plants seeds in the Spring, who reaps a harvest in the Autumn.

B. C. Forbes

Fuji X-E2, Fuji XF 18-55mm, ISO 2500, ƒ/4.5, 1/500

A few weeks ago I decided to really tackle the problem with bare spots on my yard. Well actually they are bigger than spots. There is a lot of shade so this will always be an area that needs more work than the sunny sections of the yard.

I went to HomeDepot and bought Powermate 10 in. 43 cc 2-Cycle Gas Cultivator to help turn the soil with the Rebel tall fescue, pelletized limestone, & Vigoro 15m weed & feed.

Just two weeks later and you can see in these photos the results of a much greener yard.

Fuji X-E2, Fuji XF 18-55mm, ISO 3200, ƒ/4.5, 1/500

Now here you can see the areas I didn't cultivate did not produce as much grass. Some grass seed and fertilizer fell in those areas but the difference was in the turning the soil about 2" – 3" that buried the seeds and helped them grow.

With just celebrating Easter at our church I was reminded of the Parable of the Sower that Jesus told.

Matthew 13: 3-9
“A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear.”

Photographer Tips:

You reap what you sow. We have all heard this before, but what can a photographer learn from this? You need to go back to your present clients and reconnect with them. You need to give them more information about you and what new things you are doing. This is like fertilizing your yard.

Now some ground is hard as rock. A farmer uses a tiller to break up ground that has not been farmed or has become extremely hard. A farmer uses a cultivator for loosening the soil in an existing planting area, weeding the area during the growing season and mixing compost into the soil.

You may have to do a lot a leg work and go and really beat the pavement finding those new clients. You may need to have some good examples to leave with them either through your website, e-newsletter, or printed material. You may need to get some friends that work with those potential clients to help introduce you and break the ice for you.

Competition:

Even Jesus knew that your competition will try and sabotage all your good work. He told a parable about it as well. It follows the Parable of the Sower:

Matthew 13:24-30
Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. 

“The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ 

“‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. 

“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ 

“‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”

They didn't have weed & feed in those days. We as photographers may not have the weed control to put out either, but the lesson is clear others will try and attack you at times. Be careful at trying to fix this–you could end up damaging the good seed you did plant.

The message is clear to have a big harvest requires you to work the field. You need to get that tiller and break up the really hard ground. You need to use the cultivator to mix the seed and fertilizer. You will need to then water the field as well if you expect to see a crop that will be worthy of harvesting.

You can't reap what you do not sow.