Tuesday, August 30, 2011

The Next Newest Thing

Pulleys, Old Style Harvester, The Old Depot, Village Of Lewisburg, OH  © Doug Hickok


It was not so very long ago that farmers had to harvest crops by manually removing the grain from the rest of the plant. By the 19th century, machines were invented to do this mechanically, but they were ponderously drawn by horses or mules. By the early 20th century, self-propelled harvesters like this one made the work much easier and efficient. Now antiques, they are put aside to rust in weedy patches of fields, all but forgotten. These relics of by gone eras are reminders of man's ability to constantly improve upon an idea.

 Today, technology advances with such speed that new inventions are rapidly replaced by the next newest thing, in seemingly just a matter of months.

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22 comments:

  1. Luis GomezAugust 30, 2011 at 12:28 AM

    This is great Doug!

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  2. cieldequimperAugust 30, 2011 at 2:10 AM

    Sometimes makes me wonder if we aren't moving waaaay too fast...

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  3. Andrew Graeme GouldAugust 30, 2011 at 2:56 AM

    A great capture of that detail, Doug, and some interesting thoughts to ponder. Next they'll be remote controlling them with computer tablets. (Perhaps they already are...)

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  4. John "By Stargoose And Hanglands"August 30, 2011 at 3:39 AM

    I think it's actually a stationary threshing machine, Doug. These were powered by a stream engine but did the work in the farmyard during the winter months. A lot more work than a combine harvester but easier than threshing by hand using flails. I can remember seeing a threshing machine in action in the 1950s when my father worked for a rather traditional farmer.

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  5. Traveling HawkAugust 30, 2011 at 4:29 AM

    A documentary photo, I would say. We came a long way...

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  6. DomLOrthaAugust 30, 2011 at 6:08 AM

    Great composition for this mechanical picture! Love the color of the rust; great rendering.
    Have a nice day.

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  7. Kathryn DycheAugust 30, 2011 at 6:38 AM

    Sometimes I want to get off the technology train that seems to be charging way to fast right now. Stunning image, love the orange rust tones that shine through in this shot in contrast with the blue sky.

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  8. brattcatAugust 30, 2011 at 6:41 AM

    machinery like this makes an excellent subject for your camera, doug.

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  9. franzAugust 30, 2011 at 7:21 AM

    true words, doug, to accompany a very cleverly taken photo! what i admire most about these "oldtimers" is that there is still a chance to comprehend how they worked! with modern gadgets this remains largely a mystery ... to me, at least!

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  10. AnonymousAugust 30, 2011 at 9:06 AM

    I like this - the angle draws you in, all the details keep your attention and the colours and light are great.

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  11. UnknownAugust 30, 2011 at 10:28 AM

    This ist great, fantastic colors :-)

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  12. London CallerAugust 30, 2011 at 10:39 AM

    Hello from Malaysia!:)

    Ha, is this next newest thing the previous oldest thing?!

    Hope you guys are doing well in SC.

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  13. A.BarlowAugust 30, 2011 at 10:42 AM

    They need to convert this into some steam punk goodness. :)

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  14. Frank de JolAugust 30, 2011 at 1:28 PM

    I like angle of view of this complicated machine.

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  15. john4jackAugust 30, 2011 at 4:15 PM

    neat perspective and framing. dynamite processing

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  16. ....peterAugust 30, 2011 at 5:45 PM

    I just love the angle and composition that you have captured of this old harvester Doug.... the textures of rust... paint... belts ...and pulleys has made your shot great....well done....i also agree with your last statement.....but i am glad that i have not been replaced by my wife after 45 years lol....peter:)

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  17. AnonymousAugust 30, 2011 at 7:06 PM

    I agree about technology... in the day this was cutting edge... all those pulleys and belts without covers makes me think this might have maimed a few farmhands... (no pun intended).

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  18. VPAugust 31, 2011 at 9:28 AM

    This is really an amazing image. I like technology but I am quite suspicious about too much electronics assisting it, this often makes new things less reliable than the older models.

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  19. Rae WalterAugust 31, 2011 at 11:40 AM

    Fascinating capture Doug. Love the colours against the blue sky. I love technology, just don't want to be a slave to it all.

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  20. ChristopherAugust 31, 2011 at 7:42 PM

    What great color, texture and shape here Doug--love the perspective in the shot too. Very cool!

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  21. georgeSeptember 1, 2011 at 4:37 PM

    Disposable and functional, modern equipment rarely looks so beautiful in decay as this - captured by a master.

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  22. rianSeptember 15, 2011 at 4:32 PM

    such fine colors here.. great shot.. :)

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