Corn Shocks – Autumn Icons

Corn shocks were once commonplace on American farms. The newly-harvested corn would be stacked and bound vertically for drying and curing, all done by hand. With the introduction of mechanical harvesting, corn shocks disappeared from the countryside, yet they remain an important part of autumn iconography – found at road-side farm markets and arts & crafts fairs, destined for urban front yards.

There’s a certain romanticism, an idyllic, pastoral sense of days gone by when you see these lining a field today. Certain indication of an Amish farm… the only place where the harvest is still done by hand.

An interesting take on an iconic scene will usually make a good photo. We all like to look at things we are familiar with, in the way we like to listen to music we are familiar with.

Capture a new arrangement of an old favorite – a good viewfinder lesson.

Canon EOS 5D
Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM