Agricultural photography of pig farm in Somerset

Back down on the farm again and this time to take a series of photographs of pigs and piglets both inside in stalls and outside in the field. The photographs were commissioned by Pig Management Systems, a company who provide guidance and health and safety advice for pig farmers, and the images will be used on their website and also for trade stands and exhibitions.

Wow - pigs are difficult to photograph! They are powerfully built, heavy and very strong and are extremely nosey and inquisitive, and think nothing of barging into a poor hapless photographer who might be in the way. I had the sense to take my wellington boots on the photoshoot as the layer of matter underfoot proved rather unsavoury and, both my boots and the legs of my tripod were gnawed at by hungry animals.

From a technical viewpoint, the photographic assignment was problematic in that the interior of the stalls was quite dark and the pigs moved surprisingly quickly so additional lighting had to be employed. Direct flash creates a harsh lighting effect so two small hand flashguns with diffusers on were used to soften the lighting effect. The speed with which they dart about despite their bulk, meant that focusing was a problem as well as composition. The job was good fun though and I am quite fond of pigs now and I'm sure the feeling must be mutuual as I am a non meat eater!

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