Canon EOS R6 Mark II with Sigma 16-300mm F3.5-6.7 DC OS Contemporary
Setting: F4.5, 1/250 sec, ISO 100, @ 135mm
Photo Date: Oct 15, 2025
The photo was taken in a cranberry farm in Richmond in British Columbia. I photographed the cranberry harvest to capture the rhythm of labor and the subtle disruptions within it. The image shows four workers: three fully absorbed in their task, moving in sync with the work at hand, while one pauses, momentarily distracted by my presence. That contrast is intentional. It highlights the tension between routine and interruption, between being immersed in physical labor and becoming suddenly aware of being seen. The photograph isn’t just about the harvest itself, but about attention—how focus can be collective, and how easily it can be broken.
9 comments posted
Richard Goldenberg
Hi Christine,
Wonderful photo! I live fairly near (within 50 miles) of some cranberry bogs and have always wanted to get a photo like this, but haven't managed to do so. Well done!
Just wondering if you tried boosting shadows. The photo is great, but I might have tried boosting the shadows (globally) in post processing to lighten the face of the person at the far right. Not sure if that would work, but is something I might have tried if this were my image. Posted: 02/02/2026 12:17:38
Christine Wong
Thank Richard. Cranberry harvest is truly beautiful - a sea of floating berries that turns the entire bog a vivid red. I'm still exploring different angles to capture this "limited-time-frame" harvest:) Posted: 02/05/2026 06:57:56
Leslie Larson
Have never seen a cranberry harvest. Interesting that the gatherers seem to be East Indian. Doubt cranberry bogs are a big agricultural crop in India. Love the reds in this one. I agree with Richard about lightening the visible parts of the faces. Maybe darken the background just a little. Posted: 02/03/2026 15:41:53
Leslie Larson
oops, not sure what happened to get 2 posts at the same time Posted: 02/04/2026 11:09:35
Christine Wong
No worries:) The page sometimes doesn't display correctly on one of my laptops too. Posted: 02/05/2026 06:50:39
Christine Wong
Actually, a significant portion of the workforce are migrant workers -- from Mexico! Posted: 02/05/2026 06:54:42
Leslie Larson
Have never seen a cranberry harvest. Interesting that the gatherers seem to be East Indian. Doubt cranberry bogs are a big agricultural crop in India. Love the reds in this one. I agree with Richard about lightening the visible parts of the faces. Maybe darken the background just a little. Posted: 02/03/2026 15:41:53
Christine Wong
HI Richard and Leslie, thank you for your suggestion - that's a great point. I did enhance the light on the man's face slightly, and I also sharpened his eyes, but I wanted to keep everything as natural as possible, especially since his expression of surprise felt important to preserve. I did experiment a bit, but boosting the shadows further started to change the mood of the scene, so I chose to keep the light subtle. Posted: 02/05/2026 07:06:29
Leslie Larson
fair enough. very interesting harvest photo Posted: 02/05/2026 10:31:44
