Rice planting Photo

Photographer’s Note

Rice is a contentious subject in Korea. It is 4 times more expensive here than anywhere else in the world, yet the common opinion here in Korea is that under the fair trade agreement (GATT) recently enacted, imported rice will destroy the business here.

I became curious about how it was grown and why on earth it should be more expensive here, there is one answer to both, "Labor". Fields are typically smaller than a football pitch, and it is unbelievably labor intensive because the machines that can work the small fields are so small.

This machine floats on the paddy and is propelled by mud/water paddles on the side of the engine. The rice on top is waiting to be put in the chutes to be plugged into the field. The trays of rice were incubated in the same fields over the last couple of weeks. The machine is maybe 90% accurate and there were others in the field spreading out the places where too many clumps were plugged in together and filling in where there were too few.

Several people informed me that fields in the Philippines and the US are hundreds of times larger and thus account for a large measure of increased efficiency. That said, Korea has a very limited area to plant because the country is so mountainous. The published figures indicate that Korea rice production yields are twice the world average and that may be the advantage of having such a large labor force involved.

Korea apparently has a limitation of 3 hectors per family, and this then leads to the question of what sort of income could be generated by this low level of family farming. I will try to follow the progress throughout the growing season to see how this is all done. I have other rice planting pictures to share so I will continue the story then. Hope you find this as interesting as I have.

Floydian, broglia, jonathan_hart, branley, scobert, aytu_k, PerR, Budapestman, vagabondtravels, sevy, pboehringer, gunbud, delic, ohe, happypoppeye, mayavi, Zelanda, kstaton trouve(nt) cette note utile

Critiques | Translate

Floydian (30970) 2007-05-21 6:18

Hi Greg,
I have never seen this before, always thought i was did by hand. A very funny, but also a good photo including the note with it. Good square format, works good for the overal composition.
Regards, Henk

broglia (3396) 2007-05-21 6:31

Hi Greg, like Henk I too was under the impression that the only way to plant rice was buy hand (quite ridiculous in hindsight). Nice reflections in the water and excellent notes too. Regards, Roberto

branley (3681) 2007-05-21 10:35

Hi Greg,

this is not the way I remember seeing rice planted but then it was a long time ago and times change...obviously! I like this composition, to crop it closer at the bottom would lose the reflections and I think that's an integral part of the image. I love the colours and to place the figure centrally shows us what's ahead of him and how the situation has changed behind him too. A really fine capture and a splendid note, well done.

Regards

Stephen

scobert (5333) 2007-05-21 10:43

Hello Greg,
An excellent PJ (magazine style, not newspaper) style of photo. A very interesting photo and commentary. When I first saw this I thought for sure that he was going to get stuck in the mud until I read your notes about how these machines are designed. My back aches just thinking about planting rice by hand. Your compression effect from the telephoto lens is excellent! Well done!
Stan

donluicu (24159) 2007-05-21 12:07

HI Greg
very god use of your big 400mm zoom..
nice capture during the work

i like it

regards

PerR (1509) 2007-05-21 12:35

Hello Greg.
This wasn't what I expected. I've always believed that all rice planting was hand made. I've never seen this before, neiter on TV or elsewhere. But why shouldn't this be made by machines? Never thought of it. Your note is excellent. This is really learnig about the world through photogaph. Thanks TE!
Great photo showing how modern rice planting works. The man looks sooo concentrated.
Good job. Thanks for sharing.
Regards
Per

bracasha75 (23121) 2007-05-21 15:17

Heko Greg
Exellent working man there and beautifull people motiv
Well done and thanks for your greath critic for me
Cheers,Braca

jonathan_hart (23166) 2007-05-22 3:50

hello Greg
interesting note, and nice and interesting photo, good POV and composition ****, with the reflection, good light and colours, maybe framing a little bit lower would have been good too
regards
jo

Budapestman (46609) 2007-05-22 4:29

Hi Greg,
Very interesting and spectacular photo. This is a particular and reportage and superb genre photo. Excellent POV and very good quality. Thank you for sharing, have a nice day
George

pablominto (43386) 2007-05-22 4:41

Hello Greg,
This is educational, I have never seen a device like this! I guess labour is getting too expensive in Korea now, and makes hand planting impossible...
Good details and an attractive diagonal movement in the composition!
Greetings,
Pablo -

Standa (1861) 2007-05-22 6:01

Hi Greg,
first time to see this way of plant rice. With high interest I was reading your informative note. Realy good and rare photo.
Regards,
Stanislav

diverdown (35) 2007-05-22 11:25

Thats an ammazing factoid. I would have never known that the Korean rice is so much more expensive. The shot does a great job of depicting the way the process of planting rice is handled

Nathan

vagabondtravels (6175) 2007-05-23 21:08

Hi Greg

Wow what greens. The rice planting season really brings out the colors. I really like the reflection. Great note. Anyhow well done.
Ben

sevy (15561) 2007-05-26 12:20

Hello Greg,

A very interesting shot with a good comment. It learns many about Korea.

Yves.

pboehringer (770) 2007-05-27 13:26

Greg, your post and text are most interesting! It will be e delight to follow your progressing documentary throughout the growing season. The shot with the reflection of the main scene in the water is a very nice add.

gunbud (29345) 2007-05-31 21:49

Hi Greg,
Another wonderful photo from Korea, with vibrant greens, sharp details and the expression of determination on the face of the farmer. Very informative note full of the whys and whatfores of this remarkable staple.
Regards, Tom

delic (6735) 2007-06-29 10:21

Hello Greg,
Interesting and unusual picture, for me at least. Cropped composition works well here, esp. the diagonal graphism of the field. I like the colors, too, esp. the yellows. Quite informative note. Regards,
Hakan

vincent24 (9038) 2007-07-03 11:01

Hi GReg,
Good documentation picture...what a strange machine!TFS,
vincent

ohe (2332) 2007-08-02 23:38

Dear Greg,
Very nice presentation of this rice planter.
As I was in Vietnam, all this work was hand-made.
Thanks for sharing,
- Olivier -

happypoppeye (4086) 2007-08-08 18:57

This is a great shot for TE Greg. I can't speak for anyone else but his is an eye opener for me. I never saw any photo of ice planting other than the "poor farmer" planting rice by hand one, or a bunch of, shoots at a time. Ignorance I guess. I would never have even guessed that they have mechanical rice planters, probably because I have seen so many photos of people planting it by hand.

As for the photo itself. Great color with the light green shoots really popping out of the pnoto. Good exposure in what looks like harsh lighting and good "straight on" type composition.

Nice work.
Good note also.
John

Lee30 (78) 2007-08-25 22:06

Interesting...I love rice btw! :)

Zelanda (5692) 2007-09-22 13:15

Hola Greg,
Preciosa toma, me gusta la diagonal que forman los surcos y los reflejos.
Excelentes colores y detalles.
Felicitaciones.
Saludos cordiales
Ros