Sheer, Shear, Shorn

[ucci]

Okay, so some of my posted pics are PBA's ( pretty bloody average) and so I use the post processing of an added rambling story in a pathetic attempt to deflect attention from their shortcomings.

So here is another attempt to repeat the same cover up for ineptitude. My justification for this post is that this is probably a series of shots of country living which a lot of you good city folk may never get to see.

It is the yearly shearing of our 'baby' Bruno and his two live in companions, Sam and Alf, acquired to stop Bruno from feeling lonely! We took them over to a shed where they were shearing a mob of 500 sheep and tagging our three on the end was no big deal. Well not quite. Bruno, having black wool, had to be shorn when the mob had been shorn and their wool safely baled. Any trace of black wool contaminating a bale of white wool renders the whole bale almost valueless.
It was a special favour to us by our friend to let us have Bruno shorn in his shed. Oh, yes. One other small problem. Being a thoroughly spoiled sheep and grossly overfed Bruno is a little on the fat side. Well let's not mess around here. He is fatter than a bush pig and weighs somewhere up around 100 Kgms! The shearers were not too happy to have to toss and shear him. They actually ' drew straws' so see who would have to do him. In the long run it didn't matter as he is so big and strong that it took the two of them to handle him. And these are professional shearers who easily toss and shear 200 to 250 sheep a day.

Anyway thanks for dropping by. Comments would be welcome. But hey, I know they are mediocre captures. Hence the long winded cover up tale above. Maybe these pics might give some an idea for new subject matter?




Alf, Sam and Bruno waiting transport to the shed to be shorn



Alf and Sam having a haircut.



Bruno being shorn, a two man job!



Just to show the colour of Bruno's wool. Unshorn it looks chocolate brown which colour is due to the sun bleaching the tips.



Waiting to travel back home after the deed had been done

[Shadowman]

Nice series, I would say stand on the other side next time and you'll avoid those potential blown highlights and also get some of that light to help with exposure. You did well.

[Mike Buckley]

Fascinating combination of photos and narrative! This city boy had no idea.

[NorthernFocus]

Okay, so some of my posted pics are PBA's ( pretty bloody average) and so I use the post processing of an added rambling story in a pathetic attempt to deflect attention from their shortcomings.

So here is another attempt to repeat the same cover up for ineptitude. My justification for this post is that this is probably a series of shots of country living which a lot of you good city folk may never get to see....

Well in your defense, you've never made any claims to be producing imagery for use as "fine art". I think as you've always advertised yourself you do quite well at producing images that help tell the story. While I can't speak for others, I typically find your posts both entertaining and informative.

Your explanation about the potential wool contamination if fascinating. And I can imagine what some of the commentary must have been from professionals accustomed to dealing with livestock suddenly finding themselves in the pet care business

Interesting timing for your post. While we were driving through the countryside over there we noticed sheep in the same relative area that were in various stages of... not sure what you call it. Some recently shorn, some looked like maybe a few weeks ago, and some in desperate need of sheering. What drives the timing of when the wool is removed? Is it a certain time of year or just whenever the wool reaches a certain length?

[IzzieK]

Was it Alf or Sam whom you were teaching to read what you have on your iPhone a few months ago? Those were nice shots you sent me then.They are clean as a whistle now...nice narratives to go with your shots. I must admit I have only seen a few wool shearing during demos at festivals...not as a regular occurrence. I would have thought shearing times is only done during winter ???

[Dave Humphries]

Thanks Ken,

I was amazed at the difference in Bruno's colour - that sun sure does bleach!

[FootLoose]

Interesting set, Ken. I always think sheep look pitiful after they have been shorn.

I think the guy on the right in the 2nd shot shows potential for this situation. Arms and legs wrapped around the animal make interesting shapes. Next year, just ask the guys to hold the pose for a minute while you get in close. They're professionals, they won't mind.

[outwithmycamera]

My mother was into natural spinning/dyeing and weaving so growing up there was always a fleece in the house in various states of processing and when sitting down to watch tv i was as often as not handed a bag of wool and some carding paddles. This set brings back memories of visiting some of wool suppliers at shearing time, very cool!

[terrib]

There's a few of the rest of us that are country folk too. I've washed and spun up many fleeces myself. As many times as I've seen the sheering done, though, I'm still amazed. I'd watch, I'd read about it and still I'd revert to table stands and head locks to sheer my angora goats standing up. For those guys, the animal just seems to go into a trance and I never could figure out how to get mine to cooperate!

Love the first shot. With the rope coming off his head, it reminds me of a selfie.

[Donald]

Bruno, you look great. Very embarrassing I know (I used to feel the same when I had hair and had to go and get it cut). But they do it because they love you.

[GBO25]

It's all about composition Ken. Nobody out here knows how much room you had to move about in to get your shots but finding an angle without the bright windows in the background would help immensely. If there's no room to go sideways try going up. If you don't have a flip out screen to help compose when you hold the camera above your head try using a ladder.

Getting some close ups would also add to the story. Imagine a close up of the face in the 2nd or 3rd shots.

Great story just the same.

[Otavio]

Hello, Ken. Very interesting images and narrative. Well done. Regards,

[Donald]

What drives the timing of when the wool is removed? Is it a certain time of year or just whenever the wool reaches a certain length?

You want shearing done before summer becomes too hot, otherwise the sheep will be put under stress. So, it's usually early summer.

When I was a kid growing up amongst a small-holding farming community (we call them crofters) and where everyone helped everyone else, shearing (done with hand shears in those days, not electric,) was done on a rotational basis and it tended to be on the same rotational basis each year. So a strict order was maintained; e.g. today - John's; tomorrow - Angus; next Friday - Donald's, etc etc.

My job as a kid was to be thrown into the huge woolbags suspended from the branch of a tree and to trample on the rolled fleeces so that as many as possible could be packed into the bag. You reached the end of the day several pounds lighter and covered in the oil from the wool. Great fun!