WEEK 35 IN PHOTOS, PT. 1

08/31/18 — Heydon Hatcher

The last installment of the guest photographer series has Tamir Kalifa picking up (and flying) the lens in a two-part series. With photographs published in countless publications ranging from The New York Times to The Washington Post, this Austin-based photojournalist is often on the road documenting the stories of many, varied cross-sections of life. A typical month might entail hopping to Hawaii to document the Kilauea eruption and then heading to Brownsville, TX to document immigrants seeking asylum. Needless to say, Tamir never stops. His passion for work, photography, and people is apparent and contagious.

Tamir visited the Garfield farm early one morning with several cameras in hand and a drone to boot. He captured two very different perspectives of the farm; thus, we divvied them into two separate collections here on the blog. We are elated to have him lend his eye, capture his take(s) on JBG farm life, and tell us a little about himself and his photography. Without further ado, part one of week 35!

Photo by Tamir Kalifa.

What did you shoot these images on?

These images were shot with a DJI Mavic Pro drone. I recently obtained my official remote pilot’s certificate so this was my first real shoot with it.

What was the inspiration for the shoot?

The image of a lush field, brimming with crops, is very much a part of America’s visual identity. Whether it’s via photographs or as seen from a highway — we most often experience farms at eye level. I wanted to see a slightly less familiar perspective—one that highlights the geometry, patterns, shapes, and randomness that is inherent in the design and realities of a farm. I felt the most effective way to do this was to capture the bird’s eye view.

What was shooting at the farm like? Anything surprising?

I’ve been to countless farms and ranches across the state in my years covering Texas as a photojournalist. Visiting JBG was unique in that I walked through the fields where the produce I eat regularly is grown. Most people eat food that was cultivated many hundreds, if not thousands of miles of away so feeling the locality of JBG, seeing where my food comes from and even meeting the people who picked the okra I ate for dinner was special.

How did you get into photography?

I grew up in Maryland, just outside of Washington D.C., where my father worked as video cameraman for CNN. He would often watch what he shot from home as it aired on TV. On one occasion in the late 90’s, I watched an address President Clinton made to the American people. I was blown away when my father told me Clinton was speaking into his camera. I was already a curious kid who enjoyed playing with cameras but learning that photographers could get that close to history was incredibly exciting. I’ve pretty much kept a camera in my hands ever since.