Located in the beautiful Yakima Valley, Washington, Cornerstone Ranches is a fifth-generation (since 1897) family farm that grows a variety of hops, apples, and grapes on over 1,000 acres of land.
In anticipation of autumn’s weather changes, the Valley is abuzz with activity as the harvest season approaches. In October, Cornerstone Ranches owner Graham Gamache hired Seattle-based agriculture photographer/director Cameron Karsten to document this year’s harvest.
I’ve been out to the ranch on four different harvests, as well as during other seasons of the year. Graham and I have become friends, and we’re constantly discussing other projects that we both want to do to benefit each other’s businesses and relationship.
Cameron was a perfect partner for the project due to his extensive experience photographing people, whether environmental portraits or people in action within their spaces, doing what they do for hobby or profession.
Whether bringing in additional lighting or utilizing the play of light and dark in the late summer sun, it just adds to my ability to adapt to the situation and problem-solve to keep shooting and creating a cohesive library of imagery for the client.
Each time Cameron heads out to Cornerstone Ranches, which is about a five-hour drive from his home in Bainbridge Island, he speaks with Graham to see what is happening at the farm and discuss what he can do to bring his vision to life. The harvest is a particularly poignant time as it brings an array of seasonal workers. Some of whom have traveled far to support themselves and their families, an opportunity that only comes once a year.
I have such a keen ability to connect with the various people working at the farm. The majority speak Spanish as their primary language. Graham just asks me to do what I do and connect with them naturally.
The harvest is operational 24/7, with three eight-hour shifts for five to six weeks picking and processing the hops. The whole region is alive with action, and the earthy aroma of hops can be smelled throughout the Yakima Valley. The hard work and dedication that goes into the day-to-day process of the farm is felt in Cameron’s ability to find the subject’s genuineness in his imagery.
Authenticity is always the intent. There is little to no post-production in the imagery. It’s as it is. Real people working hard around the clock to accomplish the year’s beer-brewing hops harvest. And everyone that I know of on the farm loves working for Cornerstone. They treat their employees wonderfully, and all are grateful for this. So authenticity and hard work shine through within the images and throughout the company’s identity.
The Yakima Valley produces around 75% of the world’s beer-brewing hops, thanks to its fertile and productive agricultural lands, which are rich with volcanic soil and water from the Cascade Mountains. This, combined with the knowledge of generational family farms like the Gamache’s, makes for emphatic results.
The nights are always cold. Yet throughout the years, I’ve never seen any rain. Dry and hot. Or dry and cold.
It’s a fast-paced, around-the-clock environment within the hop fields or the apple orchards. There is a race to pick the fruits before the weather turns cold and disturbs the quality of the crops. Cameron used his discretion to not intrude on the workers’ busy schedules. Instead, he was attentive without interfering to allow the most authentic moments to transpire while he captured the spirit of the work and the aura that comes with harvest season.
Working in a wide-open landscape allowed Cameron to let his creative juices flow to examine the composition possibilities and find the soul of the assignment.
I love showing the energy and efforts behind the scenes of such commodities. I love walking the landscapes and the machinery, capturing the moments’ humanity interacts with nature and harvests her fruits. And capturing the honest emotions of people through portraiture and all the nitty-gritty of agriculture/industrial details. It makes me happy and ignites that creativity within.
The fatigue of cold early mornings pre-dawn or late nights after a long day is a big challenge when all I want is a beer!
Cameron utilized his innate people skills to engage with the employees, allowing for an open and comfortable shooting environment. Despite the language barrier with some workers, he still managed to form a connection.
Through body language and understanding, I can step in without disrupting the flow of the harvest’s operations. It’s all like a fluid river, and I don’t want to dam it up. Rather, I can jump within it at certain times and then jump back out.
Like any other industry, people within the agriculture sector work as hard as any human being to bring the world its most basic and fundamental commodities. To view the imagery, I want to come away with an appreciation of these efforts and realize something doesn’t come from nothing.
with Cornerstone Ranches – Lower Yakima Valley, Toppenish, WA
Every end of summer, the valley is buzzing with activity. Whether an apple harvest, grape harvest, or what the region is known for, a beer brewing hops harvest, there are people, machines, noises, scents, and 24/7 labor until every last commodity is picked, processed and delivered. For farm owners it is time of little rest. And for seasonal workers whom some have traveled far to support themselves and their families, it is an opportunity that only comes once a year.
Cornerstone Ranches produces some of the world’s finest hops and apples. But in terms of beer brewing hops, breweries from all around the country come to visit Graham Gamache’s historic hops facilities. Within the Yakima Valley of Washington State, an astounding 75% of the world’s beer brewing hops are grown and processed. And Graham’s Cornerstone Ranches has been within the industry for generations, growing some of the finest cones for beer brewing.
Let’s work together! Visit www.CameronKarsten.com for more and shoot an email to cam@cameronkarsten.com
seeking AUTHENTICITY – true to one’s own personality and/or spirit. Represented by the folks at The Gren Group.
As a brewer you’re also a janitor. Hygiene and cleanliness within the brewery is mandatory. One live bacteria cell in the wrong liquids with throw off a batch, creating skunky flavors that will make you never want a fresh pint again. So, after each boil, after each process from the mash tun to lauter tun, to kettle and whirlpool, to the last stages of the fermenter and into the keg, each component needs to be cleaned once, twice and three times more to assure the waters are neutral and all ingredients are fresh without stray additives. Drains throughout the brewery are necessary so hoses can be laid while insides and outsides of the equipment are washed clean. Common cleaning agents besides hot water are bleach, iodine and caustic acid. According to Nick Heppenstall, head brewer at Odin Brewery in Seattle, Washington, “A brewer is just a beer-loving janitor.”
“Belgium was a poor country and they wanted to get drunk, so they used whatever was cheap to make alcohol. And it was whatever happened to be down the street. So, you know, who knows what kind of sugar it was. It probably was more beet-based because there’s not a lot of sugarcane in Europe.”
“I love the regional aspect of craft brewing. Anywhere you have people who love craft beer, you’ll have craft breweries. Take Texas for example. Austin is full of people who love craft beer and it’s also full of craft breweries. Dallas on the other hand doesn’t have that passion for craft beer, hence no craft breweries.”
A brewer is a chef. It takes knowledge of your ingredients and skills with your equipment to create a fabulous feast. Same goes for beer brewing. You must know your tools, your ingredients, and the science behind their reactions and interactions. Nick Heppenstall, head brewer of Odin Brewery in Seattle, Washington has perfected this science into a tasty art-form of craftsman beers.
With a background in biochemistry, Nick heads up the recipes for all beers coming out of Odin Brewery. His mission is to brew a beer that pairs perfectly with the right kinds of food, and to do this, the beer must have the right density levels of water to sugars, a balanced pH level of acids, and a comfortable temperature with the right carbonation.
“Consistency is my first priority. I believe in keeping things simple. If I can do something simple and good, it’s easier for me to make it better.”
Water, grains and the essential hop flowers are key ingredients to crafting a fine brew; three ingredients combined into a myriad of concoctions to intensify certain aspects of flavor. Next add nutmeg, orange peel, extra sugar, or a compound called amylase to discover sweet palettes, higher alcohol percentage or a drier taste.
“My experience in microbiology has been absolutely valuable to my understanding of brewing beer. Anyone who want’s to brew good beer should study microbiology.”
“Beer Fest is a great movie, but I prefer Strange Brew!”
Water, cracked grain and hops flowers from the hop vine. Three essential ingredients make the base of any beer. Add yeast and time, and your alcoholic beverage is ready.
For this shot I used the exact same lighting set up as the previous entry, but took two exposures for the final. One for critical focus on the dried hops and cracked grain, and another for the water pitcher. In PS5 I combine the two images with layers and masks for the final cut.
Location: Cameron Karsten Studios, Bainbridge Island, WA
Camera/Lens Specifics: Canon 5D Mark II with Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L IS USM Macro Lens
Two fantastic beers by Seattle’s Odin Brewery: Freya’s Gold and Odin’s Gift
Lit with two Q-flashes both camera right and camera left diffused with softboxes and sheets, and one Canon Speedlite with a orange gel on the backdrop. One LED flashlight placed behind the bottle illuminating the rear. Mist covered the plexiglass which the bottles sat upon, while condensation formed after freezing the bottles and placing them in a room temperature environment.
Location: Cameron Karsten Studios, Bainbridge Island, WA
Camera/Lens Specifics: Canon 5D Mark II with Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L IS USM Macro Lens
Cameron Karsten's Imaginarium 