D82: Not Another “Cotton Pickin’” Day

I never gave the origins of the statement “cotton pickin’” or the definition much thought. It was a phrase I rarely heard, except maybe on Saturday morning cartoons with Bugs Bunny. Then it just seemed like a made up phrase.

Today, as my husband picked a single piece of cotton from a cotton field in Alabama, the meaning and message became more than just a phrase. More than a saying. It became real.

We were just driving along the Alabama highway when we began seeing cotton fields. Honestly I didn’t even know people still grew cotton in the South. It was an interesting sight. Even more intriguing was one dilapidated farmhouse with a thriving cotton field on either side of it. I remarked that it was an amazing picture and my quick thinking husband suggested we turn around to get my shot of the day. I did.

The images you see are of the field and barn. I’ve never actually seen a cotton plant up close. As I walked through the field and shot images of the location, my mind and heart were racing with thoughts and emotions.

What would it have been like to be there 100 years ago? I’m not implying that I would’ve wanted to live 100 years ago. I wouldn’t. But what could I learn, what could we all learn if we saw with our own eyes what life was like back then. Not just a documentary or old photographs, but saw, heard, and experienced firsthand. How would it change us, our perspective, our world? I wonder.

Manual: Read page 53—Highlights and Histogram.

Images: Reading The Photographer’s Eye: Composition and Design for Better Digital Photos, a book I got through BookSwim (Netflix for books). I’m thrilled I found the service (or that they found me). The next couple books on my list include Chase Jarvis’ The Best Camera Is The One That’s With You and Joe McNally’s The Hot Shoe Diaries.

Filed under Month 3: Nov '09, tasra365 challenge · Tagged with , , , , , Posted by Tasra Dawson on Saturday, November 21, 2009 · View Comments 

  • dijea
    My grandmother often tells me story of the times when she was a girl and it was time to pick the cotton. My grandmother 88 and the youngest of 11 kids from South Texas.


    I love the shots - especially of the house & barn. Moving
  • my.
    Hi Tasra,
    Ron gave me a link to your post here. I absolutely love the photos. I was excited to see the photos because I, too, have never seen a cotton plant. Most of us come into contact with cotton in the form of clothes we wear, sheets we sleep on, towels we use to dry our hands, etc. The process from cotton plant to consumer goods intrigues me. What are the steps involved? More importantly, who planted the cotton, whose hands picked the cotton, what are their stories?

    And the history? It's amazing that plants, things, people, process, time, history, your photographs, my curiosity are all somehow woven together, like the raw cotton that becomes the fabric. Thank you for sharing your experience.
  • pamelastrohl
    All the more reason to cover it... beautifully. I love the different panels, they really work together. I highly recommend the book 'Life is So Good,' by George Dawson. Great perspective...
  • Thanks so much Linda! I do too... for the meaning and the image itself. It's always a good day when you can get both of those things to line up.
  • I appreciate that. The brown tones really helped to evoke the feeling I wanted in this image and capture the emotion of the moment. Thanks again for stopping by!
  • Thanks so much Pamela. I know it was harder for people to comment on this one because it is a loaded topic. I appreciate your kind words!
  • pamelastrohl
    gorgeous and rich.
  • I've always loved sepia-toned shots. This one is beautiful.
  • I've never seen cotton plant up close either. But now it's on my list of things to do. Thank you.
  • I really love today's image! Great stuff!
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