Photography Competition Winner – Todd Finds Beauty In The Every Day

We asked and you delivered! When we put out the call for your best John Deere photos as part of our 2020 Calendar Photo Competition, we didn’t expect to be inundated with so many fantastic shots. What a talented bunch you are!

This year’s winner was Todd McCarten of Nargoon Rankin Springs, who snapped an impressive sunset (cover shot) on a day on the farm just like any other. It just goes to prove what many of us already know. there’s beauty all around when you’re lucky enough to live and work on the land.

Todd was wrapping up a long day’s work on the header when he took a moment to capture the beautiful sunset he saw on his iPhone.

“We were in the middle of harvest and we were just about to walk off but there was a really nice sunset behind our two headers, and I thought it would be a good opportunity to take a photo.”

When he saw the Hutcheon & Pearce 2020 Calendar Photo Competition, Todd remembered the shot and decided to enter.

“I take photos here and there – if I see something worth taking, I’ll stop and take it. I tend to wait for the perfect opportunity that I think that people would enjoy, I suppose.

“It could be a dust storm, or a really hazy day, or like in the [winning] photo, just a really nice sunset. I try to capture the beauty of the land, which is there even in the drought.”

When he’s not taking photos, Todd is working his family’s 16,000 acre cropping and sheep farm in Rankin Springs and their 20,000 acre property in Nymagee, near Cobar. With farming in his family for five generations, Todd hopes to take over farming operations from his parents one day.

“I love working the land. You’re your own boss and you sort of rely on yourself. You take pride in what you do.

“While things at Ranking Springs are looking pretty dry right now, there’s some rain forecast that’s looking promising, so fingers crossed!”

Todd’s next adventure might see some more winning photos, as he prepares to race his motorbike in the Finke Desert Race – an off-road, multi-terrain race from Alice Springs, through desert country to the small Aputula (Finke) community – in June.

“It’s the biggest race of its kind in Australia. I’m sure to get some shots along the way.”

We can’t wait to see the photos, Todd! You can check out Todd’s photos on Instagram @toddd_mccartenn.