Growing Futures: A Look Inside Alamosa’s Farming Incubator

*Update 12/22: I’m proud to report that one of the images from this project received an Honorable Mention Award by the 2022 Chromatic Photography Awards.

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As a commercial photographer, I often find myself in diverse environments, but my recent personal photography assignment at the farming incubator in Alamosa, Colorado, offered a unique blend of agriculture and community that truly inspired me. I chose this subject out of my love for being outside and digging in the dirt, and it provided an excellent opportunity to showcase my personal style. This incubator supports new farmers, helping them grow their skills, businesses, and sustainable practices. Through photography, I aimed to capture the essence of this initiative and, more importantly, the dreams of the dedicated individuals involved.

What is a Farming Incubator?

The Alamosa farming incubator provides aspiring farmers with access to land, equipment, and resources to help them kickstart their agricultural journeys. This program focuses on education and hands-on experience, fostering a collaborative environment where new farmers can learn from one another and from seasoned mentors. It’s a space that encourages innovation, sustainability, and community engagement, all of which are crucial in modern farming.

Capturing the People Behind the Dreams

While I could have focused on close-ups of crops or the farming process, this project was about the people and their dreams. I chose to highlight the individuals behind the work, the farmers who are pouring their energy into something bigger than themselves. The environmental portraits I created aim to tell their stories—their connection to the land, their aspirations, and the hard work they’re putting in to build a future in agriculture.

One of the key techniques I used was combining a strobe light with the natural light of the setting sun. The warm glow of the sun provided a natural, soft backdrop, while the strobe added a professional polish. The strobe light didn’t just help illuminate the scene—it had a way of carving out the subject within the environment. It added a subtle emphasis on the farmers, making them stand out, almost like they’re heroes in their own stories.

I shot the farmers while they were in the middle of a task, which helped keep everything feeling authentic and true to the moment. But the use of the strobe elevated them beyond the everyday, giving the images a sense of purpose and importance. It was as if they were both a part of the landscape and set apart from it, highlighting their unique journey and the dreams they are striving toward.

Post-Production: Bringing the Dream to Life with Color Toning

In post-production, I did a lot of color toning to create the exact visual mood I wanted. The farmers in this incubator aren’t just working the land; they’re building toward their dreams. I wanted that sense of hope and aspiration to shine through.

To achieve this, I enhanced the natural warmth of the sunset, applying subtle color gradients to bring out the dreamy, ethereal feel I was aiming for. The color toning helped balance the authentic hard work of farming with the idea that these individuals are reaching for something beyond the physical labor—they are pursuing a vision for their future. The final result was a series of images that blend reality with a sense of idealism.

Final Thoughts: A People-Centered Journey

My experience at the farming incubator in Alamosa, Colorado, was a reminder that agriculture is about people as much as it is about the land. Through photography, I documented the stories of these individuals—farmers with dreams, aspirations, and the determination to make those dreams a reality.

As a photographer, I thrive on capturing moments where human ambition and hard work intersect. The images from this project highlight the beauty of people striving for something more, and the visual mood I aimed for—created through the warm glow of Colorado’s dry summer evenings—was designed to reflect that dreamy, aspirational pursuit. This project wasn’t about the crops; it was about the people behind them, with the use of lighting and framing to portray them almost as heroes in their quest for a brighter future.