Advice on summer project documenting farm work

[Geraldine Powell]

I am thinking of getting outdoors with my camera to take pictures of tractors, hay balers, and the like, in a small rural community in Europe this summer.
I have only used a 210 lens with my LF camera so far, (almost all taken indoors), but I wonder if I should bring a wider angle lens with me as well, and what size would likely be best. I know this is a silly question in a way as it depends on what type of images I want to make, but I don't really know at this point, and I don't think I will, until I try to do it.
So, has anyone who has done a project like this got some advice for me?
Geraldine

[Scott Walker]

I would definately take a wide lens along for a project like that. I live on a farm and photograph farm equipment, buildings, and livestock on a regular basis for work with a dslr and for pure enjoyment with 4x5 & 8x10. One of the issues you will likely have to deal with is space, you will not always have the room to use even a 150 on your 4x5 if you want to get the entire tractor or combine in the shot. If you are dealing with hobby farms the equipment tends to be small and easy to deal with. If you have the opportunity to photograph machines on a farm of many thousand hectares the machines are huge and lacking character in my opinion because they are usually new, so photographing them feels like doing some add print for John Deer.

[Geraldine Powell]

Thank you. That helps makes it more real to me. I lost a first reply to the ether. Maybe I need to define a subtopic where the 4x5 can really sing. I want to show the rhythm of a village rather than machine shots only.

[cave.natalie]

especially with people as the subjects, I find that I'm using my shorter lenses much more than not and many times wished they were shorter.

[Andrew O'Neill]

I like to use wide angle lenses to show that big sky farm country when I'm photographing in Saskatchewan, but when I go out, I take all my lenses. Try to get yourself a wide angle lens. A 72XL on 4x5 is awesome.