1st Place winner
Future Farming
DESCRIPTION
Once upon a time in a picturesque countryside, there was a small farming community. Generations had cultivated the land, relying on traditional farming practices to sustain their way of life. However, as time passed, the unintended consequences of these practices began to emerge.The excessive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides had taken a toll on the environment. The once-rich soil became depleted, and the water sources became contaminated, harming both wildlife and the health of the farmers themselves. The air, once fresh and clean, now carried the heavy burden of agricultural pollution.
Awareness of the environmental damage caused by farming practices grew, and a few individuals within the community raised their concerns. They urged their fellow farmers to adopt sustainable methods, such as organic farming and regenerative agriculture, to restore the health of the land and protect the ecosystem. However, change was slow, as many farmers were hesitant to abandon the familiar and risk their livelihoods.
As the years went by, the damage worsened, and nature began to retaliate. Crops failed, and the once-thriving farmlands turned into barren wastelands. The impact on the community was devastating, and desperation set in. It became evident that if farming practices didn't change, the future would be bleak.
However, farmers embraced change. Some clung to the old ways, causing further environmental damage. Eventually, the consequences became unavoidable. The environment deteriorated to such an extent that traditional farming became impossible without proper protection.
In a haunting vision of the future, farmers were forced to wear hazmat suits and operate drones to carry out essential farming tasks. Nature had become hostile, and human intervention was required to survive. The idyllic countryside transformed into a dystopian landscape...
AUTHOR
Irina Petrova is an internationally published and award winning photographer and artist. She specializes in wild life micro-photography and science fiction inspired installations organically integrating living and artificial entities. A unique feature of her work is she only uses retro manual focus lenses to share the wonders of the world. She has won a substantial number of awards and prizes, including 3 recent awards in BIFA 2020, winner of FEP Awards 2021 Nature Golden Camera and ND Discovery of the Year in category Nature 2019.