Hilltop Windmill

Image Critiques Weekly Challenge
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Critique Style Requested: Standard

The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.

Description

One of the many Aermotor water pump windmill products throughout the southwestern states and other arid regions. The Burdick family in El Paso Texas had traveling crews that installed these units across the western states and Mexico in the earlier years.

Specific Feedback

ANY

Technical Details

Mamiya RB67 ProSD - Mamiya “C” Sekkor 90mm lens - Velvia 50.

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Paul, this is a classic prairie windmill view, especially with the cloudy sky and the barbed wire fence. Brings back that “open spaces forever” feeling that I get in Prairie country.

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Interesting back story. Your photo really gives a feeling of what it must be like out there. I like the rather ominous look of the image. Quite dramatic.

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@Mark_Seaver @Chris_Baird Thank you both for your reviews and comments on this scene… :+1:

I think in the past I’d mentioned I had a coworker who knew the Burdick family who installed the Aermotor water pump windmill units across the southwest. The book: Blades in the Sky: Windmilling through the Eyes of B. H. “Tex” Burdick is still out there at about $20 for a paperback copy… :cowboy_hat_face:

The Aermotor Company is located in Texas and is still producing the unit it released back in 1888. The first year it was on the market they had installed 24 units. Their site has a video on how the units are constructed. Aermotor

I did not realize until a few days ago, but I had enough different Aermotor images from various So Cal locations that I made up a calendar from them… :sunglasses:

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Excellent image, Paul. I don’t know if Tex operated this far northwest, but I’ve seen Aeromotor windmills in eastern Washington still pumping away.

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@Dennis_Plank I’m not sure if Tex’s family installed that far north or not. It has been several years since I read his book: “Blades In The Sky”, and I do not recall all their territorial coverage. But, I do know they did a lot of southwestern states and Mexico too.
One reason I can easily recall their connection to the arid southwestern area is a page or two was dedicated to their scary encounters with rattlesnakes during installations. One of the encounters sounded a bit like a snake pit of sorts. Apparently an old abandoned basement in some structure near their working area. Having grown up stepping over them critters on our own outings I could relate to the encounters they mentioned.
Thank you as always for the review and comment, Dennis… :+1:

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This image could certainly be nearly anywhere in the plains states as well as in mountain states. I’ve seen many Aermotor windmills like these in Colorado, Wyoming, Montana and California. I’ve only gotten a few images of them because many were placed in low areas to help protect them from the high winds that can sweep across at 60 - 70 mph (especially in Wyoming!). Nice!

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@Denise_Dethlefsen thank you for your comment here. I totally agree, these things were and to a point still out there all over the place. I was totally unaware of the Aermotor design actually having some kind of wind-break if you will. Almost like a governor on an engine to prevent an overrunning. I think I read that or saw it in the Aermotor manufactures video. Regardless, they sure had their act together to try and cover all kinds of harsh weather conditions and or destruction of the windmills.