Forty Farms - Conversations about change in the landscapes of Cumbria

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Forty Farms offers a unique insight into the hopes, fears and everyday lives of 40 extraordinary farmers across Cumbria. I think the thing about documentary photography for me is that it's about telling the story. For farm photography in particular, it's different. It's not necessarily a wildlife photograph or a landscape. You're telling a story about what's actually happening in front of you. It's those elements of storytelling; your composition, the light, your leading lines, and the interaction of your subject with its environment. Lakeland Arts is hosting an exhibition by British Life Photographer of the Year, and Cumbrian farmer, Amy Batemanin the creative spaces and gallery at Windermere Jetty Museum. Forty Farms offers a unique insight into the everyday lives, fears and hopes of 40 extraordinary farmers, through photography, products, film and words to create an immersive experience. In March 2021, Amy embarked on a journey to record the stories of Forty Farms in the Lake District and Cumbria, at a pivotal moment for British agriculture. Photographer Amy Bateman said: “I have tried to reflect the widest possible range of farmers engaged with the widest variety of animals, crops, landscapes, and diversifications.

The book and the exhibition are at the heart of Forty Farms but there’s lots more happening too – I’ve been a bit overwhelmed by the enthusiasm for this concept, for the images and, at the heart of it all, for the stories of Forty Farms. It's a photography book showcasing 40 farms in Cumbria, and how the landscape is used by different farming families. It includes real human-interest stories that unfold in the ever-changing landscapes of one of the UK’s best-loved mountain landscapes – the Lake District. Over the course of a year, Amy conducted frank conversations about the financial challenges of farming; about the tightrope balance of producing quality food in a nature-rich landscape; and about the highs and lows of working in an area that is known and loved internationally.

Derwentwater dawn (Image credit: Amy Bateman - Forty Farms) How did you go from amateur to professional photographer? The exhibition is also supported by a Forty Farms Festival of talks, debates, films and creative classes, which will run from September-December, a full program diary of events will be unveiled at Rheged. These adverts enable local businesses to get in front of their target audience – the local community.

In March 2020, British Life Photographer of the Year, and Cumbrian farmer, Amy Bateman, embarked on a journey to record the stories of Forty Farms in the Lake District and Cumbria to produce a sumptuous coffee table book. I remember having lessons on style in evening classes and I always thought, “How am I ever going to create a style?”. I never thought that I had a style, yet people recognize my images now and so I have realized that I do have a style – but I can only recognize it to an extent. Have quite high contrast images, more low-key than high, and focus on story-telling imagery. The accompanying conversations with farmers – often frank, sometimes funny, and occasionally painful – reflect the critical issues facing farming today. Simon and Our Farm are honoured to be a part of ‘Forty Farms - Conversations about change in the landscapes of Cumbria’.The photographs captured by Bateman tell the compelling stories of 40 farmers as they go about their day-to-day lives in one of the UK ’ s best loved mountain landscapes, the Lake District. Along the way, Bateman reveals compelling human-interest stories during what was – and is – a period of profound change for British farming. In March 2021, British Life Photographer of the Year Amy Bateman embarked on a journey to record the stories of forty farms in Cumbria.

This also marks the opening of a major free exhibition at Rheged, Penrith, Cumbria, featuring the photographs I captured for the book, which will run until 4th January 2023. MISS POTTER is an enchanting love story inspired by the life of Beatrix Potter - the most successful children’s author of all time. Set in London and the Lake District in 1902, the film stars Academy Award winner Renée Zellweger as Beatrix Potter, and charts the...Our family farm, some of our wonderful producers, and our farming friends, feature in a brand new exhibition offering a unique insight into the everyday lives, fears and hopes of 40 extraordinary farmers throughout Cumbria.