Getting the picture

Working with your family or friends always poses some unique challenges. It's something my Ben and his dad - like most farmers - have dealt with all their lives, so they are sort of used to it.

Ben and his dad have very different work styles. Ben is very precise and gives a lot of attention to detail, even if it's something where detail might not matter. His dad is more about getting the job done quickly and efficiently, even when it's something that requires exactness. See how problems might arise? They complement one another well, but they both admit that it drives them crazy at times.

A recent situation demonstrates it well. Ben got a nice buck the other day. Like any proud hunter, he wanted a good picture with it. By the time he found it and dragged it out, it was already poor lighting for our smartphone cameras. So he set it up the next day to take some, except the only person available to take the picture was his dad.

Let me tell you, I've come to learn how Ben likes his "trophy" pictures taken - have to be able to see each tine separately from each other and from the background, deer has to look "presentable" (no tongue hanging out, etc.) and he usually likes his bow displayed....and last on the list is that he should look decent.

I can just imagine both of their frustration. His dad took rapid-fire pictures and declared that one of them must be good. Ben looked through and found the obvious faults of each. In the end, it always seems to work out.

The winning picture!