A PHOTOGRAPHER has captured the everyday life of a Tynedale farmer on camera as part of a artistic project.

Robin Oliver, a artist and photographer based in Cumbria, has travelled around the UK, from Cornwall to Northumberland, taking snapshots of agricultural life including working on the land and tending to the animals, sales, scenic landscapes, animal and human portraits for his project, the Art of Farming, which aims to portray all the effort that goes into British farming.

One farmer who was featured in the project was John W. Davison, of Lough Green, Langley, near Hexham. In particular, Robin focused on the preparations for John’s dispersal sale of his Langley flock of pedigree Bleu du Maine sheep at Harrison & Heatherington Auctioneers, Borderway Mart, Carlisle, in August last year.

Robin said he was privileged to be invited to attend such “a highly significant and historical event” in any farmer’s life.

Robin also documented John selling his Texel shearling rams at Hexham Mart – capturing on camera not only the sale itself, but also the close-knit farming community, with John shown to be sharing a laugh and a good conversation with other mart-goers.

In December, Robin asked admirers of his work to vote for their favourite photos from the Art of Farming collection, where the top snap was of John with one of his Bleu du Maine sheep, as he said goodbye ahead of the dispersal sale.

In response to the result, Robin said that John and his story had “undoubtedly captured the hearts and much admiration from a great many people”.