Cows 2
There’s a quiet power in a static landscape shot, where the camera simply observes without interference.
My new piece, Cows 2, embraces this approach—a two-and-a-half-minute, single, unmoving frame that draws the viewer into the meditative calm of a rural scene.
Cows 2 captures a small herd of black and white cows wading and grazing along the edge of a flooded pasture beneath a heavy grey sky. The image remains locked throughout, inviting viewers to linger and discover the subtle movements and shifting details that might otherwise pass unnoticed.
On the day of filming, the sky was overcast, casting a soft, diffused light that gave the landscape a muted palette of silvery greys, mossy greens, and earthy browns. Reflections shimmered across the water, while the cows became striking figures against the subdued background, their black-and-white coats providing visual rhythm and contrast.
Choosing a static landscape shot was deliberate. No pans, tilts, or zooms—just a fixed perspective. I wanted to resist the instinct to chase action and instead capture how time feels in a landscape when you simply allow yourself to watch.
It’s the smallest dynamics that become fascinating in these moments: a cow pausing to look up, gentle ripples expanding across the water, distant birds crossing the sky. Even the wind reveals itself through slight motions in the reeds and grasses. These details create a quiet rhythm, transforming an everyday rural scene into something unexpectedly engaging.
Visually, the composition unfolds in gentle layers. The water in the foreground serves as a soft reflective surface, while the cows occupy the middle ground, scattered across the shallows. Behind them, grassy dunes rise subtly, and above it all stretches the vast, cloud-filled sky. The static frame allows viewers to absorb all of these textures and shapes without distraction.
Yet despite the tranquillity, there’s an underlying tension. The cows stand on the threshold between dry ground and water, embodying the quiet negotiation between domestication and the wilder forces of nature.
Cows 2 fits into my broader practice as a landscape videographer. I’m captivated by how a static landscape shot can evoke mood and let viewers experience a place in real time. In an era driven by quick edits and constant movement, there’s something radical and soothing about holding a shot for two minutes—or longer—and trusting the audience to stay with it.
It’s a reminder that beautiful visuals don’t always need sweeping motion or dramatic events. Sometimes the most powerful moments come from stillness and close observation.
Looking at the screengrab from Cows 2, you’ll see the heart of the piece: cows wading through ankle-deep water beneath a moody sky, their reflections shimmering faintly in ripples. The colours are subdued, the atmosphere calm, yet the scene brims with life and texture for those who take the time to look.
The piece was shot on a Panasonic GH2 paired with a 12mm lens, which offered a wide field of view perfect for capturing the expanse of water, sky, and grazing cows in a single static landscape shot. The GH2, despite being a Micro Four Thirds camera from 2010, remains valued by videographers for its crisp detail, cinematic colour profiles, and hackable firmware that unlocks higher bitrates for better image quality. I recorded in 1080p at 24fps, maintaining a natural, filmic cadence. The 12mm lens provided excellent sharpness and minimal distortion, helping keep verticals true across the wide frame.
My hope is that Cows 2 offers viewers a pause—a few minutes to slow down and remember that even the simplest landscapes contain countless quiet stories.
For more of my landscape work, visit my landscape film collection here.