David Lill and his four-legged extended family

I have a very personal connection to my cows since I am a dairy farmer and an artist.
I know how to capture their personal side in my photography whether it's dressing them up with hats or just a plain natural setting. Customer and observers of my art say that I do it like no one else.
I know from art shows and festivals that I have participated in that people enjoy my artistic humor of cows.
Last year at the Phelps Mill Festival, in rural Otter Tail County, two ladies from Fargo stopped in my booth. They laughed and chuckled the entire 20 to 30 minutes that they were there.
They said, "We're sure glad you are here because we had a bad start to our day. You've made our day brighter."
Even though they didn't buy anything, I knew that I had made a difference with my artwork.
It gave them the lift of feeling good.
Customers and observes of my work often ask, "How did you photograph that particular photo?"
Studying and knowing the object or person that is going to be photographed is the key to successful artistic result. Some customers and observers have commented that they did not realize that Otter Tail County has so many picturesque places. I tell them that a photographer has to get out and look for subjects — to explore the area and to look for the story that he/she wants to tell. It's about that creative eye.
At one time in our lives, we all knew of a family member or someone close to us who was connected in one way or another to a dairy farm. That older farmer often told us little stories about his cows.
Our landscape was one dotted with these farms and stories. To these people, it was a simpler way of life. Sure, hard work was involved, but the rewards were there, too.
These delightful cows gave so much of themselves and never asked for anything in return. A lot of the time, these creatures became part of the family; that is pretty much gone now. Most of today's generation will never see or know of farm life. Each animal was as individual as you or I. Now that's gone, commercialized and numbers. Betsy is now No. 101.
Art comes in many forms.
My unique cow photographic twist of my dairy cows — my extended four-legged family — gives today's readers a character that most people don't see or take time to notice.
In today's fast paced society, nobody takes time to notice.
This unique photographic twist and words of humor makes readers take a moment to pause, laugh, and just sit back and think of what's around them.
The photographic humor is what I want people to see and think; for all we know a little bit of laughter goes a long way and helps brighten a day up. This is what I want my legacy with my dairy cows to be, if only for just a moment.
To reflect back to a simpler time in our life and for generations to come.
I would like to publish a book, "Classic Cows."