# pigeon portraits



## amoonswirl (Nov 14, 2006)

This weekend we experimented with taking some portraits of a few of my pigeons and doves. My husband constructed a light diffusion box out of cardboard and tracing paper. The birds were placed inside the box with the light shining through from outside. Eventually we want to make prints of some of these to frame and hang in a grouping.

Some of these still need some work, but they're not bad for a first try at pigeon photographs. Have a look:
http://www.flickr.com/gp/[email protected]/y2V6AJ

A couple of samples below...









(boy is it hard to get birds to pose nicely!)


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## chriss80 (May 6, 2007)

Oh yeah the first pigeons thinks ” I’m pretty and I know it”.


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## Garye (Feb 20, 2005)

The photos are pretty impressive. The only thing I would do differently is to get a bigger box because those birds are so big that the corners of the box or the sides of the box show through. But the photography is very good especially with the first one. I like the third one only because it looks so cute.


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

Nice pictures!! I've never been able to get good pictures of my birds, but then I never built a special box with a light either, so what do I expect, right? LOL
You know, the guys/gals that take pigeon pictures for the magazines make big bucks.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Karen, I think they are lovely and they look very professional.  
The picture at my signature is of my Sammy and it was professional done and was in the New York Magazine in Sept of 2005.The secret was a dark room with the only lights, right around Sammy. They were turned on just seconds before the photographer started his shoot. Sammy reacted to the flash and changed position, just a bit, after each flash. It was pretty funny.


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

Charis said:


> Karen, I think they are lovely and they look very professional.
> The picture at my signature is of my Sammy and it was professional done and was in the New York Magazine in Sept of 2005.The secret was a dark room with the only lights, right around Sammy. They were turned on just seconds before the photographer started his shoot. Sammy reacted to the flash and changed position, just a bit, after each flash. It was pretty funny.


What's Sammy standing on?


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## amoonswirl (Nov 14, 2006)

Garye said:


> The photos are pretty impressive. The only thing I would do differently is to get a bigger box because those birds are so big that the corners of the box or the sides of the box show through. But the photography is very good especially with the first one. I like the third one only because it looks so cute.


Thanks for your comments!

We definitely need a bigger box. We had intended to use photoshop to cut the birds out of the backgrounds & place in a new background, which is why the cardboard shows in some of them. But I think we'll start over with a new box. Less work that way.


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## amoonswirl (Nov 14, 2006)

Charis said:


> Karen, I think they are lovely and they look very professional.
> The picture at my signature is of my Sammy and it was professional done and was in the New York Magazine in Sept of 2005.The secret was a dark room with the only lights, right around Sammy. They were turned on just seconds before the photographer started his shoot. Sammy reacted to the flash and changed position, just a bit, after each flash. It was pretty funny.


Thanks Charis!
I was wondering about the photo in your signature  It is lovely! Was there a story in the New York Magazine about Sammy?

Using a dark room to keep the birds calm is a great idea. Maybe we'll try that approach next time. We took over 700 photos and only a few of them came out well. (thank goodness for digital cameras and baby wipes too, lol)


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## amoonswirl (Nov 14, 2006)

Lovebirds said:


> Nice pictures!! I've never been able to get good pictures of my birds, but then I never built a special box with a light either, so what do I expect, right? LOL
> You know, the guys/gals that take pigeon pictures for the magazines make big bucks.


Thanks Renee!
It was not easy to get decent photos. We took over 700 shots, and these are the few that came out halfway decent. Maybe you just need to take more photos


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## amoonswirl (Nov 14, 2006)

chriss80 said:


> Oh yeah the first pigeons thinks ” I’m pretty and I know it”.


Indeed - I tell him how pretty he is every day, so he'd better know it


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

amoonswirl said:


> Thanks Charis!
> I was wondering about the photo in your signature  It is lovely! Was there a story in the New York Magazine about Sammy?
> 
> Using a dark room to keep the birds calm is a great idea. Maybe we'll try that approach next time. We took over 700 photos and only a few of them came out well. (thank goodness for digital cameras and baby wipes too, lol)


The story wasn't about Sammy. It was about Pluto. For some reason, the magazine wanted a picture of a pigeon, that looked like a New York City street pigeon, on a lens. The photographer wanted JUST AN ORDINARY PIGEON....Sammy is anything but ordinary!


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Hi Karen,

I think your pictures are very good! What nice expressions the birds have!


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## EgypSwiftLady (Jan 14, 2008)

They are very good, I love the one with the bl. and white fantails all are very impressive.


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## KIPPY (Dec 18, 2003)

I think they are neat and a bigger box may work better.

They look like natural pigeon models.


> It only took 700


, lot's of pictures usually is part of that one picture your looking for.

I like the first and last, the second needs something. Maybe I'm watching too much American Idol but the second doesn't look like he wants to be there and I see no X factor in modeling.


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## ZeldaCA (Dec 30, 2007)

Wonderful pictures! They look like the kind you'd find in an encyclopedia -- very crisp, very detailed.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Very nice photos, Karen! It is difficult to get our little feathered friends to cooperate for their photo ops, but you got some great shots!

Terry


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## amoonswirl (Nov 14, 2006)

Thanks everyone for your kind words!

Here are some of the best ones, framed and hanging in our stairwell.








Hope to get all of them photographed some day, but this was a fun start to the project.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

amoonswirl said:


> Thanks everyone for your kind words!
> 
> Hope to get all of them photographed some day, but this was a fun start to the project.


Those are terrific! Great photos and lovely frames! 

Terry


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## Feather (Dec 8, 2005)

Those are just beautiful! You are so artistic. How on earth did you get them to pose. For the longest time I have tried to get a good picture of my bird Polaris for our member Phyll. Everytime I walk up to him with a camera he runs.


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

I love them, your birds are very beautiful.

Reti


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## amoonswirl (Nov 14, 2006)

Feather said:


> Those are just beautiful! You are so artistic. How on earth did you get them to pose. For the longest time I have tried to get a good picture of my bird Polaris for our member Phyll. Everytime I walk up to him with a camera he runs.


Thank you!
It was a process...
We confined the birds to a small box with controlled lighting. Then I talked to the birds to calm them down and also made hand motions to keep them looking alert, while my husband operated the camera. We took over 700 photos, and these were the few that came out ok. Planning another photo shoot soon with a bigger box and better lighting.

(there were some funny sequences as some of the birds made a beeline out of the box and I chased them around...)


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## TheSnipes (Apr 9, 2007)

WHAT A FUN IDEA!!  And just when I have been wondering what to do with this pile of empty picture frames I can't bring myself to toss out.

Hmm....wonder how many of my friends/relatives would appreciate portraits like these as gifts?? (NONE!!)  

Nevermind...Karen, I'll be sending my pidgies straightaway for their portrait taking!! Hehehe!


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## amoonswirl (Nov 14, 2006)

Reti said:


> I love them, your birds are very beautiful.
> 
> Reti


Thanks Reti!


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## Feather (Dec 8, 2005)

I have many pictures of them in flight, but I would just love to get that one still pose for Phyll. I love everything you do anyways, but maybe I'm just going to have to send Phyll a picture of Polaris running away.


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Getting Munchkin & Isabella to pose together as they have looks to be a real achievement. They look wonderful!

John


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

amoonswirl said:


> Thank you!
> It was a process...
> We confined the birds to a small box with controlled lighting. Then I talked to the birds to calm them down and also made hand motions to keep them looking alert, while my husband operated the camera. We took over 700 photos, and these were the few that came out ok. Planning another photo shoot soon with a bigger box and better lighting.
> 
> *(there were some funny sequences as some of the birds made a beeline out of the box and I chased them around...) *


Sounds like you need to set a video camera up too.


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## nbdyuknow (Apr 10, 2007)

i think they are wonderful!


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## amoonswirl (Nov 14, 2006)

TheSnipes said:


> WHAT A FUN IDEA!!  And just when I have been wondering what to do with this pile of empty picture frames I can't bring myself to toss out.
> 
> Hmm....wonder how many of my friends/relatives would appreciate portraits like these as gifts?? (NONE!!)
> 
> Nevermind...Karen, I'll be sending my pidgies straightaway for their portrait taking!! Hehehe!


Send 'em on over!!!

We actually wanted to use a photo of Munchkin on our Holiday cards this past year, but couldn't get the right photo. (Just in case our friends & family didn't already think we're completely nuts, lol.)


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## amoonswirl (Nov 14, 2006)

John_D said:


> Getting Munchkin & Isabella to pose together as they have looks to be a real achievement. They look wonderful!
> 
> John


Thanks!!
They are actually pretty natural with the poses. Isabella kept trying to get a kiss from Munchkin, but he was being coy. They're so in love it's adorable to watch. I think they look like a Victorian Valentine's postcard when they're posing together.


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Karen, your pictures are wonderful and the frames just set the pigeons' pictures off. Outstanding.


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## Elizabethy (Sep 25, 2007)

*Great photos!*

A lot of REALLY great photos in there! Yes to a bigger box to get the background cleared up but, Wow! The photography is gorgeous. My favorites are the dove in the center in this post and the first one of the white and black fantails in the Flickr series.


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## Chicken_Pigeon (Apr 11, 2008)

amoonswirl said:


> This weekend we experimented with taking some portraits of a few of my pigeons and doves. My husband constructed a light diffusion box out of cardboard and tracing paper. The birds were placed inside the box with the light shining through from outside. Eventually we want to make prints of some of these to frame and hang in a grouping.
> 
> Some of these still need some work, but they're not bad for a first try at pigeon photographs. Have a look:
> http://www.flickr.com/gp/[email protected]/y2V6AJ
> ...



Is it ok if I copy one for my desktop wallpaper???  I thought I'd get your permission first.

Great pics!!! -very fancy


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## amoonswirl (Nov 14, 2006)

Chicken_Pigeon said:


> Is it ok if I copy one for my desktop wallpaper???  I thought I'd get your permission first.
> 
> Great pics!!! -very fancy


Glad you like them!
I would not mind at all if you used one of my pix as a personal desktop. Thank you for asking first


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## Littlecoo (Apr 20, 2008)

Amoonswirl,

You have some great photographs there, photographing birds is quite a challenge. 
I'm a photographic artist, retoucher/restorer (more of a fulltime hobby for me now that I am not working). If you don't mind I would love to touchup some of your images- just some of the ones you uploaded on flickr for now, I think some of them could turn out really nice indeed with a bit of cleaning up.


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## amoonswirl (Nov 14, 2006)

Littlecoo said:


> Amoonswirl,
> 
> You have some great photographs there, photographing birds is quite a challenge.
> I'm a photographic artist, retoucher/restorer (more of a fulltime hobby for me now that I am not working). If you don't mind I would love to touchup some of your images- just some of the ones you uploaded on flickr for now, I think some of them could turn out really nice indeed with a bit of cleaning up.


Thanks for your compliments!
Feel free to retouch any of my photos on flickr if you like. Let me know if you do - would love to see the results.

We are going to do another photo session once we have some time on a weekend. We've built a bigger box and will use better lighting. We learned a lot from the "first try" lol.


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## Margarret (May 3, 2007)

Karen,

Your photos are wonderful. Both I and my husband looked at them several times as he has begun some pigeon portraits too. We both think you did a fabulous job. Yep, it sure is hard to get them to pose. I'm not surprised that you shot seven hundred frames to get those. I love the light box you guys constructed. It really takes the photos to the next level. So far ours are just out in the loft. I don't know how many Jon shot, but he only got one really good one out of the whole batch. I'm looking forward to the next bunch you shoot.

Margaret


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## amoonswirl (Nov 14, 2006)

Margarret said:


> Karen,
> 
> Your photos are wonderful. Both I and my husband looked at them several times as he has begun some pigeon portraits too. We both think you did a fabulous job. Yep, it sure is hard to get them to pose. I'm not surprised that you shot seven hundred frames to get those. I love the light box you guys constructed. It really takes the photos to the next level. So far ours are just out in the loft. I don't know how many Jon shot, but he only got one really good one out of the whole batch. I'm looking forward to the next bunch you shoot.
> 
> Margaret


Thanks Margaret!
I'd love to see your photos too, if you do more shoots.

We've taken some out in the loft as well. On the one hand they look more natural and comfortable but on the other hand it is hard to control the lighting, etc...so more wasted shots to get fewer good ones, lol! I'll post more the next time we do a shoot. So glad that people are enjoying these 

In the mean time, the link below has some of those loft photos, as well as some that he shot through the viewfinders of various antique cameras. 

More of my husband's photos...


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## Chicken_Pigeon (Apr 11, 2008)

amoonswirl said:


> Glad you like them!
> I would not mind at all if you used one of my pix as a personal desktop. Thank you for asking first


Thank you!

Look How nice my Desktop looks now


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## Jojopotato (Mar 28, 2008)

Gorgeous! Great portraits...


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## Littlecoo (Apr 20, 2008)

Okay, here is the first three I've tidied up a bit- these ones are my favourites...





























*FYI* These and any subsequent images I upload can be found here: 
http://s194.photobucket.com/albums/z156/Littlecoo/Other%20Doves%20and%20Pigeons/


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## Boni Birds (Mar 19, 2007)

I LOOOOVE those pictures!!!


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

Awsome pics. 

Reti


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## amoonswirl (Nov 14, 2006)

Chicken_Pigeon said:


> Thank you!
> 
> Look How nice my Desktop looks now


Quite lovely, indeed


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## amoonswirl (Nov 14, 2006)

Littlecoo said:


> Okay, here is the first three I've tidied up a bit- these ones are my favourites...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Wow- these cleaned up really nicely! Can't see any evidence of the cardboard that used to be showing. What kind of retouching software are you using?

Thanks for the link, I will keep an eye on that.
btw - Your doves are beautiful! I especially love the teaspoon photo - precious!


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## Garye (Feb 20, 2005)

Yes, yes, yes! The retouching works very well in these pix! The background almost seems seemless. These will work! This is what I meant by having a bigger box - the background is almost seemless and the retouching takes care of it.

I love Petey by the way. He's so plump and pretty.


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## Littlecoo (Apr 20, 2008)

> Wow- these cleaned up really nicely! Can't see any evidence of the cardboard that used to be showing. What kind of retouching software are you using?


I use Photoshop CS3 for the retouching- for image editing this program is second to none although it is very expensive. There are some freeware alternatives that are basic but still quite decent- Irfanview and The Gimp. I have also recently started playing with an excellent web-based image editor/gallery: http://www.photoshop.com/express/index.html
that I am impressed with so much that I'm going to use it to publish most of my images for now on.

For plain backdrops in photographs of small subjects I just use lengths of white/neutral coloured matte paper or a bed sheet draped/hung in the shower cubicle... this works rather well and my photographic _models_ can't make a break for it too easily  



> I love Petey by the way. He's so plump and pretty.


I reckon! And he looks like he knows it too! Hehehe


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## basalt (Sep 6, 2007)

Comin in late to this thread but just wanted to say these photos are FABULOUS. I also made that picture of Ash my desktop. What a seriously beautiful pigeon!


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## Dezirrae (Oct 6, 2007)

You have a wonderful eye and ability to catch "just the right" expression! Great shots! My favorite (so far) is the white and black birds together - excellent contrast and such adorable expressions  Looking forward to seeing many more


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## amoonswirl (Nov 14, 2006)

Littlecoo said:


> For plain backdrops in photographs of small subjects I just use lengths of white/neutral coloured matte paper or a bed sheet draped/hung in the shower cubicle... this works rather well and my photographic _models_ can't make a break for it too easily


Thanks for these tips! I actually have the Gimp at home and Photoshop at work, but my skills are limited. My husband is much better with the artistic things...

The shower stall idea is great! We were silly and used the biggest room in the house for the experiment. Luckily, only one piece of furniture was broken in all of the chases we made, lol. Next time we'll try the bathroom. I certainly am learning a lot!

basalt & Dezirrae - thanks for your kind words


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## Rooster2312 (Mar 8, 2006)

WOW!!! These are photo contest winners for sure!!!

Lindi


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## Littlecoo (Apr 20, 2008)

Rooster2312 said:


> WOW!!! These are photo contest winners for sure!!!
> 
> Lindi


I reckon! I hope amoonswirl enters a few of her photos, she has some beautiful images of some gorgeous birds there.


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## amoonswirl (Nov 14, 2006)

Just a few more recent photos...

Angel the dove (he kept fluffing out his feathers when the camera was pointed at him - he's not really this fat!)








Sunshine, Angel's mate









Isabella (the new Momma)









Penny, Ash's mate (looks a little skittish here because she is...)


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Karen, Those pictures are gorgeous. I love the props.


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

I LOVE your pictures! They are so clear and professional looking 
And your birds are all beautiful too! I still can't get over how neat and clean everyone looks, especially Isabella's tail feathers - I've never seen a fantail as perfect as her. Not a single break in those feathers


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## amoonswirl (Nov 14, 2006)

MaryOfExeter said:


> I've never seen a fantail as perfect as her. Not a single break in those feathers


Thanks! I have to admit that my husband used photoshop to clean up Isabella's tail a little. She's not actually that perfect - but she's pretty close


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## Becca199212 (May 10, 2007)

What amazing photos! Doesn't look like the rest of us should even bother entering into the photo contest this year, not with these 'professional' ones.
I like angels feathers puffed up, she looks very relaxed- so photogenic! Sunshine is just adorable! The background colour really compliments their feather colouring and I love the book as a prop- especially that book!
Would you mind posting a photo of the set-up you use when photoing the birds?


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

amoonswirl said:


> Thanks! I have to admit that my husband used photoshop to clean up Isabella's tail a little. She's not actually that perfect - *but she's pretty close*


Ah, well that's all that matters


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## amoonswirl (Nov 14, 2006)

Becca199212 said:


> Would you mind posting a photo of the set-up you use when photoing the birds?


Thanks!!
The birds were placed in a specially constructed light box with colored paper taped to the back. We had to experiment with the lighting, but basically 2 bright lights diffused through the vellum sides of the box.

I believe the instructions for the light box came from this photography blog. Since we don't have a tripod, we balanced the camera on a stack of books, lol. Very DIY but also very cheap.

The hardest part was getting the birds to sit still and pose. I handle my birds as often as I can so that helped, but they weren't exactly psyched to sit in the box and be good. If you try it, be prepared to take a lot of photos and use up a lot of patience  Best to have someone help you too. I can't imagine trying to be the handler as well as the photographer.

Oh, and as Littlecoo recommended, use a small room like a bathroom or shower stall to minimize the escape antics.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Nice job, Karen!  

Looking forward to more of your pics.


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

Trees Gray said:


> Nice job, Karen!
> 
> Looking forward to more of your pics.


When you get a chance, just pack up the equipment and run down here to VA and take a few shots for me.


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## amoonswirl (Nov 14, 2006)

Lovebirds said:


> When you get a chance, just pack up the equipment and run down here to VA and take a few shots for me.


Anytime, lol!!


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## Littlecoo (Apr 20, 2008)

*Struttin' her stuff!*

Always lookin' real fine... Supermodel Isabella


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## amoonswirl (Nov 14, 2006)

Littlecoo said:


> Always lookin' real fine... Supermodel Isabella


WOW!!! This is stunning!


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## Littlecoo (Apr 20, 2008)

I have uploaded my working Photoshop file (PSD) if you and your Hubby want to have a play with it: http://cid-faf5b941a3b46753.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/Public/Bella1.psd


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## amoonswirl (Nov 14, 2006)

Littlecoo said:


> I have uploaded my working Photoshop file (PSD) if you and your Hubby want to have a play with it: http://cid-faf5b941a3b46753.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/Public/Bella1.psd


Thank you!!!
I am a photoshop dimwit, but I know my hubby will have fun with it. Much appreciated!


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