The Chicken Shack

[Ed Sutton]

Thankfully, I was saved from having to act as official photographer today. This time I felt like I am coming to the end of this part of the project. There weren't many pictures I felt I need to take again. I did try to get more of people tarting their birds up, and some shots of their 'make-up' kits.

Who could imagine such a thing as this?

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/mD0SvedUcSHA9ne8Rjlz7uXbfWbU9_x6qwETpb8EFogDnI7UhvLN8541ELVZp3bFGgcjz2FdmMWmTLQksDM1r6hgJkuI3GJplb2QvwY-DRxXFsfkBdhu55bXJJ9dhSLucys6BYGDRck6DIxoMxq4zWUuA6MaQDW8dskzSy-r8wxEzMpiEkii1VBJcvbv0ikrU_IfDozVvWhyyBmQJX64NI2Pwn0I1NlN4J1wwdt3VzVlASV2XXfTBj6LRXfrnlDf9RJVyg2SLwLVzV8gigtjVMPEUAQHyfx4Qf25tA2dgEUskdLDd99rANy9MSkdXkWC1KCtWiF1arF7i6UTubwUmP_QxnWKkKcvZkzAFHCfp99enYzol0J-1urgt8qxtddemV-SlqpuCWYDTZBGxCWFmcAV76gtXwkQ9G4wuHWS_GwhrPPOMy3XVdSq4SA-LSU-M64BZLz2Q5f1UgQ_ThCEnmTe9jvUf6bjef1nx9SQHaBwczwBmFdxuM6tjOWxBhkFW_4cSPAMuMrah2ZTPQpAZuZr9P9_g_upBhSOhG_jQXgpIGoBzmOwS4NWnnjJW4GDrNwYjDMvEKPzyxRCxjkQxyNt-iwunvO36EwG37ujfpBIrclcf-g=w900-h601-no

I still need to get some shots of the judging. This one was after the main judging and before the Best In Show was being chosen.

The judges get a table to themselves for lunch. I just liked the shaft of light.

After the judging and before the prize giving comes the raffle.

I had another go at portraiture, but it's not my strong point. At least there wasn't a cluttered backround for this attempt.

One more auction in December with another club's show held at the mart on the same day then I'll be done for the year and I can finish the book off. I think some of today's pictures will be finding their way into the finished book. I'll not be giving up on poultry after that, but I'm going to have to make a real effort to pin a few people down to letting me photograph them with their birds 'at home'. And brush up my portraiture skills.

I've put a gallery/slideshow thing together again here. If you want to know what a poultry show sounds like have a listen here!

 

[Ed Sutton]

I forgot. There was almost an escapee!

 

[Musicman]

I haven't any detailed comments, but I've really enjoyed looking at this. The slide show hangs together nicely, BTW.

As a bit of an aside: is the title in any way related to Christine McVie's band before she married John McVie and joined Fleetwood Mac?

 

[Ed Sutton]

I haven't any detailed comments, but I've really enjoyed looking at this. The slide show hangs together nicely, BTW.

Thanks.

As a bit of an aside: is the title in any way related to Christine McVie's band before she married John McVie and joined Fleetwood Mac?

Seemed an obvious choice to me.

I put three slide shows together when I started the project tomusic I 'borrowed' from Youtube (which I don't have on-line for copyright reasons). The tunes are; Nobody here but us chickens, Little Red Rooster, and Dixie Chicken

.

 

[jennyb]

Another very comprehensive set of images, Dave, and I loved the slideshow. I am intrigued by the "Comb shine" but I hope the judges weren't eating chicken

 

[Ed Sutton]

Thanks Jenny.

I think 'comb shine' might be good old 'Vaseline'! It looked like the judges got special treatment with hotpot, while the rest of us were offered pie and peas. Or in my case pie because they'd run out of peas when I got round to it! The bacon and sausage barms in the morning are worth going for even if you hate looking at poultry.

I'm trialling some new-to-me slideshow software at the moment to see if I can make something with a soundtrack. It's something to keep me entertained during these long dark evenings.

 

[Cloudforest]

I like the pic of the judges eating lunch.

Some half decent raffle prizes there ( though maybe not the After Eights)!

 

[Ed Sutton]

I like the pic of the judges eating lunch.

Some half decent raffle prizes there ( though maybe not the After Eights)!

Thanks Pete.

The tub of mealworms was last to go in the raffle!

 

[Ed Sutton]

I've decided to leave the egg sale pics out of the Sales and Shows book and collect some of them into a book of their own. I've cropped them all for the purposes of the book format.

http://www.blurb.co.uk/bookshare/app/index.html?bookId=7527000

 

[Solo man]

I've decided to leave the egg sale pics out of the Sales and Shows book and collect some of them into a book of their own. I've cropped them all for the purposes of the book format.

http://www.blurb.co.uk/bookshare/app/index.html?bookId=7527000

I enjoyed the book... clever with the last image too. You would have thought that looking at 'eggs for sale' images would have been boring after the first couple, but that wasn't the case.

I also liked your judges eating image above. Good use of the lighting....

 

[Ed Sutton]

Thanks Lee. I think there's a limit to the number of pictures of one subject before boredom sets in, which is why I didn't use all the pictures I have of the egg sales.

I didn't use the light in the judges photo, just spotted it's Caravaggio like qualities.

One more auction and show to go next weekend and that's it for the year where I'll be trying to get the pictures I think I need to finish the book off. I might even make a list of them!

 

[Ed Sutton]

It was a long day today. Snapping away from eight thirty until half past two at both an auction and a show - in different buildings. The good bit was that I was asked if I'd like to photograph the judging of the show. Which was a gap I wanted to fill. I didn't realise the offer was a bribe...

The regular photographer had pulled out at the last minute and they wanted the winning birds photographing! I explained that I didn't have a flash with me and they might not be up to much but would give it a go if they were desperate. It was a struggle. The hall was quite well lit - for a great big barn of a building. So pretty dim, and the white balance was all over the place. It was a case of high ISO and/or pop up flash and correct the WB as best I could later. The results should be okay for a website, but I don't think they'll print too well. Not at any size. The 'studio' was all a bit ad hoc too. Blue pained trestle tables. I had to clone out a big black spot on the one used as the background.

After doing just a few birds the regular guy gets my appreciation. He must have the patience of a saint. The bloody things won't stay still and refuse to look in the right direction!

ISO 7200

As for my own photos, I've managed to whittle 600 plus pics down to half that and will post a few tomorrow after I edit them further when my brain has recovered.

 

[Ed Sutton]

As I sort of expected the auction wasn't as fruitful as it has been in the past. It's pretty much the same thing every time and looking for new photographs gets increasingly difficult as it becomes an increasingly familiar experience. That's the law of diminishing returns at work. There's always something unexpected though. This time it was seeing someone using their mobile as a torch to inspect the poultry in the pens. But that was about it really.

Of all the photographs I took yesterday the majority were of the show in the other building. As usual the light was dire and getting decent angles tricky. I guess it would have been easier all round for this project to adopt the approach the chap from Lancashire Life used - pose people and use flash. However, I doubt that would give the same impression of being there as struggling on using available light and trying to catch the natural gestures. That's my strory, and I'm sticking with it!

I did get one or two judging pictures, but not really ones I would have liked. Not that I had anything specific in mind, just that I 'saw' some developing and either messed up the opportunities or they failed to develop as I'd hoped.

One gap in my files was partly filled with a couple of shots of the committee at work sorting out who gets which card and trophy.

A few more from the show here.

I think my visits to the auctions are coming to an end. February's is quite a big one, so I'll go to that. I took the draft copy with me yesterday and it got a positive response from the handful of people who saw it, which was encouraging. There's still plenty of things to photograph at the shows, so I'll be carrying on going to those for the foreseeable future. Unless I keep getting asked to do the 'official' photography!

 

[jennyb]

Well done on taking over from the regular photographer, Dave. It's a big ask to do it without a flash.

I had a look at your egg sale book, too. Surprisingly varied for such a narrow topic. I loved the last photo in the book!

 

[Ed Sutton]

Thanks Jenny. I think even with the right background and lighting taking that sort of photo of chickens would drive me nuts after more than half a dozen. You'd be surprised how often they blink or twitch at just the wrong moment. And some of the big cockerels can be feisty!

 

[Ed Sutton]

No poultry pics from me for a while. This avian flu thing has got them all locked up with sales and shows cancelled. I have, I think, got the editing of the book done to my satisfaction. But I'm struggling to write the intro. Why I'm fretting over the words I don't know. It's not that I'm a perfectionist! And I'm only planning on giving a couple of copies away. I guess I just like having things look and read 'right'. I'll post al ink when I finally get the Blurb preview compelted, words and all.

I'm not done with poultry yet. Next year really will be when I get down to doing some portraits. Not just poultry folk but another project I've resurrected from my vaults. Oddly enough I've written 600 plus words as an intro to that one already.

Happy New Year project people.

 

[jennyb]

No poultry pics from me for a while. This avian flu thing has got them all locked up with sales and shows cancelled. I have, I think, got the editing of the book done to my satisfaction. But I'm struggling to write the intro. Why I'm fretting over the words I don't know. It's not that I'm a perfectionist! And I'm only planning on giving a couple of copies away. I guess I just like having things look and read 'right'. I'll post al ink when I finally get the Blurb preview compelted, words and all.

I'm not done with poultry yet. Next year really will be when I get down to doing some portraits. Not just poultry folk but another project I've resurrected from my vaults. Oddly enough I've written 600 plus words as an intro to that one already.

Happy New Year project people.

Looking forward to seeing your completed book, Dave, and your portraits next year.

All the very best for 2017.

 

[Ed Sutton]

Thanks Jenny. I'm hoping to have the book done and a few copies printed by the end of January. Have a good New Year.

 

[Cloudforest]

I've enjoyed following this project through the year Dave and look forward to seeing the book.

All the very best for the New Year.

 

[Ed Sutton]

Thanks to all for the comments, support and encouragement in this thread. I think I have the book and intro sorted now. As usual the editing consisted mostly of weeding pictures out and reordering the ones that were left. Although there are a couple of pictures I'm not sure about, despite them being liked by some people who have seen the first draft. So I've left them in. http://www.blurb.co.uk/books/7687845-sales-and-shows Comments welcome, as usual.

I was planning on taking a copy to the auction and shows next month, but another avian flu outbreak (in a back garden poultry flock) has meant an extension of the 'prevention zone' until the end of February. So no sales or shows until March at the earliest.

 

[wallyboy]

Been a facinating follow Ed love your commitment bravo sir.

 

[Ed Sutton]

Thanks Walter. I've surprised myself in keeping this going, I think it's because I've become fascinated by the subject.

 

[Cloudforest]

I've just had a good look through your book Dave. I like the way you've laid it out and the story it tells. I've enjoyed following it all the way though and am impressed with the way you've gone about it, picking up lots of know-how on the journey.

Any plans for the next project?

 

[Ed Sutton]

Thanks for the feedback, Pete.

I've not finished with this project just yet, although I think it is on the home straight.

My fishing tackle shop project might get more attention this year, and I've decided to make a concerted effort on another project I've been half heartedly working on for a long time, always telling myself that 'this is the year I'll finish it'. Maybe this year is! I'll start a new thread for that one as soon as I've found some of the older shots and put together an outline for it.

 

[jennyb]

I had a look through the latest copy of your book, Dave. It's looking good - very comprehensive

There are a couple of things I noticed - on the front cover you have a photo showing that it is about poultry but on the inside title page, the text does not mention poultry. If someone is looking inside without reading the front cover, then it is not obvious what the book is about. Maybe "poultry" should be included?

I know that it is possible with Blurb to have a small chapter title on the top of the page. Maybe it would be useful to have "Sales" or "Shows" in small text in the relevant places. Then any reader knows exactly where they are in the book.

Feel free to disregard any of my comments!

 

[Ed Sutton]

I had a look through the latest copy of your book, Dave. It's looking good - very comprehensive

There are a couple of things I noticed - on the front cover you have a photo showing that it is about poultry but on the inside title page, the text does not mention poultry. If someone is looking inside without reading the front cover, then it is not obvious what the book is about. Maybe "poultry" should be included?

I know that it is possible with Blurb to have a small chapter title on the top of the page. Maybe it would be useful to have "Sales" or "Shows" in small text in the relevant places. Then any reader knows exactly where they are in the book.

Feel free to disregard any of my comments!

Thanks for the comments, Jenny. Always welcome.

I hadn't considered that using the photo of the word 'poultry' might be construed as it being part of the title, although I did use it to get that message across. I liked the alliteration of 'Sales and Shows' as the title and was trying to keep it concise. I suppose I could put 'poultry' in a subtitle somehow. Repeating the photo on the inside title page might be a better plan, or altering the heading of the introduction page. You've made me wonder now!

The convention of book title on the headers of left hand pages and chapter titles on the right hand pages is more for works of literature than photobooks. I have quite a collection of photo books and can't recall seeing it used, but that's not to say it couldn't work. In fact it's something I might use in the future now you've made me think about it.

 

[jennyb]

The convention of book title on the headers of left hand pages and chapter titles on the right hand pages is more for works of literature than photobooks. I have quite a collection of photo books and can't recall seeing it used, but that's not to say it couldn't work. In fact it's something I might use in the future now you've made me think about it.

The only reason I mentioned it was because part of the way through the book, I was not sure if I was still in the same section and had to page back to check. Then I remembered that I had added chapter titles (months) at the top right of mine http://www.blurb.com/books/2204905-a-year-in-the-life-of-an-english-country-garden.

If you have not done it in your other books, it is probably best to keep the new one compatible with the others.

 

[Ed Sutton]

The only reason I mentioned it was because part of the way through the book, I was not sure if I was still in the same section and had to page back to check. Then I remembered that I had added chapter titles (months) at the top right of mine http://www.blurb.com/books/2204905-a-year-in-the-life-of-an-english-country-garden.

If you have not done it in your other books, it is probably best to keep the new one compatible with the others.

I think it works well in your book with twelve chapters/sections. My thinking was both to keep the style consistent across my other books, and because the pictures in the two sections are (I hope) largely self-explanatory. I actually removed two pictures from the first draft which showed the local poultry club auction at one of their shows to avoid confusion.

Anyway, I had a play around with altering the title page to include the word 'poultry' somehow, and didn't like the results, but in doing so I found a small glitch in the layout which nobody else would ever have noticed but would have niggled me forever. So you've done me a favour there. Thanks. I'll upload the revised version later and alter the link accordingly. Then I'll order myself a copy to check over.

 

[Ed Sutton]

The avian flu restrictions put a stop to poultry gatherings not long after the last show and auction I went to, with two auctions and three shows I would have gone to cancelled. In fact the ban is still in place with no hint as to when it will be lifted. Until last Thursday chickens also had to be kept 'locked up' around here (a high risk area because of lots of over wintering wildfowl and cases of flu found at two nearby nature reserves). Hence I've not made any more progress on this project. With chickens back out and an egg show still scheduled for May things might start moving again soon.

Here's a chicken today, still uncertain about venturing outside!

 

[Ed Sutton]

The national ban on poultry gatherings is lifted tomorrow, but a local restriction is to be put in place in parts of the North west of England. The part where I live and where the local club and a lot of its members is based. They've had two shows cancelled this year and with their next small show scheduled for next moth they are quite concerned. There's no ban on showing eggs, although there are enhanced security measures in place, which meant the annual egg show could go ahead today. A good entry of 500 plus 'plates' and the deliberation for overall show champion took ages!

All eggs had to be cleaned and boxes disinfected. Broken eggs, as in the 'contents' section of the show had to be properly disposed of by the organisers.

Much to his delight the 'legendary' George Taylor took the cup for show champion. Lately his arch rival has been beating him into second place, but today the roles were reversed. I asked him what he does with all the rosettes and cards he wins. He told me he puts them in suitcases. He has six of them!

The auction mart is outside the regional restriction area. Unless there are any changes next month's auction should be going ahead.

 

[Cloudforest]

Interesting set of images, as ever, Dave. I do like pictures that show something that I might never come across and I'm pleased to see that the avian flu ban is coming to an end, at least in some areas though you must be finding it frustrating that in your area it still hangs on. What intrigues me, is how the judges pick a winning set of eggs from 500 plates. Talk about specialist and niche skills!

 

[Ed Sutton]

The poultry fans have found the restrictions far more frustrating than I have. They miss the social aspect of the shows I think. As for judging eggs there are books on the subject. Even though I have had some of the details explained, it's still a mystery to me!

The shows are in sections and then the winners of the sections get pared down to pick the overall champion. It was down to the final three where the long deliberation took place. It took well over fifteen minutes with three judges inspecting eggs closely and debating amongst themselves! And that was mostly choosing between second and third place - which as it turned out were both from the same chap, George's plate had already been picked as champion!

 

[Musicman]

Interesting set of images, as ever, Dave. I do like pictures that show something that I might never come across

Likewise. I never even imagined such a thing as competitive egg shows until just now.

BTW (and please forgive the pun) but I think as a whole these may the most engaging batch of photos of all those you have posted on this thread.

 

[Ed Sutton]

Thanks Rob. I was there from around ten thirty until half past four and spent more time chatting with people as taking photos. I think that as I've become more accepted by the Bantam Club members they ignore me taking photos now, and I've also got a better idea of when a picture might present itself.

Recently these shows have been having a poultry related photography class. I'm never sure what criteria are used by the judges though because they are poultry judges and not photography judges! Ironically this is one of the worst photos I've ever taken...

 

[Ed Sutton]

The pure bred poultry auctions recommenced today. It wasn't as busy as people expected after the imposed break. I took along a copy of the Sales and Shows book I did on Blurb to give to the Auction Mart. It seemed to be well received by the woman in the office. I gave the bantam club a copy the other week, which also seemed to be appreciated. Photography can feel like it's all take (we talk of taking photographs) which is why Iike to give something back when I can. If I get the chance I let people have prints of pictures I've taken of them and I'm always surprised when they ask me how much I want for them. I guess that's why I'll never be rich!

I'll have some pics and thoughts tomorrow. In the meantime a sequence of a bantam trying to make an escape!

 

[Ed Sutton]

A problem with photographing the same thing for a prolonged period is that you go over the same ground trying to get better versions of pictures you already have on file. Probably for some people this feels like improvement but for me it gets boring. I'm always looking out for new pictures. That gets harder when you keep on looking at the same subject matter! I have the feeling that photographing the auctions might have run its course for me. I'll be back for the next one though. It's worth a visit for the sausage and bacon barms!

It took me a while to get into the swing of taking photos but eventually I got some ideas and started using a longer lens for more shots than usual, and also playing around with odd framing - having things intrude in the frame, for example. Back on teh PC I also edited my selection down using slightly different parameters. Choosing some frames which weren't traditionally composed but had interesting (to me) things going on in them. I got a bit looser about having the camera level too. Whether I've added much to my project I'm not sure but I think my photography is evolving.

Repetition of gesture struck me a few times. Gesture is something I'm finding more interesting in my pictures these days than composition. Some of yesterdays photos below and I've put a gallery of my edit from the day together here.

 

[Musicman]

A problem with photographing the same thing for a prolonged period is that you go over the same ground trying to get better versions of pictures you already have on file. Probably for some people this feels like improvement but for me it gets boring. I'm always looking out for new pictures. That gets harder when you keep on looking at the same subject matter!

I sometimes have similar thoughts about my trees project, but there is some value in repetition; you can develop studies of typologies, like Bernd and Hilla Becher's water towers and other industrial buildings. It maybe different with people, though.

 

[Ed Sutton]

I sometimes have similar thoughts about my trees project, but there is some value in repetition; you can develop studies of typologies, like Bernd and Hilla Becher's water towers and other industrial buildings. It maybe different with people, though.

I do value repetition in some areas. Photographing the same thing over a period of time. For example, there's a field gate I photograph quite frequently and it's surprising how the scene has changed with the seasons and the years. And I have photographs of almost 500 balls of various sorts I've come across on my travels! https://photos.google.com/album/AF1QipPRRvU5uhxw_-DYA3elOvCm_EL-LMLU1s6YrNTn The roadside egg sales were another typological sub-project.

I was thinking more of trying to get a 'better' picture of, say, an auctioneer in action or someone judging a chicken. All I end up doing is making incremental improvements on a picture that already serves it's purpose as a document. It's sort of tinkering rather than making bigger leaps forward. I could end up doing that forever and never finsishing the project or moving on to another. I think it was Picasso who said paintings are never finished, they are abandoned. That's sort of what I am on about

 

[Ed Sutton]

Another country show with only eggs in the poultry tent today. I think that this project is coming to an end. Which is sad because I enjoy the shows and have met lots of friendly people. There's another show next Saturday, which will have poultry. I'll see how that goes then might wrap things up..

Anyway. Just three from today.

 

[Ed Sutton]

That's all folks. Pretty much anyway. The local bantam club held its first show of the year and I hardly took any photos at all. Admittedly I got there late so missed the preparation of birds. But there's nothing I haven't already photographed. One thing I did regret missing was the new pre-show inspections which have to be carried out due to recent Defra bio-security rules. So I'll be going to the November show early to photograph that. There's another sale and show on at the auction mart in December which I'll attend. Then that will be my lot for poultry, I think.

All I have to do then is extricate myself from becoming the shows' 'official photographer' as the chap who used to do the pictures of the winning birds appears to have given up. Foolishly I've agreed to do what I can at the next two shows. It'll not be up to much because there'll be no decent background and I don't 'do' studio type photography. Nor do I have the patience to get chickens to pose for the camera.

Where next? Winter's on the way so I'll be back at the beach soon. But this summer I've been out and about photographing shows involving creatures with more legs than hen, and fleecy coats. It's been more research than anything while I decide which way, if any, to go with the subject as a project. There's been a lot of sheep based photography over the years and I'd like to find a different 'angle' if I can.

Just three from today. I wish my knees were forty years younger, as a lower viewpoint would have improved the second shot.