PROFESSIONALLY Photograph your chicks for under $2.00!

[Rebekah]

this is a great idea! my husband is actually a music & celebrity photographer and is going to use this idea for our chickens... we like it because it keeps them confined. we plan on doing a full photo shoot with the chickens and me in a tented environment so they can't run around too much.

a couple more tips:

if you use black construction paper or matte finish paint, you'll avoid the "bounce" of the light off the reflective surface of the glossy spray paint.

using white paper will create a softer "halo" effect around the chicken because the light will bounce off of all the surfaces in the box. you can also place the light in the back of the box and tape wax paper over the flash on your camera to diffuse the flash. the is called an "edge" light and creates a sharper "halo" around the chicken.

examples [pictures of me and the hubby]. all of these were shot with a flash:

this one is a studio shot of me with an edge light behind me

this one is an outdoor shot of my boys and me with an edge light [to simulate sunlight]. the sun was actually in front of us.

this is my husband and me with the real sun behind us, shot with a diffused flash on camera

Oh, one more tip: if you use a larger piece of paper in the box, you can place it against the back like a "half-pipe" and create a smooth seamless background. You won't see a corner edge and the chick will look like it's floating instead of standing on a floor.

me standing on seamless paper backdrop

 

[kathyinmo]

Oh, what great ideas here! Thanks sooo much!

 

[Hamptons06]

Thanks for the tips!!

 

[The Sheriff]

Here's mine

 

[kathyinmo]

Aaaahhhhhh, Warden, those are gorgeous! Did you use any special technique?
You could get a second job as a, "chick photographer!"

 

[missrose]

do you have any trouble with the smell of the spray paint? Is it ok for the chicks to breath it in?

 

[The Sheriff]

I used the technique suggested in this post using a cardboard box, painted black inside with a hole cut in top, covered by wax paper and light shining through. I used white and black sheets of poster board in the half pipe formation across the back and bottom. Like this:

I photographed each chick on a black then white background then I did the group shots on both colors. The chicks were amazingly cooperative. I rewarded the today by moving them out of the bathtub into a big girl brooder!

 

[The Sheriff]

Quote:
I painted it outside and let it dry thoroughly before using. The paint odor was gone.

 

[teach1rusl]

What a great idea!!

 

[Msbear]

Poulets, thank you so very much for sharing this. What a fantabulous post!