A Different Kind of Chick Pic

These baby chick photos make me so happy for so many different reasons. This our third flock of hens. We are always so excited to welcome them home and this time, I thought we would take it a step further. I made an outdoor set on a table near the shed were the chicks were keeping warm under lamps, set up some nice portrait lighting, gathered all the props, set up my camera and tripod and called Natalie to help.

Natalie took each chick one by one from their cozy space and placed them on the set. I had already prefocused and was ready to fire. She wold gently, almost in slow motion, lower each baby chick to it’s spot and release her fingers one at a tome to make sure they were feeling secure. Her hand would hover above, just out the frame, in case they wobbled or seemed they were going to flee. I shot two frames, checked my focus, and then down went her hand again like a little gentle crane lifting them up, cupping them in both hands and tip toeing, whispering them to them, I don’t know what back to their dark and warm space. 

You can see how some baby chicks took to being outside better than others. Some were ok, some were not pleased at all. Some baby chicks owned their sets and had a hard time leaving.

The sky turned dark as we were shooting and we could see rain clouds rolling in. Here we are outside with thunder in the distance, rain about to fall and a flash mounted with a metal frame umbrella on a metal stand. We stepped up the per portrait time considerably at that point! All in all, while making sure we kept them safe and warm, Natalie and I giggled and laughed non stop while making these photos.

Enjoy!