Capturing the Perfect Chicken Photo: A Beginner’s Guide

As a hobbyist photographer I love taking pictures of animals. Chickens make especially fun photo subjects with their fluffy feathers expressive eyes, and quirky personalities. However, capturing the perfect chicken picture takes some preparation and skill. In this beginner’s guide, I’ll share tips to help you get fantastic shots of chickens that you’ll cherish for years.

Finding Photogenic Chicken Subjects

The first step to taking a great chicken photo is finding birds that enjoy interacting with people. Backyard chickens raised as pets usually fit the bill. Visit a friend or neighbor who has friendly chickens used to being handled. Make sure the owner is present during the photo shoot for safety and to help wrangle the birds.

Even chicks that are only a few weeks old are cute enough to photograph. Their tiny, fluffy bodies and big eyes capture hearts. For the cutest pictures, put a bunch of them in a basket or box. For these shots, take the chicks out of the brooder for a short time while the owner watches.

If you don’t have access to tame chickens, visit a children’s farm or petting zoo These facilities often have breeds like Silkies bred for their calm personalities Just be aware the birds will be more skittish than chickens accustomed to people. Work slowly and gently when posing them.

Choosing a Picturesque Setting

When deciding on a backdrop, go for a location that adds context and visual interest. For portraits of individual chickens, pose them against a colorful wall, in a bed of flowers, or amid greenery. Capture chickens doing natural behaviors like dust bathing, foraging, or roosting in coops.

Photograph a chicken by itself against a plain background to show off its feathers and personality. Place hens on a clean wooden floor or have someone hold smaller breeds up against a solid curtain that doesn’t wrinkle. Put a soft blanket or tea towel inside a basket or box for chicks.

Outdoor locations like barns and pens work beautifully too. You can catch chickens scratching in dirt yards or on fence posts. Place them so that the background can be seen but doesn’t take away from the subject. Rim lighting around the edges of a chicken is nice when it comes from the side or the back.

Getting Great Expressions and Poses

The most captivating chicken pictures feature active, expressive subjects. Get on the animals’ level when shooting. Sit or kneel so you can interact eye-to-eye. Many chickens will turn to look curiously at a camera lens or person. Capture their profile or 3⁄4 view for an appealing angle.

Use sounds, gestures, or treats to provoke natural reactions. For example, you can:

• Gently ruffle a hen’s neck and back feathers to fluff them up.
• Mimic a clucking noise to catch their attention.
• Rustle a basket of mealworms or oats to trigger foraging behaviors.
• Allow a broody hen to remain sitting on her nest.
• Hold out your hand for a chicken to peck at your fingers.

Avoid stressful handling like squeezing hens upside down. The goal is a relaxed, happy bird displaying normal behavior. Patience pays off to get authentic, lively shots.

Using Props

Add visual interest to chicken pictures with fun, themed props. For example:

• Pose baby chicks in an Easter basket surrounded by colored eggs.
• Let hens wear ribbon collars or funky leg bands.
• Suspend single feathers from string for hens to examine.
• Place chickens next to saddles, boots, and hats for a farm theme.
• Include blooming flowers like daisies and irises for a spring vibe.

Nesting boxes, feed buckets, and water dispensers also make great props that fit a chicken’s environment. Avoid confining birds inside restrictive containers for their safety. Only use cages or enclosures when owners supervise and limit time inside.

Capturing Crisp, Well-Lit Photos

Photos of chickens show fine details thanks to clear focus and lots of light. Set the lens on your camera or phone to a low aperture, like f/2, for pictures that are very clear. 8. This makes the depth of field very shallow, so the background blurs while the subject stays very clear.

Shoot during the golden hours after sunrise or before sunset when lighting is soft and warm. If photographing at midday, avoid shadows and direct sun by posing chickens in shaded coops or under portable pop up canopies.

If using flash, diffuse the light by bouncing it off ceilings or using a flash softbox. Add reflectors to fill in dark shadows caused by direct flash. A touch of flash typically improves shots, but avoid bleaching out the scene with overpowering light.

Post Processing and Printing

After a successful shoot, you’ll likely end up with a surplus of photos. Select the images with the best focus, lighting, and expressions. During post-processing, perform basic edits like cropping to perfect composition. Carefully adjust color saturation and temperature to look natural.

I recommend printing your best chicken portraits to hang on walls or send to friends and family. Professional photo labs can print images on canvas, metal, or archival photo paper for long-lasting display. Nothing beats seeing your chickens framed and immortalized for years of enjoyment.