When I saw the challenge, I immediately knew this was the game I wanted to shoot. Then I thought about it during the week and decided that many people would not consider this a game. I posit that it is indeed a game, albeit not one which is scored nor one which will ever be featured in the Olympics. It takes a skilled player and a bunch of pigeons. Each player seems to have his or her own objective - just scattering the pigeons, trying to divide them, watching them fly, or forcing them into a tree, for instance. This young lad played for the latter objective. Once he got them into the tree, he'd stop and stare and make sure they stayed there. Then he'd move on to the next unruly batch of feathered opponents. There was a second, younger player, but he was somewhat new to the game - he would merely creep up on the opponents, and should the opponents make a move, he'd back off. I'm sure, though, that he'll soon develop the skills needed to fully participate. I deduced that from the wonderful grin he had while watching the more skilled player.
So DNMC me again. :-)
I'd like to have had a better shot, but I only had this morning to shoot and the light in this particular playing field wasn't kind. I suppose I really need to find a way to herd the players (small child, pigeons) somewhere where the light is better suited... Ah well. At any rate, for the two of you who read this stuff, hope you enjoyed my tale for this week!
Outtake:
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Funny story Deb! I have been so lax in comments lately. This is a wonderful shot and it's a game I played as a kid whenever we went into the city, lol. My son also enjoys this game whenever we go to the zoo (which hasn't been at all lately). He prefers the bigger game of chase the peacock, but will take the pigeons if that's all that's available. The lines and shadows are so cool!
i thought this one was yours. pigeon chasing, stick scraping - all the best kind of games... i think the best part is (are?) the shadows of the birds he's just scared - is he chasing shadows or the birds?
The diagonal pigeoun game! (Or March of the Zombie Pigeons) What fun! As usual, great use of light and shadow. I love how the shadows of the birds almost complete that diagonal line.
I agree - this is a game. And it's fun to watch the kids play it too.
FWIW this got my highest vote in the challenge. Pretty much every kid who encounters pigeons in the city learns this game ... as does every pigeon ;-) *I* think it should have placed higher!
Don't know if this was intentional or a lucky chance but I think the way the birds are lined up makes a nice line into the picture, also like your choice of B+W here, color I think would have taken away from the lines
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