More Pigeons

I am still trying to understand why people love pigeons so much and why I am drawn to photographing them. There was long overdue promise I needed to fulfill with my brother-in-law’s father. I promised to come photograph his pigeons at his home in Ashrafiyeh. This came from my own desire to photograph pigeons and the act of raising them. Abu Talal has had pigeons for many years. His children recall to me the stories of them going to the market to buy and trade pigeons downtown — this was a trip a did shortly after hearing this story. Abu Talal has pigeons for food. He gives them to his neighbor who cleans them and cooks them into delicious stuffed pigeon with rice. They also keep him company. As a man twice-divorced, a pigeon coo can offer some sort of “عِشرة” (‘ishreh, meaning company and companionship).

Pigeons are a staple characteristic in Amman. Many people raise them and let them fly during the sunset hours. I love watching them fly over the skyline as the maghrib athan echoes through the valleys of the hills. I recently met a man who was raising pigeons for 40 years. He let me photograph them fly out of the coop.

Knowing that I would be busy at the end of the year, we finally made it happen. Shatha, Talal, and I went to Ashrafiyeh to pay a visit to Abu Talal and see his pigeons. What I saw was a man living alone in this house that once had his entire family when the children were growing up. He had some memories all around his living room, which was also his bedroom.

We sat down, had some chocolate and decided to walk around for Talal to share his childhood space with me. He showed me some graffiti he made on the alleyway walls leading up to his house. He showed me the back way behind the house where him and his siblings would play around. I found a home that once was and still is. Abu Talal presented us with a delicious banana strawberry milkshake smoothie at the end of our tour.

We went to where the pigeons lived. A homemade “كوخ” (kookh) for the pigeons to live in. A whole world of pigeons, each one having a distinct color and shape, quiet with the anxiety of a new guest looking at them with a camera.

I spent about 30 minutes inside, taking careful shots of what I saw in there. Abu Talal brought out some pigeons for me to see and examine. Of course, there is beauty in their creation. Some pigeons can go up to hundreds and thousands for their beauty.

With that careful consideration, I consider my frames and compose intentionally. I found all these pigeons posing for me. I found that my composition has improved in these photos. I found lines and shapes and textures in this little box. I enjoyed photographing them. I remember going into a flow state while inside the coop. I find those photos to be the strongest.

I am also finding that with all these beautiful photos, they are still quite a handful. It is difficult to choose a handful of photos to tell a story. I love them all, each one tells the story from a different angle. This is the challenge I am finding myself in at the moment. How to cut away to make a beautiful rendition and tell a story in its simplest and most profound form. I remember what Ernest Hemingway is known for - his short style. But then you have James Joyce or Tolstoy. This is where an editor comes in, I guess.

After our visit Talal took us on a neighborhood drive. I found a couple good photos there. I love seeing the different types and signs, and kids riding a bike in the street. The future is still in good hands.