"Flight."

John  Smith

"Flight."

I have been trying for ages to get a shot of the pigeons in flight, today, i was rewarded. I just happened to be there when the fanciers turned up and proceeded to let them go. As i have said before, the fanciers in Spain colour the wings and tails with some sort of dye. Oliva, Spain. Kodak Easyshare C653. 15/1/09.

"Flight." belongs to the following groups:

That One Great Shot and The Birds Available for sale as

Greeting Cards, Matted Prints, Laminated Prints, Mounted Prints and Framed Prints

 "Flight." by John  Smith
 "Flight." by John  Smith
  • coffeetea

    coffeetea

    Excellent capture! and fantastic treatment!! gorgeous creativity :) John. susan

  • John Smith replied

    Many thanks, when they swoop together it,s an amazing sight with all the colours showing

  • hilarydougill

    hilarydougill

    absolutely glorious capture and wonderful sight, so pretty. They must use a vegetable dye. Wonderful imagery. hugsxxx

  • John Smith replied

    Thank you Hilary, it must be a vegetable dye, anything else would clog the feathers, whatever, they look magnificent when in flight.

  • funkybunch

    funkybunch

    wow, great shot

  • John Smith replied

    Thanks for your comment.

  • Karen Millard

    Karen Millard

    Crazy pigeons! I thought you’d been playing with photoshop when I saw this. Amazing shot.

  • John Smith replied

    Many thanks Karen, this photo is straight from the camera, i just have a point and shoot, nothing too complicated for me.

  • Squealia

    Squealia

    Super image John, seeing them static in flight like this is wonderful as you can really see all their decorations…......... The pigeons aren’t nearly as artistic here….. Most appear to have only a few different colours…....... But then if I looked closer maybe they are as colourful! Glad you didn’t get pooped on!

  • John Smith replied

    Thanks Celia, i put this one down to perseverance, i,d been out every day looking for them.

  • FelicityB

    FelicityB

    I LOVE THIS ONE! There’s a challenge called “I have Wings I can Fly” and you really have to put this one in, it’s unique!!

  • John Smith replied

    I,m glad you like this Felicity, it would not have come across so well if they had not been painted. Thanks.

  • dolmadakia

    dolmadakia

    Amazing photograph, great that you’ve captured all the colours on their wings – beautiful, well done.

  • John Smith replied

    Many thanks Lauren, untill we came to live in Spain, i,d never before seen painted pigeons.

  • Adam Gormley

    Adam Gormley

    This is awesome, truely awesome! Once in a lifetime shot here I think mate, well done!

  • John Smith replied

    Thanks, Yes, i think it is once in a lifetime shot, i could never repeat it.

  • Rick  Todaro

    Rick Todaro

    Wonderful Work !! So creative and beautiful !!!

  • John Smith replied

    Many thanks Rick.

  • Alex Marks

    Alex Marks

    wow!!!

  • John Smith replied

    Many thanks

  • mikoto

    mikoto

    ditto: wow!

  • John Smith replied

    Thank you.

  • Lori Peters

    Lori Peters

    John, this is so beautiful!!!!!!!!

  • John Smith replied

    Thanks Lori, with out the pigeons, i was running out of things to photograph.

  • janeymac

    janeymac

    What an awesome capture John !!!!

  • John Smith replied

    Thank you as always Janey.

  • Annnie

    Annnie

    nice shot!

  • John Smith replied

    Thank you Annie.

  • ~ Butterfly ~

    ~ Butterfly ~

    Amazing , love this !:0)

  • John Smith replied

    Thanks

  • brianjarvis
  • John Smith replied

    Thanks Brian.

  • Simone Riley

    Simone Riley

    excellent image – the colours are great

  • John Smith replied

    Thanks Simone, close up the colours look somewhat different.

  • Donna Chapman

    Donna Chapman

    excellent!

  • John Smith replied

    Many thanks Donna.

  • Bonnie T.  Barry

    Bonnie T. Barry

    CONGRATULATIONS, John, on the Art Feature! This is so beautiful! At first I thought you had used photoshop to get the colored wings but I was even more amazed to learn that the pigeons actually looked that way in flight because of the technique applied by their owners. What a wonderful image and an interesting documentary of the area. You should be very proud with this; your perseverance paid off!

  • John Smith replied

    Thank you Bonnie for a really lovely comment, i must admit i have never had so many comments before on one picture. Yes, i am proud of it as i only snapped them as they flew over and it can never be replicated.

  • Elisabete Nascimento

    Elisabete Nasc...

    WOW how amazing!!!!!!!!!!

  • John Smith replied

    Thank you Elisabete, it was pretty amazing for me when i saw it on the computer.

  • mc27

    mc27

    good idee … nice artwork!!

  • Glenn-Patrick Ferguson

    Glenn-Patrick ...

    Beautiful.

  • Priscilla Rodriguez

    Priscilla Rodr...

    Wow!! beautiful, great shot

  • Richard VanWart

    Richard VanWart

    How wonderful! Like animated kites! Terrific capture, mate—Cheers!

  • mimi yoon

    mimi yoon

    wow~ i want to live where you live… do stars twinkle in different colors too… sort of like christmas lights???
    beautiful image and delicious colors…
    : )

  • Jason Chetwynd-Cox

    Jason Chetwynd...

    really great capture John. Nice one

  • Ellen

    Ellen

    Very beautiful!

  • Louise Fahy

    Louise Fahy

    This is fantastic!

  • dinghysailor1

    dinghysailor1

    wow! how incredible that these colours are for real!! amazing captyure!! right time right place my friend – well done!

  • capecodart

    capecodart

    outstanding vision and work!

  • TanyaDuffy

    TanyaDuffy

    This is gorgeous!!!! Magical! xx

  • jerry  alcantara

    jerry alcantara

    wonderful shot..love it! but im so sorry for the birds

  • Julie Thomas

    Julie Thomas

    amazing work… a really fantastic capture!!! It must have been quite a sight to see – your perseverence definitely paid off!

  • Jacq Wilson

    Jacq Wilson

    This is just beautiful! Absolutely gorgeous!

  • Jan Piller

    Jan Piller

    Oh how pretty is this!! Great image!

  • Crystal Williams

    Crystal Williams

    Wow! That’s so neat!

  • Elysia Ranking

    Elysia Ranking

    They all look so beautiful, lovely capture

  • jsmusic

    jsmusic

    I love the colors!

  • LynnH64

    LynnH64

    UNIQUE…....Beautiful…...colorful…....fabulous!!!

  • MuscularTeeth

    MuscularTeethVoted Most Helpful Bubbler

    very stunning.

  • chazz

    chazz

    Great Capture!!! Love the colors!!!

  • Courtney Taylor

    Courtney Taylor

    wow. and they were just as is, no photoshop. awesome shot.
    i love the lighting, it really brings out the colour

  • Marilyn Baldey

    Marilyn Baldey

    This is just the best, amazing.

  • ArcadiaTempest

    ArcadiaTempest

    great shot….were the birds coloured by you or they were actually coloured??

  • Lorna Gerard

    Lorna Gerard

    Well worth the wait. Absolutely wonderful.

  • sandhill

    sandhill

    I am awed by this moment. I might also have named it :
    FREE AS A BIRD – they appear to be relishing flight so. Wonderful!

  • Mundy Hackett

    Mundy Hackett

    Very cool image, nice work

  • lorilee

    lorilee

    Spectacular!!!!!

  • George Woodcock

    George Woodcock

    incredible!

  • Marita McVeigh

    Marita McVeigh

    so colorful!

  • justlinda

    justlinda

    I thought you had been playing in photoshop too!, this looks wonderful.
    My favourite is the orange and white one!.

  • Laurie Search

    Laurie Search

    Sooo cool and beautiful!

  • Aurora Pintore

    Aurora Pintore

    FANTASTIC !!!!!

  • RavenSoul

    RavenSoul

    How AWESOME!

  • FelicityB
  • Sally Green

    Sally Green

    Absolutely STUNNING!! it is one of the most beautiful images i have ever seen!! x

  • Outdoors2

    Outdoors2

    Fantastic work!

    ps. do they poop rainbow too?....;-P

  • melbourneguy75

    melbourneguy75

    Simply gorgeous, a beautiful capture :)

  • Loxley

    Loxley

    That’s beautiful – the stuff of make=believe. Nice one

  • Ela - Sita Carpenter

    Ela - Sita Car...

    Beautiful! Love it.

  • mec554

    mec554

    well you nailed this picture, probably the most captivating picture i’ve seen in a long time

  • Carol Berliner

    Carol Berliner

    Stunning image beeeeeautiful work!

  • Karin  Taylor

    Karin Taylorcommunity helper

    this is great!!!!!!

  • Jeremy Ham

    Jeremy Ham

    cool

  • Grandia

    Grandia

    Great shot! =)

  • justjulie

    justjulie

    fantastic shot…. dance of the fantails

  • Catherine Hadler

    Catherine Hadler

    I wish all pigeons were so interesting

  • elizabeth overington weller
  • Mary Ann Reilly

    Mary Ann Reilly

    this is pure magic. Lovely.

  • luanda

    luanda

    I was dumbstruck!

  • fotonio

    fotonio

    Just perfect!

  • natalia martin de pablos

    natalia martin...

    Fabulous!

  • John Smith replied

    Gracias para observacion.

  • Andy  Mercer

    Andy Mercer

    Great image

  • natalia martin de pablos

    natalia martin...

    de nada! muy original, ha quedado preciosa

  • Robin Webster

    Robin Webster

    This is stunning! More than worthy of your feature! Congratulations! I can’t imagine how much work this image took to get this fantastic end result!

  • John Smith replied

    Thank you , it is straight from the camera, i was standing next to the guys when they released the pigeons, i had my camera pointing up and just snapped. my camera is only a Kodak poit and shoot, i guess in reality, just a lucky shot.

  • terryt

    terryt

    Simply Superb catch!!

  • Carmen  Cilliers

    Carmen Cilliers

    Oh now this is magic! Wonderful shot!!!!

  • sailorsedge

    sailorsedge

    Great catch John, were you using a bird filter? Really, first thought was post processing. Very Nice!

  • John Smith replied

    No, it was just a point and shoot camera, no filter at all. Many thanks.

  • Ian  James

    Ian James

    Great capture well done.

  • Samantha  Goode

    Samantha Goode

    Superb capture well done .

  • lollybug

    lollybug

    I just love this! So whimsical. Fantastic!

  • blamo

    blamo

    what a fantastic idea …........... prolly vegtable dye amazing capture …................bravo

  • Ciska

    Ciska

    Oh Wow what a wonderful capture, they are so magical.!!!!

  • Ciska

    Ciska

    Oh and congratz on the homepage feature, so very well deserved!!!!

  • John Smith replied

    Thanks but what did you mean about the home page feature, i could not find anything.

  • squirrell

    squirrell

    What a great shot, at first I thought you had coloured it yourself. Really wonderful.

  • Tracey McKenzie

    Tracey McKenzie

    wow that is incredible ! Hope you didnt get pooped on :p

  • Christophe Testi

    Christophe Testi

    Amazing shot!

  • handprintz

    handprintz

    Just beautiful !

  • khadhy

    khadhy

    seems like wonderland. extraordianry idea.

  • Aaron Lawrence

    Aaron Lawrence

    great photo, love the colours of the pigeons.

  • Elizabeth  Hubbard

    Elizabeth Hub...

    oh this is beautiful :)

  • Jennifer Woodward

    Jennifer Woodward

    It must have been fun photographing these beautifully coloured birds, wonderful shot! :-)

  • Elucidate

    Elucidate

    Stunning shot. Nice composition, great treatment. The movement capture is amazing. I’m thankful for the Spanish tail-dyers. The colours are fantastic.

  • John Smith replied

    Many thanks, yes, i,m also thankful to the Spanish fanciers which helped to make this photo really special.

  • Soren Frederiksen

    Soren Frederiksen

    beautiful stuff

  • Barbara Glatzeder

    Barbara Glatzeder

    Incredible! you were lucky with the weather, too! Love it. .-)

  • Explosive

    Explosive

    great shot and what a pretty sight!

  • misskitteh

    misskitteh

    my gosh this is beautiful; it really made me smile.

  • chris Whitney

    chris Whitney

    The birds are beautiful, I like the many shapes depicted in your composition.

  • blackjack

    blackjack

    Wow. I totally thought “how did all those birds get photoshoppedso well!” Ha ha. So glad you wrote about how it was done. And a gorgeous photo on top of it all!

  • Jennifer Promenzio

    Jennifer Prome...

    very creative work!!! something out of ordinary for sure….hehehehe….congratulation.

  • frizz

    frizz

    wow, this pic is amazing!!

  • Ciska

    Ciska

    It was on homepage, & now it’s featured in homepage art!!!

  • bubbleblue

    bubbleblue

    Amazing shot, so beautiful.

  • Al Neaimi

    Al Neaimi

    wow

  • Dene Wessling

    Dene Wessling

    wow great shot keep it up looking forward at seeing your work

  • PeriRainPhotog

    PeriRainPhotog

    Wonderful shot !

  • t0ray

    t0ray

    thats cruel, that die soaks into there pores and poisons them

  • John Smith replied

    I have never thought of it in that way, wether it poisons them, i cannot say because i don,t know. I have never heard of one dying of poison but my Spanish friend up the road keeps them so i will ask him. Regards.

  • geek05

    geek05

    its cool..

  • Michelle BarlondSmith

    Michelle Barlo...

    BRAVO BRAVO

  • fishandpigs

    fishandpigs

    Superb capture!
    Love it!

  • Hannah McHugh

    Hannah McHugh

    phenomenal capture!
    the colors are fantastic!

  • PurePhotography

    PurePhotography

    So they are real colors? Wow. interesting!

  • MKAOleson

    MKAOleson

    Absolutely breathtaking…

  • Raindrops

    Raindrops

    Oh wow!!

  • John Hooton

    John Hooton

    A great shot with an interesting story.

  • DinahRose

    DinahRose

    Ah! How fun!

  • Lisa Roberts

    Lisa Roberts

    This is a brilliant picture – I thought you’d coloured them in PS at first!
    Lisa x

  • JBendeth

    JBendeth

    WOW…..that is awesome. I have never seen anything like that…..WOW A FAV. OF MINE. JB

  • helmutk

    helmutk

    Great capture !

  • Waleska Luker

    Waleska Luker

    Stunning! Fantastic

  • Hans Goepel

    Hans Goepel

    Absolutely glorious capture and wonderful sight.
    I have never seen anything like this!

  • docophoto

    docophoto

    Great, great image.

  • Cassie Rhead

    Cassie Rhead

    What an extrodinary capture and great colours
    Well done!

  • John  Smith

    John Smith

    Many thanks for your comment Refia.

  • cmsdesign

    cmsdesign

    This shot is so STUNNING! Isn’t that amazing that they colour them?! What a lot of work. Great capture!

  • John Smith replied

    Thanks Clare, this photo has generated so much interest it,s almost unbelievable.

  • keleka656

    keleka656

    That is the most incredible shot Ive ever seen….......of pigeons. Absolutey beautiful capture!! Lucky you!!

  • John Smith replied

    Many thanks, yes, when i saw it on the computer for the first i thought i was extremely lucky.

  • Jessica King

    Jessica King

    :o This is incredible! What a wonderful shot, but an even more incredible experience!!! :)

  • John Smith replied

    Thank you Jessica, not being a photographer, i can consider this as my shot in a million, it was pure luck but so many people like it.

  • CinB

    CinB

    this is a very cool shot, i would love to see these birds and pinch one!!
    great image

  • John Smith replied

    Thanks, this photo has really done it for me.

  • linsads

    linsads

    really beautiful—what a sight it must be and so well captured :o))

  • Allise Fountain

    Allise Fountain

    Wow, that is really cool, I didn’t think it was a real shot at first.

  • John Smith replied

    Thank you Allise, All i can say is that it will be a long time before i get another shot like this one,

  • Megan Dacy

    Megan Dacy

    This is absolutely stunning. Breathtaking.

  • KazM

    KazM

    Thank you for showing us this lovely sight
    that many of us are unlikely see for ourselves.
    Bravo

  • John Smith replied

    Many thanks for your lovely comment, you see them flying around every afternoon when they let them out but capturing them with a camera is a different thing altogether.

  • RiSH :

    RiSH :

    Great shot … looks like some birds from Fantasy kingdom. keep it up.

  • John Smith replied

    Thank you, you are the first comment i have had from India.

  • Lorna Gerard

    Lorna Gerard

    Fantastic shot, almost surreal with the painted colours on them, going to my favourites.

  • Barry Norton

    Barry Norton

    Fabulous capture John, and congratulations on the feature and it reception by everyone

  • John Smith replied

    Thank you Barry.

  • John Absher

    John Absher

    Cool Shot John … Congrats on the “Feature Status”!!

  • PamelaJoPhoto

    PamelaJoPhoto

    WOW!!! That is so beautiful!!! Im curious how many shots it took to get this one? Just amazing! Brilliant colors and the sky and clouds are perfectly exposed…..great work!

  • John Smith replied

    Thanks Pamela, the fanciers let their pigeons go and as they did i took the shot, i had my camera pointed skywards. It was a one in a million shot of which i am very pleased.

  • ltruskett

    ltruskett

    I had never heard of this happening…....on first look, I thought you had meticulously coloured them…....lol. Wonderful capture….......

  • John Smith replied

    No , neither had i, to me a pigeon is a pigeon and when we first came to live here i was surprised. Thank you,

  • Susanne Correa

    Susanne Correa

    WOW great shot ! I thought you have played around in photoshop…well done

  • bfokke

    bfokke

    Beautiful shot,
    being at the right place at the right time I guess,
    Thanks for sharing this

  • Vonnie Murfin

    Vonnie Murfin

    Great action shot!

  • mikequigley

    mikequigley

    Beautiful work mq

  • Pipple

    Pipple

    Wonderful shot.

  • mithrandir9x

    mithrandir9x

    What a fun shot.

  • JimFilmer

    JimFilmer

    stunning image John

  • PiktoLove

    PiktoLove

    So funny !... so beautifull.
    I love this idea of adding just a little thing… it’s surreal.

  • Squealia

    Squealia

    JOHN did you know that your image is the popular image in the past 30 days…. SEE HERE

  • Squealia

    Squealia

    Oppps should say MOST POPULAR IMAGE!!!

  • John Smith replied

    Thanks Celia,and the comments are still coming in albeit a trifle slow now. It has had, to date, 70,400 views. Owing to the weather, i,ve been unable to get out much for taking pictures. Many thanks.

  • juliweeeeee

    juliweeeeee

    wow this is a great image!... i love the colours!!!!!:)

  • Olga Sotiriadou

    Olga Sotiriadou

    What a brilliant idea!

  • Larissa  White Edwards

    Larissa White...

    Beautiful capture!

  • wutz4tea

    wutz4tea

    What a wonderful capture, John Smith! I almost didn’t comment because you’ve got so many! But then i just had to! Love your work!

  • John Smith replied

    Thank you for a really lovely comment.

  • BYRON

    BYRON

    The colours are for real???

    Holy poo Batman! This is very awesome!

  • terryt

    terryt

    Just had to come back and take another look at this Beauty!

  • Cloudia Newland

    Cloudia Newland

    Beautifully amazing colours add something so special here!

  • Shannon Byous Ruddy

    Shannon Byous ...

    AWESOME!!!! So original and gorgeous!

  • Jonathan Carre

    Jonathan Carre

    This is fantastic.

  • Hugoman

    Hugoman

    this very neat

    hugo

  • Lance Leopold

    Lance Leopold

    Truly spectacular,love it!!!!

  • sharon wingard

    sharon wingard

    what a great shot very colourful

  • sneha

    sneha

    gr8 shot!!
    it really feels nice to see birdz flying high!!

  • Jacinta0001

    Jacinta0001

    AWESOME…love it!!

  • John Smith replied

    Thanks for the comment, love your name, our house before was in “Calle San Jacinta.”

  • Jacinta0001

    Jacinta0001

    thanku.. aww really that’s interesting

  • Lorena Maria

    Lorena Maria

    BIG wowwww!!!!

  • John  Smith

    John Smith

    Muchos gracias Lorena.

  • serpentwhisper

    serpentwhisper

    Beautiful image. I happened across this piece today, just a couple days after I’d taken this photograph: http://www.redbubble.com/people/serpentwhisper/art/2704215-5-flight ... Your image reminds me of these colorful paper cranes (which is why I decided to upload this photo – to show you!). :)

  • John Smith replied

    Thanks for the comment, yes, i can see similarities in your picture of ” La Tienda.” especially with the colours.

  • Mariette/Flowie van den Heever

    Mariette/Flowi...

    stunning work, i love the colour, something realy special.

  • John Smith replied

    Thank you for your lovely comment.

  • heidiypi1

    heidiypi1

    wonderful picy congratulations.

  • andrew j wrigley

    andrew j wrigley

    beautiful image – love the colour and arrangement of the image!!

  • John Smith replied

    Thank you Andrew, it amazes me that i,m still getting comments on it.

  • Emsky

    Emsky

    Wow! Really eyecatching, love it :)

  • pairshion

    pairshion

    oh my goodness . . . . the colors make me so speechless

  • natapee

    natapee

    i thought this was photoshopped. how incredible!

  • greeneyedlady

    greeneyedlady

    what perfect timing!!

  • bimma

    bimma

    oustanding!

  • JaredSouth

    JaredSouth

    GROOVY!

  • swoofs

    swoofs

    Wow!!!!!! double thumbs up :D

  • bronnnie

    bronnnie

    I thought this was photoshopped, how amazing the colour of the birds. Great photo.

  • Casey Herman

    Casey Herman

    I’m with bronnnie, I ALSO thought it was photoshopped! Also, great photo and fave!

  • Lindsay Oram

    Lindsay Oram

    hi there. thought i would let you know that this photo has been stolen and posted on deviant art by someone claiming it is theirs. Heres the link

  • John Smith replied

    Thank you Lindsay, i woke up this morning to all of this about my picture, i have even signed up to Deviant just to tell this guy what i thought of him. Most of his work is stolen, all i could do was to report him to whosoever. Thanks again, John.

  • Lindsay Oram

    Lindsay Oram

    Actually all of his work is stolen. all from redbubble. He has had 16 pages of comments telling him off but he marks them spam. I have reported him to deviant art as has many others. Lets hope he gets whats coming to him

  • John Smith replied

    Thanks again Lindsay, i have sent Deviant two Emails this morning about this guy, it makes you wonder who else is doing it but not so blatantly. John.

  • Sutthida Hughes

    Sutthida Hughes

    ....like a gang of giant butterflies

  • John Smith replied

    Thank you Sutthida, thats a lovely name by the way, This picture has generated so much interest since i took it.

  • Antonia Diewold

    Antonia Diewold

    Congrats on the Feature!

  • Jay Morgan

    Jay Morgan

    Congratulations on your feature extraordinary colors beautiful photograph !!

  • John Smith replied

    Thanks for the comment Jay, So many people seem to like this photo, It was a shot in a million.

  • AmandaH

    AmandaH

    Amazing shot…

  • John Smith replied

    Thank you Amanda.

  • Colleen Milburn

    Colleen Milburn

    Wow. This is just so damned gorgeous!!! Well done on a great capture John!

  • John Smith replied

    Thank you kindly Colleen for your comment.

  • Shoaib .

    Shoaib .

    this is absolultely amazinggggg i cant believe they dye their birds, we should do that in the cities it would make them much more bearable !

  • John Smith replied

    Many thanks for your comment,yes they really look lovely when they all fly about in their colours, it makes you want to look at them.

  • tennisbabe43

    tennisbabe43

    amazing.

  • John Smith replied

    Thank you for your comment, it,s nice to know people are still looking at this picture.

  • Samantha Lewandowski

    Samantha Lewan... 1 day ago

    Wow, this image is just incredible! What an amazing find :)

  • John Smith replied 1 day ago

    Many thanks Samantha, it is my photo in a million, never to be repeated.

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