August Project: Feathers!

[Fabs Forns]

Our next project will be feathers, so start preparing for it! It could be feathers by themselves of forming a pattern while still attached :)

September's project will be "Birds in Habitat"

[Kiran Poonacha]

any example Fabs... I have not participated even in one.. I want to now

[Fabs Forns]

This would be a nice example:
http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?68883-peafowl-portrait-1

Also, feathers by themselves in an artistic arrangement, or feathers in the back of the bird without showing the rest of the body.
CAn't wait to see what you come up with!

[Amy Marques]

I love the idea of the project but many may not be aware about the strict laws of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 and the severe penalty of breaking them. Please know that it is illegal to collect or have in your possession native bird feathers unless you have the proper permit.

You can read about it here.
http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/about/faqs/birds/feathers.htm
http://www.sialis.org/mbta.htm

[Fabs Forns]

Thanks for bringing that up, Amy. They will have to be attached then :)

Although here's one I took without the feather being in my possession.

[Juan Aragonés]

Amy made a good point about legal issues with feathers but I really do think that there is no problem to show images of feathers that are not attached. Do not forget that feathers are moulted each year and you can find a lot of them in the field whitout owning a single one. It is the same case of a bird of an endangerd bird species: you can not own one without authorization but you can take photographs of a wild or captive one. Many of my feathers images show moulted feathers in the field, a pattern of feathers in a captive bird, a dead one found in the road or even a live one that it is being held by a person (i.e. a bandinding activity, a veterinary inspection and the like) :)

[Amy Marques]

Thanks, Juan. To be safe from prosecution, it is not a good idea to handle any attached or unattached feathers you come across in the field. One can literally get into a lot of trouble for even handling ONE feather- many folks do not realize how strict the law is. Take photographs of loose feathers you may come across, but photograph the feather as it lies and allow it to blow away in the wind. :)

[Daniel Cadieux]

Thanks to all of you who participated in the August project. Now be sure to read the new "sticky" for September!:)