Matthew Hemminghaus

My “still life with chicken” series features a photographs of my free range chickens standing in real sets created in the studio. The original intent of the series was to document all of the chickens I have had over the years, I hatch all of my birds, so the project was to be a photographic family tree of sorts, keeping track of my “bloodline”. The objects which I use in the sets often suggest a particular time of year, or have meaning which provides the background story line for the image.

Once the set is completed and the lighting is all dialed in, I do the photo shoot at night when the chickens are sleepy and a bit more cooperative.
The final image is printed using archival paper and ink, and matted with 100% cotton museum board, and framed with locally reclaimed lumber.