Joe Kahlo
Sydney based photographer Leila Jeffreys is known to hold intimate portrait making sessions with her beloved, colorful pets; cockatoos, doves, and hawks. Leila began her projects over a decade ago by photographing her colorful budgies, who she grew up with.
Her most recent series entitled High Society explores the flock as a community and the relationships among her budgies are on a stunning display. For this recent series, Leila attempted to draw parallels between the communities formed by both birds and us humans.
Photographer Leila Jeffreys takes stunning emotional and intimate portraits of birds, including cockatoos, budgies and hawks.
Bluey and Liquorice
She explains: “The idea came from observing flocks of birds in trees. From a distance the birds are hard to distinguish, they look like leaves, but when you look up close you can see that there’s actually an entire society of birds living up there, living their own lives.”
By creating these larger-than-life prints of her beloved feathered companions, Leila asks her audience to confront the subjects as individuals, as they are as unique as humans.
High Society, her most recent series, contemplates the birds flock as a community while highlighting the birds as individuals within their relationships.
Rain and June
River and Cloudy
She immerses herself into the lives of each individual bird she photographs to craft her stunning portraits. Her works take extensive research on each species as well as often traveling hundred of minds just for a short session with an animal.
By forcing the viewer to see the birds expressing emotions, her work does influence the defence of these species. She is a avid conservationist.
“Humans sometimes need reminding that we are not the only species on this planet; that it’s our responsibility to ensure that there are places for the other species we share the planet with to live and thrive.”
Learn more about Jeffreys’ photographs, exhibits, and art book by visiting her website.
Jeffreys has spent a decade researching and photographing birds, many of which have been rescued and rehabilitated.
Blue Blossoms 2
Gum Leaves
Pineapple
By portraying these birds as worthy, emotional individuals, Leila’s work forces viewers to consider the moral side of of environmental conservation.
Celery
Revival
Buckbeak
Coral
Charcoal and Ash
Candle
