Zak Waters: Birdmen See all the exhibitions.

Zak Waters was raised in an ex-mining community in northern England. As a child, he noticed that most of his friends' fathers kept pigeon sheds. For many years, he had no idea of the significance of these great numbers of birds flying in synchronized patterns. Eventually, he would come to discover the sport of pigeon racing and document the lives of the men who have taken such pride in this endeavor. Birdmen, as they are called, enjoy the year-round pursuit of the breeding, care, and training of their racing pigeons. The escapism and camaraderie provided by their sport is apparent in this photo-essay by Zak Waters, courtesy of FiftyCrows Foundation, San Francisco.