Cockfighter Portraits (Three Photos)
Photos © Lianne Milton
These images are from Lianne Milton’s ongoing portrait series on cockfighters. These portraits were photographed earlier this year in little towns just outside of San Miguel de Allende, a popular city for expats, artists, and the wealthy from Mexico City. Ironworkers here raise roosters to fight, while local police try to clampdown on the gambling from clandestine cockfighting. Cockfighting is legal in Mexico and popular throughout the country, but gambling during cockfights is illegal.
Above: Ronaldo Morales, 12, cousin of a cockfighter, holds a winning rooster on his lap in the coop.

A teenage ironworker cradles a rooster in an iron shop.

Ironworker Miguel Lopez holds his prize-winning rooster. A light bulb warms a cockeral (a rooster chick) in the refrigerator.






















August 5th, 2009 at 4:25 pm EGMT+5
Thats disgusting! As enlightened beings it is our responsibility to show them the error of their ways and legislate a new paradigm for their culture. We should pay for condoms and abortions to divert their attention from and alleviate their craving for this senseless violence!
August 5th, 2009 at 4:26 pm EGMT+5
Really nice photos though!
August 5th, 2009 at 6:46 pm EGMT+5
What’s a paradigm? Something you need a condom for?
August 6th, 2009 at 4:44 pm EGMT+5
Anyone, class, Bueller?
August 21st, 2009 at 11:10 pm EGMT+5
These are true testaments of a different style of life. They are absolutley amazing,
In a world where poverty is rampant, these are equivalent to Friday Night Fights, or call it Monday Night Football. I find nothing offensive with these images…….AT ALL!
September 2nd, 2009 at 3:23 pm EGMT+5
I completely agree with “Fourunderpar” on this one, it is their way of life as much as baseball is to us and I found the pictures to be amazing! Go Lianne Milton…
December 2nd, 2009 at 7:06 pm EGMT+5
sorry. anyone that captures intentional animal cruelty is an ass, at best. they should get NO recognition.