The Gulls - They were there!

Gulls over American Falls, Niagara.

The above image is perhaps my most well received one to date. This was taken on a family holiday to Canada, where we spent a few nights in Niagara Falls.

A trip into the falls and the spray was on our “to do” list and we went on the famous “Maid of the Mist”. It gets rather wet on board and the vessel gets as close as possible to the spray and falls themselves.

I suppose this image is really down to a combination of timing and pure luck. All the gulls in the image were there, where they are seen - note to those camera club competiton judges who seem to think that I have added them - I have not! - and to have them there with the fantastic light was just another example of how much luck and timing come into play. But, as others would say, you have to be there in the first place!

This image claimed first place, as the most popular print in Cheam Camera Club’s 2012 Exhibition and was also commended in the 2013 Royal Photographic Society Travel Group Print event, held as part of that year’s Group AGM in Runnymede.

It has also received many top scores in various club competitions over the years, both for myself and my club. Except for that one time when the judge seemed to think I had gone to the effort of adding the birds! This judge even claimed they were a distraction as he didn’t know if I wanted the viewer to look at them or the falls! I want the viewer to look at the Photograph!!

I will end this by saying this post, being my first ever, is here for two reasons:

1 - Despite all the equipment and post processing time one can throw at getting a good image, there will always be a place for timing and luck - but you have to be there in the first place.

2 - When it comes to entering your work into any sort of competition, just do it and get the feedback. Enjoy when this is good and when it is not, just tell yourself this is simply the view of some people from one event. Do not let competition and judges’ comments dictate how you take your images.

Remember one thing: The most important person you should take your photographs for is you!

Thanks for reading.