Meet Gary Jones, an amateur photographer who traveled 400 mile round trip dozens of times from Merseyside to Scotland to capture his dream kingfisher picture. He has been doing it from past 4 years and this was his 50,000th effort. He wanted to click the shot of kingfisher beak when it hits the water. Congratulations Gary for achieving this.
He received a reward when he shot this beautiful photography with the bird diving into a pond in search of a fish. The water was so still, that the kingfisher’s reflection was clearly seen in a picture. Gary shot the winning picture of the bird before its peak touched the water.
Gary, age 50, for Wirral, Merseyside said, “I’m a bit of perfectionist. This is the kingfisher picture that all photographers dream about but they’re so quick it’s almost impossible. I go up to Scotland every other month and take about 2,000 pictures on each visit. I’ve been doing it for four years so I’ve had to bide my time. Every time you think you’ve got it, you’ll be a nanosecond too early or little. The beak will fall short of the water or it’ll be too late and there’ll be a splash already. Kingfishers are so fast it’s tricky to get them at the best of times but when they’re transfixed on the fish in the water it’s something else.”
The father of one, Gary, captured the winning shot from the inside in Dumfries and Galloway. Gary was accompanied by his partner Sharon Whitley. He adds, “I was camped out in the hide for six hours the morning i got this shot but it’s worth it when you pull off something special. It was like a bullet diving into the water so the timing was crucial. When i think about the thousands of near-perfect pictures I’ve got, it really hits home when you get what you were looking for. Mid-dive they tuck their wings in so they’re more streamlined and it’s a sight to behold just as much as the wingspan is.”
“It emerged from the water less than a second after diving. They’re frighteningly quick. I just love these types of shots. Every emergence shot is unique; the pattern the water makes the shape of the bird. It’s a sight very rarely seen and opens up a whole new perspective on these amazing little birds. It makes the long drive home a lot more bearable when you know you’ve got something worthwhile.”
