Every winter at Kerkini’s Workshop, the Kingdom of the Pelican, or during my private workshops, I have the pleasure of meeting and befriending photographers from all over the world.
Our relationships extend beyond the workshop, as we stay connected and keep in touch. I am always delighted to hear about each photographer’s journey and successes, especially when these include images created alongside me at Kerkini.
This year, I had many photographers from Switzerland and Germany, and I must say that the quality of their images was exceptionally high.
One of the photographers, James Bridge, messaged me yesterday with wonderful news about his participation in the May Photo Contest of the Swiss Photo Club (SPC Photo Awards Zurich).
An image he captured during our workshop, titled “Peek-a-boo,” featuring a Dalmatian pelican landing on the serene, foggy waters of Kerkini Lake, won the 1st Prize: a GraphicArt gift voucher worth CHF 1500 (about 1.500 euros). The image was initially shortlisted among the top 50 finalists out of a total of 560 entries. It was then printed and exhibited at PhotoBastei in Zurich. Additionally, the image was voted among the top 10 by the public, essentially tying for 7th place with two other images.
I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you again for the workshop, without which I wouldn’t have this photo. During the workshop, you shared your knowledge, experience, and enthusiasm with us, both for photography and for Kerkini and the wildlife of the area.
James wrote in his email
This particular image is a unique pelican portrait, capturing the bird in the moment it uses its wings to brake on the water. Both of its eyes are visible through the feathers, staring directly into James’ lens. When James first showed me this image during our daily discussions at the hotel, I immediately recognized it as an excellent shot.
I believe this image is a testament to how you can achieve excellent results with proper briefing and feedback before the shoot, along with effective guidance during the session.
James’s initial feedback for my workshop:
A brilliant workshop experience during which Vaios made sure all the participants got the right amount of support, and everyone was comfortable before each of the shooting sessions. It was a real pleasure to spend time in the company of other like-minded and friendly photographers, not just for the great photos we managed to capture with Vaios’ guidance, but also for the stimulating conversations, and knowledge sharing sessions. A great photography experience and something I will look forward to attending again in the future.
I am incredibly proud of James, and I hope this image will earn even more awards and recognition. It wonderfully captures the majesty of the Dalmatian pelican in Lake Kerkini.
Don’t forget, if you’d like to experience a unique 4-day photography workshop in Kerkini, capturing the incredible pelicans on the lake, check out my yearly workshop in the area. If you’d prefer to visit the lake at another time, message me, and we can create a personalized workshop together in the beautiful scenery that Kerkini and its inhabitants offer every winter.
*The image is posted with James’s written permission, and I thank him for sharing it.
