A PHOTOGRAPH taken in Alderney by a Guernseyman has received special recognition. Paul Hillion’s picture of hundreds of gannets, which was shot at Ortac, claimed one of the runner-up spots in the Bird Guide’s Photo of the Year competition.

Paul, 43 (pictured), from St Peter Port, outlined how the picture – taken last June – came about.

‘I accompanied the Guernsey Seabird Ringing Team on their yearly trip to the gannet colonies at Les Etacs and Ortac,’ he said.

‘I had various shots planned in my head but it was my first time out to the colonies, so I had no real idea of the sheer number of birds that would be on show.’

Paul said that it was a spur-of-the-moment shot.

‘As we neared Ortac, hundreds of gannets took to the air, circling in front of the boat. I quickly changed to a wide-angle lens and managed to fire off a few shots before the gannets dispersed. The rocking of the boat made it all the more difficult to keep a steady hold of the camera.’

Paul’s shot was named as one of 10 runners-up out of almost 40,000 entries.

‘The Bird Guide is undoubtedly one of the top birding websites there is, so being named as one of the runners-up is a huge honour,’ he said. ‘It was a great way to start the year.’

Paul, who works as a printer, first became interested in wildlife photography while on holiday.

‘In 2006, along with my wife Helen, I spent eight months touring Australia. It was there, being surrounded by the abundant wildlife, that my love for nature photography really took hold. When we returned to Guernsey I dived head-first into nature photography, and in particular bird photography.’

Paul would love to take pictures for a living.

‘If I could be a full-time nature photographer I’d be a very happy man. Unfortunately, photography isn’t going to make me rich anytime soon, so I have to stick to my day job. Seriously, though, living in a small island like Guernsey would make it very difficult to make it as a professional nature photographer. If I lived on the mainland, then maybe I’d give it a go.’

Paul is planning to keep enjoying his photography and would like to visit the Shetland Islands, New Zealand and – his dream destination – the Falkland Islands.

• Visit www.islandbirds.co.uk to see more of Paul’s pictures.

Alderney Art Club is to hold an open exhibition over the Easter weekend.

Anyone with a connection to the island is being invited to submit work by Tuesday 30 March. The name of the exhibition will be Russet and all works must be dry and produced in the last 12 months.

‘We’re particularly looking for examples of exciting print making, painting, photography and sculpture,’ said organiser Paddy Campbell. ‘However, any original visual art of merit will be considered for the exhibition.’

Paddy said local artists should take advantage of the perks of island life.

‘One of the benefits of living in Alderney is that we have wonderful levels of sharp white light and a distinct lack of smog, ideal for painters and artists to work in.’

• For more information, contact Paddy on 07781 453148 or email padz@cwgsy.net