A misty night and faulty lighting gave local photographer the ideal conditions for winning shot

Aaron Callan won the Northern Ireland Photographic Association (NIPA) Interclub Top Print & PDI category for the competition on April 23 this year, for a ‘Projected Image’. His winning shot was a highly stylised image of the Peace Bridge, taken in the mist at night.

“It is quite a while ago since I took that shot,” said Aaron.

“It could me as much as two years ago when I took it; it is certainly 18 months ago. To be honest, I had forgotten I had taken it. The Northern Ireland Photographic Association do about five competitions every year, inter-club competitions, and I forgot this had been submitted.

“I am a member of Foyle Camera Club and it was through the club that I was entered in the competition. It was the club that picked what was being entered and there are only so many that go through. It was really nice to have something chosen, because it is your peers in the club that selected it.

“I remember that night it was misty and we decided to go out. Foyle Club meet on a Wednesday night and sometimes people in the club go out and sometimes we don’t, but that night we did.

“Other members of the Club wandered off to do their own thing, but I was at the bridge. I took an earlier shot of a dog on the bridge which worked well because the owner realised the dog wanted to investigate something and stood still and the dog stopped just long enough for me to take the shot. It is not like an amateur photographer taking an ordinary photograph as I use a different shutter speed, of five to eight seconds. So it just worked out.

“The funny thing is that night, due to a fault, only half the lights on the Peace Bridge were working, so the lights on either end were out and it just added to the atmosphere. There were two people on the bridge and it was hit or miss as to whether they would stand still or not and if they did, that they chose to do it in the middle of the bridge, where it was lit.

“Fortunately, they did and I was able to get the photograph. It wasn’t just a quick snap, it was a wee bit more technical than that. The photograph was forwarded by the Club and won the Top Projected Image category,” he said.

In addition to entering their work for NIPA competitions, the members also run their own club competitions..

“We don’t get anything for it, just a pat on the back and bragging rights,” said Aaron.

The judge of the NIPA competition was Vincent Pentecost, AWPF, president of the Welsh Photographic Association.

Aaron’s winning photo shows two people silhouetted in the mist looking over the railing of the Peace Bridge, with the purple under-lighting of the bridge reflected in the water.