Declan McGeady
During my stay in London, I was able to visit Brighton, which is a coastal town south of London. While our group was there, we were able to freely explore the town. My friends and I decided to explore the unique beaches and the famous Brighton Aquarium. Throughout the trip, I frequently brought my camera with me to document our time in and around London. On this day, I would capture some of my best photos of the trip. As the sun began to set over the horizon, we positioned ourselves to get some great photos on a pier, when a man approached us. He asked us if we were in Brighton for the murmuration. We didn’t know what he was talking about. To our surprise, we had stumbled upon a world famous photography spot. Every day at sundown, starlings start to flock above one of the piers on the water. As the sun sinks lower and lower, the cluster of birds grows. As they dive and soar through the sky they look like water, creating ripple and splashes. It is almost like they are mirroring the water just beneath them. They create amazing shapes as they fly overhead. I was not expecting to see anything like this during my time in London. I captured some of the most amazing images I’ve ever taken. Before we left, I got the old man’s name, Tony. I thanked him for telling us to stick around, and he thanked us in return. As we left he told us “Have a good life.” Hearing him say that had a profound effect on me. It led me to think more about the ways in which people can affect one another. Attached is one of my favorite images from that day.