Tallaght award-winning photographer captures the ultimate trophy prizes

Tallaght award-winning photographer captures the ultimate trophy prizes

By Mary Dennehy

AWARD-winning photographer Michael Finn will have to invest in a bigger trophy cabinet after he snapped-up a further nine accolades for his stunning and thought-provoking wildlife photographs.

Living in Aylesbury, Tallaght, Michael is a seasoned professional photographer, and is well-known over the years for his wedding work.

Micheal Finn on safari September 2016

However, having always had an interest in wildlife, Michael has retired from wedding shoots to focus on his love of animals and has, in recent years, published a number of wildlife books and picked up a string of awards for his images of Irish animals and birds – many of which were captured in Tallaght.

Last year, Michael went on a wildlife photographic safari to Kenya’s Maasai Mara and submitted nine of the images he captured to the IPPA [Irish Professional Photographers Association] awards – all of which won an award last week.

“I couldn’t believe that I won nine awards in the wildlife section”, Michael told The Echo.

“A lot of time and patience went into each of those photographs and I’m delighted that they were all successful in winning.
“I’ve always been interested in wildlife and animal conservation and my time in Kenya was amazing.

Micheal Finn 6 September 2016

“A wildlife photographer can get lucky, but for the most part it involves a lot of patience and knowledge on the animal that you are trying to capture.

“It’s also so important that you respect the animals, you don’t want to disturb them.

“If I can’t get a good picture without disturbing an animal, I forget about it – you have to have the animal’s welfare at the fore of your mind at all times.

Micheal Finn 5 September 2016

When asked if he had a particular favourite out of the nine award-winning images, Michael said: “That’s a pretty tough question, every picture has its own story and experience.

“If I had to pick one I think it would be of the lion cub peeping out of the bushes.

“This cub was part of a pride of eight or maybe ten lions and with a 600mm lens I was able to focus on him from around 60 feet away.

“He was just playing away and then went over to the bushes and gave me this shot.

Micheal Finn 3 September 2016

“He was watching me like a hawk, if I had stepped out of the jeep he would have been over to me like a light.”

Michael has self-published a wildlife book called ‘From Sunrise to Sunset’, which, expected to be launched soon, contains the images he captured in Kenya.

For more on Michael and his work visit the Michael Finn Wildlife Photographer Facebook page.

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