There is a reception of photos for the 35AWARDS 2026! #35AWARDS

How to shoot it

📍 Where to shoot

The shoot takes place outdoors on the banks of the Yamuna River in Delhi, known as ghats. This is an urban waterfront location where flocks of migratory seagulls gather in winter.

🧭 How to get there

It is most convenient to reach the location by car or public transport to the Yamuna riverbank. Parking and water access depend on the specific ghat section, but these are typically open urban embankments not requiring special equipment.

🕐 Time of day

Most shot between 6:00 and 9:00 (52% of frames)

Based on 25 frames with camera data. Camera clock time; the time zone is unknown.

Best time is early morning, from 6 to 9 AM. During this period, the light is warm and orange, and bird activity is at its peak.

🗓️ Season

Most shot in: November, December, January

Based on 25 frames with camera data

Shooting is only possible in winter: from November to February. It is during these months that migratory seagulls arrive at the Yamuna.

🎒 Gear

Use a zoom lens with a range from wide-angle to mid-range (10–58 mm), as a telephoto lens is not required. A tripod is not essential, but filters will help control contrast on cloudy days.

Cameras and lenses the authors used (10)

Canon EOS R8 3 Nikon D850 2 Nikon D810 2 Sony ILCE-6400 1 Canon EOS 5D Mark IV 1AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8G ED 2Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS 1EF-S18-55mm f/4-5.6 IS STM 1Tamron SP 15-30mm f/2.8 Di VC USD (A012) 1Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II 1

🧳 What to bring

Warm clothing and shoes for early morning, spare batteries (cold reduces charge), camera rain cover, water, and food. No permit is required, but have cash ready for boat rides or bird treats.

⚙️ Settings

Shutter 1/320 (1/1600 – 1/100)Aperture f/6.3 (f/1.8 – f/11)ISO 200 (50 – 1600)Focal length 27 mm (10 – 58)

Based on 23 frames with camera data. Median and 10-90% range across the idea frames.

The key parameter is shutter speed: freeze bird motion at 1/500 s or faster (46% of shots). Aperture f/6.3 provides depth of field; keep ISO at 200 for a clean image.

⚠️ Good to know

Shooting occurs in an area of active human-bird interaction: locals feed seagulls and offer boat services. Approach the water cautiously to avoid startling the flock, and respect the personal space of fishermen or worshippers. Birds migrate from Siberia for winter, so their behavior is predictable during the season.

📈 How the idea developed

works uploadedshare of all site uploads, per 100k

The date is when the file was uploaded to the site. The chart counts works assigned to the idea.

✅ How to repeat it

Look for moments when people throw food or milk into the water—this triggers a sudden flight of the flock.
Shoot from water level or from a boat to capture 'low-angle' perspectives of the birds.
Combine wide-scale shots with close-ups of human-bird interactions.

✨ Interesting facts

🏆 How the best frame was shot: Sony ILCE-7M3, FE 50mm F1.8, 1/640, f/1.8, ISO 100, 50 mm
🔇 83% of frames were shot at ISO 400 or lower: almost no noise, any modern camera will do
📐 89% of frames are landscape orientation
📱 20% of frames were shot on a phone
🥇 1 works reached the finals, 1 won. Best contest: 7th 35AWARDS 2022
👤 Most frequent authors: Zubair Irshad 3 G GOVIL 3 Chetan Verma 2
🌍 Authors by country: 🇮🇳 IN 23 🇦🇪 AE 3 🇧🇩 BD 1 🇶🇦 QA 1

Some tips are prepared by AI from the idea description, photos and their EXIF. Check the rules and access to places before you travel.

These lists are generated automatically and may contain inaccuracies. Photos are shown in random order, and selections are refreshed twice a day. This section is made for exploring photos and does not claim 100% accuracy. The lists include photos that previously participated in contests that are already completed.