Reviewed by Dilith Halahakoon
Before the crack of light, a group of students sharing a unique passion towards photography, videography, and avian life set out on a competition where they would display a world of birds through a lens. “Wings through the Lens 25”, an Inter-House Competition organized by the Ornithology Club of Trinity College Kandy, was held between the 3rd and 4th of May for Senior and Junior Houses respectively. While the Senior Houses set off to Bellwood to capture avian life in their natural habitat, the Junior Houses captured bird life on school grounds.
The objective of this competition was to inspire a deeper interest in the study of birds, offering a platform for students to express their artistic vision while learning more about the natural world and to promote appreciation towards Mother Nature and wildlife through dramatic angles of photography. It invited students from all houses to showcase their creativity, technical skills, and understanding of avian life while capturing moments that highlighted the beauty and diversity of birds. The participants were encouraged to focus on various aspects of Ornithology, such as bird behaviour, habitats, and conservation efforts, while fostering a spirit of friendly competition and collaboration among houses.
Bellwood, located in Kandy, which is known for its natural beauty and rich birdlife, made the competition much more colourful and an ideal place to capture various angles of avian life. With its spectacular geographical terrain, biodiversity and an abundance of species of birds, Bellwood perfectly reflected the theme “Wings through the Lens”.
Students of both categories were encouraged to showcase their photographic skills by capturing images that highlighted bird species, their interactions, nesting behaviour, flight patterns, and adaptation to the environment. Student entries were to feature birds in action, their seasonal behaviour, and the impact of human activities on their habitats. The criteria were as follows:
- Birds in Flight – Capture birds in flight, showcasing their mastery of the sky
- Best portrait – A close-up image capturing the character and distinctive features of the bird.
- Birds in their Habitat – Depicting the relationship between the bird and its natural environment
- Bird Videography – A clip on birds
TCK ornithologists are grateful to Mr. Paul Nawamani, whose presence made the competition more colourful, Director of TCCEI, Mr. Wasana Dissanayake, the Teacher-In-Charge, Ms. V. Priyanantha, and the President of the Ornithology Club, M. Seshaan, for his dedication and hard work and the members of the 2025 committee Sajeen Bandara, Disath Jayasinghe, Chiranjaya Bandara, Kenula Ekanayake and Keneth Karunarathne for making this event a reality.
