The photographer didn't even intend to capture a heron that morning – she was waiting for kingfishers. But instinct, timing, and lightning-fast reflexes turned an unexpected visitor into a contender for the LCE Photographer of the Year 2026 Awards.
Michelle Jackson's image Heron in Flight is a stunning black-and-white capture of the bird gliding low over the canal, wings spread with effortless grace. Originally set up to capture fast kingfisher shots, Jackson quickly adjusted her camera to capture the heron in sharp detail against a simplified monochrome background.
