My first published AND paying photograph!

Today was a fantastic day! One of the eagle photos I featured in my April 4th Random Photo Friday post was published in this week's edition of  The Georgia Straight, Vancouver's popular entertainment newspaper, which came out today - and they're sending me a cheque for the privilege! Wohooooo! I'm absolutely thrilled....to say the least. (I was delighted when a couple of my flower photographs were published before - used for the poster and promotional materials to North Vancouver Arts Council's annual 'Art in the Garden' event - 2011 & 2013.) It's the first time I've submitted a photo to The Straight and I sent it in just a few days after snapping the original shot down at Spanish Banks on April 1st.

Published in this week's Georgia Straight - April 17, 2014

I was pretty happy when they emailed me right back saying, "Awesome work, Katrina" and then, a couple of days ago, they sent me another email confirming it would be in this week's edition. Needless to say, I picked up a copy and Lorne, sweety that he is, came home with about 5 more 'spares'.   :-)

The original photo - taken April 1, 2014

I was amazed that the timing was so perfect for me to catch this shot in the first place, especially so close up, but to see it in print, with my name right there, is an amazing feeling - the fact they're apparently sending me a cheque too is pure bonus!

Naturally I shared this news on Facebook and have had some lovely compliments. Even a guy I worked with a couple of years ago (who's also an avid photographer and has had his pics published in the Straight) had seen my photo in this week's edition and took the time to send me a congratulatory note - we're not actually FB 'friends' but he messaged me to say congrats on a stunning photograph. How nice is that?!! :-)

Furthermore, in the past couple of weeks I've updated my Flickr photos, not least to include the eagle shots, but to add the pet portraits, that way I at least have somewhere to point people to (since I was asked) until I might get an actual website going. I noticed just a couple of days ago that The Georgia Straight also has a Flickr group, which you can join and upload 10 pics/day and they might get used/acknowledged on their website, while simultaneously linking back to you/your Flickr site, so I added my first 10 pics.

Imagine my double excitement when I checked my Flickr site tonight (to happily add the above photo to my 'Published' set) and I noticed they have already marked one of my first 10 pics as a favourite.

Selected today as a 'favourite' in the
Georgia Straight's Flickr group.

Heck, after a day like today, maybe they really are :-)