This short film is inspired by my documentary photography project 'Starlings Above' which won third place in the 'Fine Art - Natural History' professional category of the Sony World Photography Awards 2009.

There is something innately beautiful in the way starlings fly together, forming hypnotic shapes and patterns in the sky above.

“Impenetrable as the flock’s movements might seem to the human eye, the underlying maths is comparatively straightforward. Each bird strives to fly as close to its neighbours as possible, instantly copying any changes in speed or direction. As a result, tiny deviations by one bird are magnified and distorted by those surrounding it, creating rippling, swirling patterns. In other words, this is a classic case of mathematical chaos (larger shapes composed of infinitely varied smaller patterns). Whatever the science, however, it is difficult for the observer to think of it as anything other than some vast living entity.”

(Quote from ‘The Mathematics Of Murmurating Starlings’ by Daniel Butler for the Telegraph newspaper)

This short film was captured using a Canon 5D Mark II with a Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM in Blackpool between December 2009 to January 2010.

The music is entitled 'On The Clock Face' and is kindly used courtesy of Raikes Parade.