Local photographer's Northern Lights pic goes global

Willie Forde’s stunning photo of the Aurora Borealis displays that captivated the nation two weeks ago has since been viewed tens of thousands of times online and reached corners of the world that his other photos have never got to.

Willie was one of a group enthusiastic photographers and aurora watchers who assembled at Lough Owel as the sun began to set on Friday May 11. With tripods and cameras at the ready, each claimed a spot, anticipating a heavenly display from the Northern Lights.

As the sky darkened, conversation flowed easily among the group, photographers sharing tips, discussing past experiences, and displaying their favourite captures.

Adding to the convivial atmosphere were campers preparing for the Uisneach Fire Festival, filling the air with melodies from their guitars and the warmth of a campfire. “They must have been wondering at the time where are all these photographers were coming from,” said Willie.

When the aurora finally made an appearance, it was unexpectedly to the right of where Willie had carefully planned his compositions, and a frantic but good-natured scramble ensued as everyone adjusted their positions, creating a brief chaotic dance of tripods and lenses.

For many gathered by the lakeside, this wasn’t their first attempt at capturing the elusive Aurora Borealis. Delvin man Willie is a dedicated photographer who had ventured out numerous times before and on November 23 last, he managed to snap a photograph during a brief five-minute show. Though the aurora wasn’t easily visible to the naked eye, as is often the case, his camera picked up its faint glow.

Used to sharing his work with a modest audience, Willie was shocked by the overwhelming response to his latest Aurora Borealis photo. “It’s always a bonus when people like a photograph, especially if most of mine are of the local area – Westmeath,” he said. “I’m also surprised when people from all over the world think they’re amazing photographs, because it’s a kind of a forgotten area here in the midlands.”

When he woke up the next morning, Willie was astonished to see the likes and comments pouring in. “I tried to at least acknowledge the comments by maybe giving a like or a love heart, it was hard to keep up.”

In his efforts to respond, he ran into unexpected challenges. “I spent the best part of half an hour just clicking ‘like’ on everyone’s comments, to give some acknowledgment, but then I got blocked out of Facebook because, apparently, they thought I was trying to spam people,” he said. (He was blocked for two hours, before the algorithm let him back in.)

The viral success of the photo brought Willie an outpouring of appreciation, and significantly boosted his online following. “It ended up with nearly 40,000 likes on the photo, which to me, on a little page of my own private photography hobby, is unbelievable.

“I’ve built up about 16,000 followers in just over 10 years, but I gained about 1,000 new followers from this, so it’s now about 17,000.”