Urban Seagulls

Seagulls are so familiar in coastal towns that they're easy to overlook photographically. These two black and white images take a closer look at how they occupy man-made environments — not as visitors to the urban landscape, but as permanent residents entirely at home in it.

The first shows a gull perched against a backdrop of concrete and steel, the hard geometry of the structure contrasting with the softness of the bird's plumage. The second places one near a fairground ride — an unlikely combination that works because both belong to the same seaside world.

Shooting in monochrome suits this subject well. Without colour, the focus shifts to form, texture, and the relationship between the bird and its surroundings. Gulls are bold, adaptable, and largely indifferent to people, which makes them easier to photograph candidly than most wildlife.

Both images were taken in the Angus and Aberdeenshire area of Scotland — locations where the boundary between town and coast is never far away.

For more wildlife and coastal photography, explore the Places gallery.