A picture is worth a thousand words, but for 2014 Phoenixville Area High School graduate Tyler Smiley, it could soon be worth a lot more than that. Smiley has had not one, but two photos selected to advance to the final round of the prestigious Bird Photographer of the Year photography competition.

“I saw an email come through from them requesting high-resolution files for one or more images I entered in the contest, and it didn’t register what that meant at first, to be honest,” Smiley explained, adding that he had to re-read the email a few times before realizing he had advanced to the final round of judging.

While two images were selected to advance to the final round of judging, Smiley added that he entered a total of 10 images captured in and around Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, where he now resides. The subjects of his entries included birds like screech owls, ospreys, and herons, but the two that made the final judging round were of smaller shorebirds called sanderlings.

Being a global competition, Smiley said even if he doesn’t place or advance further, he can take pride in the fact he made it this far.

“It is no small feat to reach this round of the competition, that’s for sure. When I entered, I don’t think I could have ever expected it, but I am extremely proud that it happened,” he noted.

This photo of a sanderling fleeing a wave at Cape Henlopen State Park is the second that Smiley has advanced to the final round of judging in the competition. (Photo by Tyler Smiley)

After graduating from Phoenixville Area High School, Smiley went on to complete a bachelor’s degree in marketing and management at the University of South Carolina, finishing his time there in 2017.

Upon graduation, Smiley worked in marketing and real estate at the Delaware Beaches for four years before taking his passion for photography and making it a full-time career in late 2022.

Now in his second calendar year, Smiley says business is booming and he hopes to continue the growth he has seen to start 2024.

“To say I’m grateful to be doing something I love as my career would be an understatement. Each day is more exciting than the last, and I am extremely grateful for the opportunities photography has given me,” he added.

Currently, Smiley offers prints of landscapes and wildlife he has photographed around the Delaware Beaches. Additionally, he offers real estate photography to Realtors and property managers in the beach towns, photographing sales and vacation rental listings when they come on the market.

The Bird Photographer of the Year is an annual competition that was conceived to celebrate the amazing array of bird species found around the world. It features several categories, including black and white, best bird portrait, bird behavior, and more.

For more information on the Bird Photographer of the Year competition, visit www.birdpoty.com.

To view more of Smiley’s work, visit www.tylersmileyphotography.com.