It was exciting to win the CAJ award for photojournalism, because I have been nominated about eight times and I've realized that if you don't quit, you can eventually win. It was exciting having Louie Palu and Larry Wong (two of the nominees) cheering me on.

My take on journalism and No. 1 rule is that you "have to have fun or it's time to go home." We all see and work with people that I am sure starch their shorts and are miserable (chafing hurts) to be around.

Many of the routine jobs can be boring, but with a sense of humour and a little out-of-the box thinking, you can take the mundane and turn it into something fun.

God has blessed me with the talent and ability to do what thousands of people spent millions of dollars on every year. I feel privileged to be among the few that have been able to make a living from what I love to do.

I have to give credit where credit is due, and that is to all of the other photographers throughout the years who have been mentors and have constantly let me pick their brains for every little bit of photography info I could steal. (I am sure that it became the tormentor vs. mentor some days.)

The best advice I could give an aspiring photojournalist today is to find a mentor, get into his or her hip pocket, and hang on. Experience is a great teacher, but someone else’s experiences can save you a lot of time and money, and prevent you from doing stupid things.

My second rule, or saying, is that "No is not a final answer, just an inconvenience." This one has got me into trouble, including being arrested ... but it was worth it.

Here are some notes about the 15 pictures that, as a package, won the award.

[PLEASE NOTE: These images are very large -- 400 KB to 2.6 MB -- and will take a long time to download for those without a high-speed (cable, DSL or faster) Internet connection. - CAJ Webmaster]

1. Squirrel steals golfers golf ball (Thief.jpg). I heard about this on the radio on the way home from holidays. The golf course turned out to be 10 minutes from where I lived. This ball-stealing squirrel and his buddies have been doing this for years. This was also nominated for a National Newspaper Award.

2. Mathematician with all of his exotic formulas or equations (2. Math.jpg). This was shot through a piece of clear plastic and was lit from underneath.

3. Cheerleading (3.Jump.jpg). The gymnasium was packed to the rafters. This was a competition that takes place every year. I had to park myself and wait for things to happen around and in front of me. This was the moment.

4. Canadian national championships in rhythmic gymnasts, in action. (4.Gymnastics.jpg)

5. These are pictures of Garry Owen and his golden retriever and St. Bernard cross dogs (Pets.jpg). He loves them; they love him. He has four of them. Fred is the one giving out the kisses. This took place at Hawrelak Park during a Pets in the Park Day.

6. Mind over cold (6. Runner.jpg). This old fellow was spotted in the spring running without a shirt, an activity he does all the time. I spotted him on the way to another job.

7. Political shadow boxing (7.debate.jpg). NDP Leader Brian Mason, centre, spars playfully with Premier Ralph Klein (right) as Liberal leader Kevin Taft looks on after their TV debate. As I was walking away I turned and grabbed the shot of these two fighting it out. It was spontaneous.

8.Look at this (8.Drains.jpg). "Urban Explorers" go through the catacombs of Edmonton’s storm drainage system. The reporter and I were going to be fined by city officials for $3,000 each, but they dropped the idea after some discussion. This stalagmite was lit by the headlamp of an explorer.

9.Let’s dance(9.Champs.jpg). Marie‑France Dubreuil and partner Patrice Lauzon were winners of the gold medal senior dance at the Canadian figure skating championships.

10. Pick up the pace (10.Rowers.jpg). Doubles rower Eugene Yuen, 40, is at the front‑bow, and his partner Andrew Phillips, 22, is at the rear-stern. I used a 14mm lens and was about 2 inches away from the oar. It made for a nice picture.

11. Forever young (11.boomer.jpg). Bryan Wallace, a 58-year-old baby boomer, is at play on Rabbit hill. There is plenty of boogie in this boomer on his snowboard.

12-15. Miracle worker. Gord Wilkes is a plastic surgeon and a friend with whom I went to school. He became a doctor; I became a photographer. I crammed my four-year degree into seven years and he was a plastic surgeon in 13 years. This was a story about nine‑month‑old Brooklyn's cleft lip and palate before the first procedure ― all the mouth tissue was there, but hadn't fused properly.

12) At work… (12.Clef palate.jpg). Surgeon Gordon Wilkes sews the tissue beneath the little girl’s nose during the first procedure to repair her bilateral cleft lip.

(13 & 14)… Still at it (13.Clef Palate.jpg) (14.Clef Palate.jpg). Wilkes took two hours to repair Brooklyn's cleft lip in her first surgery.

(15) A happy girl (15.Clef Palate.jpg). Within 24 hours of her second surgery to reconstruct her cleft palate, Brooklyn poses for the camera. Splints on her arms keep her hands away from her mouth during the healing process.

Brian Gavriloff is a photographer with the Edmonton Journal. He had a blast in Winnipeg the night he learned he had finally won an award.