Standouts from the Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year 2021
The Australian Geographic Nature Photos of the year have been announced – and if you need another reason to be in awe of our country, this is it.
Yes we have lockdowns and a lousy vaccination system to deal with in Australia, but with the bad, let these insanely beautiful images be the little slice of good that ends your working week.
The Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year competition for 2021 has come to an end, if you’re in need of a good mood starter, keep scrolling.
The competition, which was won this year by NSW-based photographer Scott Portelli, is open to photographers of all ages, skill levels and nationalities, and asks people to submit images of fauna, flora or landscapes in Australia, New Zealand, Antarctica and the New Guinea regions.
The winning photograph, dubbed ‘Leafy Night’ is a stunning snap of a leafy seadragon camouflaged in the shallow reefs of the Fleurieu Peninsula, South Australia with judges saying the photo captures the wonder of this mysterious dragon of the ocean.
Mr Portelli, who took the image in March 2020 shortly after the announcement of Covid-19 restrictions impacted his year-long journey around Australia, said he was given the opportunity to dive regularly and became “familiar” with the terrain and finding the seadragons.
“I became acquainted with the resident dragons of Second Valley and this is how I managed to get the shot,” Mr Portelli, a photographer of 20 years, said.
“After several encounters with one particular seadragon, it appeared to become unperturbed by my presence and I was able to compose a shot that tightly captured its eyes, features and appendages front on.”
The judging panel – which consisted of international award-winning outback and coastal photographer Narelle Autio, internationally acclaimed photographer and the first Australian member of the prestigious Magnum photographic agency Trent Parke and celebrated South Australian landscape photographer Stavros Pippos – said the winning image was a real standout.
Here are the stunning winner and runners-up of the other categories of the competition, with each image giving a little reminder of the highlights in the natural world around us.
ANIMAL PORTRAIT:
Winner: A White-capped at Sunset, Doug Gimesy (VIC)
Runner-up: Howling at the Moon, Mike George (NSW)
ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR
Winner: Next Generation, Tammy Gibbs (WA)
Runner-up: Dreaming, Franco Tulli (Italy)
ANIMAL HABITAT:
Winner: A Tree Dreaming, Christian Spencer (VIC)
Runner-up: Stilted Reflections, Georgina Steytler (WA)
BOTANICAL:
Winner: Ghost Mushrooms, Callie Chee (NSW)
Runner-up: Swamp Secrets, Paula McManus (SA)
LANDSCAPE:
Winner: Forest on Reflection, Hayden Cannon (WA)
Runner-up: Beneath the Surface, Ashlee Karas (WA)
MONOCHROME:
Winner: Incoming, Jeff Freestone (VIC)
Runner-up: King of the Cape, Matt Wright (QLD)
JUNIOR (photographers under 18):
Winner: You Can’t See Me, Georgia McGregor (QLD)
Runner-up: Cockatoo, Aidan Cimarosti (NSW)
OUR IMPACT (depicting human impact on nature):
Winner: Bound, jammed inside, and posted, Doug Gimesy (VIC)
Runner-up: Single-use Drifter, Justin Gilligan, (NSW)
THREATENED SPECIES (Threatened, rare, vulnerable or endangered species):
Winner: Declining Species, Scott Portelli (NSW)
Runner-up: In the Shadows, Tom Svensson, Sweden
PORTFOLIO PRIZE (best portfolio of six or more images):
Tim Wrate (NSW)
Aldi makes bombshell announcement
The popular German retailer has just made an unexpected announcement that will leave Aussies both baffled and excited.
Read more
The world is watching this Sydney suburb
Sydney may be known as being part of the ‘nanny state’, but one corner of the city has been recognised as one of the coolest in the world.
Read more
Aussies fleeing city for small boom town
When it comes to choosing a spot for a long weekend, normally it’s a coin flip for country or coast. But this slice offers both in spades.
Read more