WA photographer named overall winner of the Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year 2019 competition
West Australian photographer, Mat Beetson has been named overall winner of the Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year 2019 competition. An exhibition of the finalists is now on at the Powerhouse Museum, in partnership with the Australian Museum, until 20 October 2019. The exhibition, produced by the South Australian Museum, includes Beetson’s winning image – Fin Whale’s Demise . As the overall winner, Beetson prize includes $10,000 cash and an expedition cruise to Papua New Guinea or the Spice Islands with Coral Expeditions.
© Mat Beetson. OVERALL WINNER. Fin Whale, Balaenoptera physalus . The fin whale is sighted regularly in this region; seeing one beached, however, is rare. The whale sits less than 5m from shore and 100m from residential homes, giving whale researchers access to an unusual occurrence for this species. Bronze whalers and great whites feasted over the remains before removal. Cheynes Beach, Albany, Western Australia. Captured by Beetson while on a photographic trip with a friend, the photograph taken in Cheynes Beach in Albany, WA, with a DJI Phantom 4 Pro drone, shows a beached fin whale being circled by sharks. The photograph is the competition’s first drone picture to be chosen as the overall winner, and was selected by a panel of judges from a selection of over 2,000 submissions.
"It was unreal, arriving at a peaceful coastal town with a pristine beach and then seeing this huge whale not even five metres from shore – we then noticed the thrashing close by and realised that a few sharks had also stopped by. I launched the drone to see the aerial view and captured a sequence of photographs, this shot was one of the last ones I took and I was very lucky that the shark came back for a look.”
Of the win, Beetson said: "“It’s amazing. I’m still in disbelief…it’s such a huge honour. I was really excited just to be
Winners and runners-up
Animal Portrait Winner: Decorator Crab, Ross Gudgeon (WA) Runner-up: Bride in the Bath, Melissa Christi (QLD)
© by Ross Gudgeon. WINNER, ANIMAL PORTRAIT. Decorator crab, Achaeus spinosus. Typically, decorator crabs attach pieces of sponge and seaweed to themselves to camouflage and hide from predators (which makes them very poor photographic subjects). However, Achaeus spinosus attaches stinging hydroids to itself to ward off potential predators (making it a very attractive subject for photography). Lembeh Strait, North East Sulawesi, Indonesia.
© Melissa Christi. RUNNER-UP, ANIMAL PORTRAIT. Termite, unidentified species. Storms finally broke the dry grip of drought, creating perfect conditions for termite nuptial flights. Making the most of their small window of time, some were lucky, but others were not – like this termite alate. Entranced by the reflective surface, it was trapped by the pond. Serenely beautiful in death. Mt Perry, Queensland. Animal Behaviour Winner: The Heat Run, Scott Portelli (NSW) Runner-up: Evil Cousin, Pete McGee (NSW)
© Scott Portelli. WINNER, ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR. Humpback whales, Megaptera novaeangliae , Dolphins, unidentified species. The heat run is the ultimate wildlife encounter – multiple whales competing for a female. The chase can last for hours or even days and males can display bubble netting, open mouth gulping, physical contact, loud acoustic sounds, and breaching. Even after 16 years documenting humpback behaviour in the region, it is still truly heart-thumping and adrenaline-pumping action. Tonga, South Pacific. © Pete McGee. RUNNER-UP, ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR. Crested horn shark, Heterodontus galeatus . A crested horn shark feeds on the egg case of the related Port Jackson shark. Each spring Port Jackson sharks gather on shallow reefs to breed and hide up to 10 eggs. Crested horn sharks make the most of the opportunity, searching the rocky crevices for an easy meal. Cabbage Tree Bay Aquatic Reserve, Manly, New South Wales. Animal Habitat Winner: Small but Mighty, Richard Smith (UK) Runner-up: Spider on Ice, Raoul Slater (QLD)
© Richard Smith. WINNER, ANIMAL HABITAT. Commensal amphipod living in solitary ascidian. I was searching for miniature pygmy seahorses on the reefs of West Papua when I happened across this tiny amphipod crustacean. Just 0.5–1cm long, this male is sitting at the mouth of the sea squirt to guard the females and young within. According to an amphipod expert, this is likely a new species. Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia. © Raoul Slater. RUNNER UP, ANIMAL HABITAT. Unidentified species. An overnight blizzard had knocked a myrtle tree down onto the path of the Enchanted Walk next to Cradle Mountain Lodge. I was out in the brilliant sunshine the next morning looking for subjects for my macro lens and came across this tiny spider crossing a patch of snow. Enchanted Walk, Cradle Valley, Tasmania. Botanical Winner: The Ghost of the Forest, Marcia Riederer (VIC) Runner-up: Pandani at Lake Oberon, Jarrod Castaing (NSW)
© Marcia Riederer. WINNER, BOTANICAL. Ghost fungus, Omphalotus nidiformis. The elusive ghost mushroom show starts after dark, when the green light of its bioluminescence glows across the pine forest on the Bellarine Peninsula. It seems like magic but the glowing works to attract insects that then help disperse the spores and spread the mushroom. Ocean Grove, Victoria. © Jarrod Castaing. RUNNER-UP, BOTANICAL. Pandani, Richea pandanifolia . Found only in Tasmania, the wild tropicallike pandani (Richea pandanifolia ) are illuminated at sunrise overlooking Lake Oberon and Mt Pegasus along the rugged Western Arthur Range in Tasmania’s southwest wilderness.Western Arthur's, Landscape Winner: Barron Falls, Neil Pritchard (QLD) Runner-up: Through the Curtain, Nick Monk (TAS)
© Neil Pritchard. WINNER, LANDSCAPE. When Barron Falls (Din Din) is in flood, the usually tranquil scene is transformed into a tumultuous cataract as huge volumes of water make their way to the coastal plain below. The sheer violence of this display, coupled with the deafening roar, makes it an unforgettable experience. Barron Falls, Kuranda, Queensland. © Nick Monk. RUNNER-UP, LANDSCAPE. A small waterfall curtains the rainforest of the Great Western Tiers World Heritage Area. Great Western Tiers World Heritage Area, Tasmania. Monochrome Winner: Texture, Tracey Jennings (UK/MYS) Runner-up: King Pair Conversation, Andrew Peacock (QLD)
© Tracey Jennings. WINNER, MONOCHROME. Honeycomb moray eel, Gymnothorax favagineus , Maze coral, Leptoria sp . I came across this amazing juxtaposition of a honeycomb moray eel and a textured brain coral. It screamed monochrome to me, but one of the significant disadvantages of shooting under water is that you cannot just change your lens to suit the subject. Still, I slowly moved as close to the eel as possible, increased the depth of field, and adjusted my strobes to light up the coral and the eel. Banda Sea. © Andrew Peacock. RUNNER-UP, MONOCHROME. King penguin, Aptenodytes patagonicus . An enormous king penguin colony is overwhelming to all of one’s senses. Photographically, it pays to sit and watch for a while to find moments of penguin interaction. Flipping the frame upside down and black-and-white processing allows for a different and creative interpretation of a common scene. Salisbury Plain, South Georgia Island. Junior (photographers under 18 years of age) Winner: In the Dark, Floyd Mallon (NSW) Runner-up: Under the Spikes, Isaac Wilson (SA)
© Floyd Mallon (Age 17). WINNER, JUNIOR. This night was the most amazing display of lightning that I have ever seen, with constant flashes of lightning lasting hours. For the composition, I decided to focus on a man standing at the edge of the water with an umbrella to add a sense of scale to the image. Fingal Bay, New South Wales. © Isaac Wilson (Age 10). RUNNER-UP, JUNIOR. Short-beaked echidna, Tachyglossus aculeatus . On the way back from the Murray River we saw this echidna crossing the road. It hid its face and I knew it wasn’t coming out, so I decided to take a close-up. That was the best shot I took. Near Blanchetown, South Australia. Our Impact (depicting human impact on nature) Winner: The Watering Hole, Melissa Williams-Brown (SA) Runner-up: End of the Line, David Stowe (NSW)
© Melissa Williams-Brown. WINNER, OUR IMPACT. The Menindee Lakes were deliberately drained in 2016–17 and New South Wales has experienced a lengthy drought. Animals and birds desperately seek food and water and there is very little left due to these human-made and natural events. Lake Cawndilla is now just a drying lakebed scattered with the remains of our native animals. Cawndilla Creek, Menindee, New South Wales. © David Stowe. RUNNER-UP, OUR IMPACT. Eastern quoll, Dasyurus viverrinus. Country roads + speed × darkness = the end of the line. And not only for this poor eastern quoll, but for so many other native mammals across our country. In places like Bruny Island, more needs to be done to limit drivers’ speed at night. Too many animals lose their lives every night, not only to speed, but carelessness, and, even more sadly, wanton cruelty. Bruny Island, Tasmania.
© David Stowe. RUNNER-UP, OUR IMPACT. Eastern quoll, Dasyurus viverrinus . Country roads + speed × darkness = the end of the line. And not only for this poor eastern quoll, but for so many other native mammals across our country. In places like Bruny Island, more needs to be done to limit drivers’ speed at night. Too many animals lose their lives every night, not only to speed, but carelessness, and, even more sadly, wanton cruelty. Threatened Species (threatened, rare, vulnerable or endangered species) Winner: Curious Encounter, Etienne Littlefair (NT) Runner-up: Just Hanging On, Neil Edwards (SA)
© Etienne Littlefair. WINNER, THREATENED SPECIES. Mertens’ water monitor, Varanus mertensi. STATUS: ENDANGERED. Mertens’ water monitors are highly inquisitive. This extremely bold specimen ostentatiously approached me to investigate the good-looking lizard in my dome port while I observed another nearby pair engaged in courtship – sadly for him he was staring at his own reflection, not the mate of his dreams. © Neil Edwards. RUNNER-UP, THREATENED SPECIES. Grey-headed flying-fox, Pteropus poliocephalus. STATUS: VULNERABLE. On extremely hot evenings grey-headed flying foxes will dip their bellies into the river so they can lick their wet fur for a drink. This female still carrying her young misjudged her approach and nearly dropped the baby on impact with the river, but somehow it just managed to hang on. River Torrens, Adelaide, South Australia. Portfolio Prize (best portfolio of size or more images) Winner: Charles Davis, (NSW)
© Charles Davis. WINNER, PORTFOLIO PRIZE. Eastern quoll, Dasyurus viverrinus . STATUS: ENDANGERED. Once night fell, high up the mountain near an old hut, a young eastern quoll came out, bouncing around the campsite. It didn’t look at us at all. After following it for about two hours, it came close to this pool for a drink. I used a single flash off-camera, off-centre and down low to get the reflection I needed. Mt Field National Park, Tasmania. Exhibition schedule
Powerhouse Museum 16 August to 20 October 2019 maas.museum/powerhouse-museum/
South Australian Museum 16 August to 10 November 2019 www.samuseum.sa.gov.au
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