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ANZANG Nature Photographer of the Year 2013

This image of a young osprey and a yellow-billed spoonbill almost colliding by David Rennie was the overall winner.

THE ANZANG PHOTO competition has grown steadily since it began 10 years ago, but, in 2013, an exciting partnership between the South Australian Museum and Australian Geographic has seen it attract a much larger audience. This year, 457 photographers entered 1828 images – almost twice as many photographers as in 2012 and an increase of more than 40 per cent of individual image submissions.

Competitors hailed from Europe, North America and Asia, as well from across the ANZANG region (Australia, New Zealand, Antarctica and New Guinea), making the contest a truly global affair. Despite this melting pot of nationalities, an Aussie has taken out the top honour of 2013 Australian Geographic ANZANG Nature Photographer of the Year.

ANZANG’s winners and grinners

Overall winner David Rennie from Western Australia has battled multiple health issues to pursue his passion for photographing Australian wildlife. His incredible representation of the split-second interaction between an osprey and spoonbill belies the thousands of hours he spent crouched in bird hides in all weathers, awaiting the arrival of the perfect photo subject.

David has won a cash prize of $10,000 and a 14-night expedition cruise for two to New Zealand and the subantarctic islands aboard the luxury ship Orion.

Each of the first 9 category winners received $1,000 plus a certificate each and the runners-up received $500 plus a certificate. The winner of the junior section received $300 plus a certificate and the people’s choice winner received $500.

Among the other category winners is Andrew Peacock from Queensland; his portfolio of intriguing Antarctic images clearly shows his eye for the unusual and his gift for composition. The attached gallery showcases the talent of shutterbugs such as Andrew, who travelled to the limits of the ANZANG region, but also those who went as far as their own kitchen (Junior runner-up Chelsea McCann submitted a wonderful close-up of a housefly), or local gardens (Raoul Slater delighted the judges with his subtly beautiful Fungi in mist).

Click here to see the full list of winners, runners-up and finalists.

For the inspired, entries for the 2014 competition will be open January–March 2014, and we’ll have information about how you can enter in AG’s January issue. Start practising now!

ANZANG ON TOUR

Adelaide: 4 October–24 November 2013,
South Australian Museum.

Albany: December 2013–January 2014,
Western Australian Museum.

Geraldton: February–April 2014,
Western Australian Museum.

Kalgoorlie-Boulder: May–July 2014,
Western Australian Museum.

Launceston: September–November 2014,
Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery.

Read more on the ANZANG Nature Photographer of the Year competition in issue 116 (Sept/Oct) of Australian Geographic.

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