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Welcome to the Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year collection for 2024.

Australian Geographic’s involvement with this competition is part of our mission to encourage photography of our region’s landscapes and wildlife. Our region offers so much for any would-be photographer, and not just in our wild and remote areas, but in our urban landscape and even our backyards. Photography encourages you to look carefully at the world around you. It increases knowledge and understanding, and raises awareness. Nature photographers are active conservationists, and that is the real power of this competition. The wildlife conservation movement relies heavily on the impact of strong imagery to move people to care enough to advocate, donate funds or become involved in practical ways. So, while some of us will be looking carefully at the f-stop number or the lens type, for most, it’s a chance to be inspired by the beauty of nature.

We commend all of the 422 photographers who entered and extend our gratitude to this year’s judges – Andrew Meares, Petra Leary and Chrissie Goldrick – who faced the enormous task of evaluating more than 1500 entries.

This year added a fresh challenge for those entering, with a new category attracting outstanding overhead images – aerial.

“The competition has grown and evolved over the past two decades and this year we introduced the well-received aerial category capturing never before seen moments from above,” says Director of the South Australian Museum, Dr David Gaimster.

Australian Geographic Society Chair and 2024 judge, Chrissie Goldrick, says, “The competition has evolved significantly. The categories have changed. The rules are constantly reviewed to keep pace with rapid technological advances in areas like generative intelligence, but also to reflect growing ethical sensitivities.”

Although the competition and photographs have evolved, Chrissie says one thing hasn’t changed – the judging process.

“It’s as challenging now as it ever was. It’s a highly subjective process and each judge brings something different to the table based on their own experience, knowledge and preferences. Judges are well versed in accepted standards of compositional and technical excellence, but winning images need an ‘X-factor’. It’s here the most lively of debates dwell, and the final results can be hard to adequately articulate when it’s an emotional response to the vision before you. Whether you agree with the final choices or not, you can rest assured the process that gets us there is rigorous and hard fought.”

The awards are a partnership between Australian Geographic and the South Australian Museum, who produce the competition and accompanying exhibition. The museum will announce the overall winner, category winners, runners-up and the Portfolio Prize on Thursday 29 August.

Until then, here’s a look at the shortlisted images:

Animals in Nature

  • Dawn Departure by Justin Gilligan, New South Wales.
  • Ice Leopard by Scott Portelli, New South Wales.
  • Curious Dingo Pup by Dave Sanderson, South Australia.
  • Sandstorm by Kurt Schirmer, Queensland.
  • Emperor’s Rule by Wayne Sorensen, Queensland.
  • The Feeding Basket Stars by Matt Testoni, Tasmania.
  • View from Below by Vanessa Torres, New South Wales.
  • Taking the Easy Route by Daniel van Duinkerken, Tasmania.
  • Wild Leap by Jon Vause, Western Australia.
  • Volitation into Violet by Nathan Watson, Western Australia.
  • Gondwana by Jake Wilton, New South Wales.

Aerial

  • Angel Wings by Tim Burgess, Australian Capital Territory.
  • White Egret by Charles Davis, New South Wales.
  • Ancient Impact by Peter Demulsant, Victoria.
  • Warburton Groove by Paul Hoelen, Tasmania.
  • Shadowland by William Patino, New Zealand.
  • Show Me the Way by William Patino, New Zealand.
  • Bacteria by Jordan Wheatley, New South Wales.

Astrophotography

  • I C E P O P by Benjamin Alldridge, Tasmania.
  • Starlit Serenity – Moke Lake by Adam Edwards, New South Wales.
  • Rainbow Valley – Valley of the Stars by Brody Gamble, Northern Territory.
  • Aura by Jose Luis Cantabrana Garcia, New South Wales.
  • Colours of the Ranges by Will Godward, South Australia.
  • Lake Gairdner Fire by Will Godward, South Australia.
  • Yanerbie Mist by Will Godward, South Australia.
  • Sentinel of the Stars by Jason Perry, Victoria.
  • Totality by Scott Portelli, New South Wales.
  • Rubicon Beams by James Richey, Tasmania.

Macro

  • Rain Dance by Dianne Galbraith, South Australia.
  • The End! by Ross Gudgeon, Western Australia.
  • A Window to the Underworld by Jakub Hodan, Slovakia.
  • Symmetry of Lurking by Adam Javorčík, Slovakia.
  • Look into my Eyes by Kamil Jureczko, Queensland.
  • Intensity by Samuel Markham, New South Wales.
  • Sundew Light Show by Elizabeth Oxnam, Western Australia.
  • Fish Out of Water by Richard Robinson, New Zealand.

Landscape

  • Aurum by Benjamin Alldridge, Tasmania.
  • Dove and Cradle by Charles Davis, New South Wales.
  • Sideralis Symphonia by Jose Luis Cantabrana Garcia, New South Wales.
  • Dawn’s Embrace by James Hider, Victoria.
  • Flame Arboretum by Cheng Kang, Victoria.
  • Tides by Cheng Kang, Victoria.
  • Brotherhood by Benjamin Maze, New South Wales.
  • Nature’s Temple by Murray Parkinson, New South Wales.
  • Dawn of Tasman Lake by Yan Zhang, New South Wales.
  • Moonlight over Plateau Glacier by Yan Zhang, New South Wales.

Threatened Species

  • Ningaloo Whale Shark by Ollie Clarke, Western Australia.
  • Innocent Stare by Jari Cornelis, Western Australia.
  • Ninu by Jannico Kelk, Queensland.
  • Digging Deep by Brad Leue, South Australia.
  • A Shed for Quolls by Ethan Mann, Queensland.
  • There is Always One by Tim Nallipogu, Western Australia.
  • A Serious Matter by Nicolas Remy, New South Wales.
  • Teen Spirit by Richard Robinson, New Zealand.
  • Bat Hands by Emmanuel Smith, South Australia.
  • Shrieking Carnaby by Nathan Watson, Western Australia.

Monochrome

  • Light Through the Darkness by Beth Baker, Western Australia.
  • Inspection by Charles Davis, New South Wales.
  • Spider and the Dew by Nilmini De Silva, New South Wales.
  • Dance of the Salsify by Dianne Galbraith, South Australia.
  • Xanthorrhoea. After the fire. by Simon J. Ladd, South Australia.
  • The Humpback Calf by Wayne Osborn, Western Australia.
  • Gannets over Muriwai by Bernie Shore, New Zealand.
  • Mono Stilt by Georgina Steytler, Western Australia.
  • Rainy Spoonbill by Georgina Steytler, Western Australia.

Our Impact

  • Unseen 22 by Matthew Bagley, Victoria.
  • The Habitat by Lawrence Chan, Victoria.
  • Tailings Dam by David Dahlenburg, South Australia.
  • Mismanaged Water by Adam Edwards, New South Wales.
  • Hooked Up by Glenn Gilligan, New South Wales.
  • Plastic Puzzle Pieces by Justin Gilligan, New South Wales.
  • Rodent Eradication Project by Justin Gilligan, New South Wales.
  • Highway to Hell by Jiayuan Liang, South Australia.
  • Glow Worms in Abandoned Train Tunnel by David Muggleton, South Australia.
  • Lorikeets at the Playground by Emma Perry, Victoria.
  • Why Leave Your Mark? by Janet Scott, New South Wales.

Junior

  • Prickly by Anouk Chapman, South Australia, 16 years.
  • The World’s Only Alpine Parrot by Jack Hinz, Queensland, 17 years.
  • Elegance by Maya Hughes, South Australia, 14 years.
  • Nest of Silk by Oliver Lacey, Queensland, 15 years.
  • Spotlight on Dieback by Oliver Lacey, Queensland, 15 years.
  • Family by Charlie Macpherson Smith, Victoria, 17 years.
  • Blurred Horizons by Levi Trapp, South Australia, 11 years.
  • Burrowing Beauty by Arlo Wallace, South Australia, 10 years.

See last year’s winners:

Related: Winners: 2023 Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year
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