Nature's Prey by Ashlee Jansen won the Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year competition for 2022. (Supplied: Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year competition 2022)
A humpback whale carcass being circled on the ocean floor is the winning image in the Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year competition.
Illustrating the notion of life and death, judges said the image, taken by Ashlee Jansen, was a reminder of how harsh nature and the food chain could be, yet an important part of the natural ecosystem.
The competition, which began in 2004 as ANZANG Nature Photography, is a partnership between the South Australian Museum and Australian Geographic.
The museum will stage an exhibition featuring all finalists from Saturday August 27 until the end of October.
Here's a look at the winners and some of the runners-up across the ten categories:
Animals in Nature
Winner: Night Light Dining, Jannico Kelk, Queensland. (Jannico Kelk: Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year competition 2022) Runner-up: Midnight Seahorse, Matt Testoni, Tasmania. (Supplied: Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year competition 2022)
Botanical
Winner: A pink tomb, James Dorey, South Australia. (James Dorey: Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year competition 2022) Runner-up: Gnarled Mossy Cloud Forest, Justin Gilligan, NSW. (Justin Gilligan: Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year competition 2022)
Threatened Species
Winner: Ocean Giant, Jake Wilton, NSW. (Supplied: Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year competition 2022) Runner-up: Head On, Matty Smith, NSW. (Supplied: Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year competition 2022)
Landscape
Winner: Breaking Dawn, Yan Zhang, NSW. (Supplied: Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year competition 2022) Runner-up: Forces of Nature, Ellie Morris, Western Australia. (Supplied: Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year competition 2022)
Urban Animals
The Tunnel of Eerie Blue Light, Zichen Wang, NSW. (Supplied: Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year competition 2022) Runner-up: Sleeping Dragon, Gary Meredith, Western Australia. (Supplied: Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year competition 2022)
Monochrome
Winner: Fish Rock Cave, Matt Krumins, Victoria. (Supplied: Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year competition 2022)
Our Impact (depicting human impact on nature)
Winner: Snagged, Alan Kwok, NSW. (Supplied: Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year competition 2022)
Astrophotography
Winner: The Outlier, Jason Perry, Victoria. (Supplied: Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year competition 2022)
Portfolio Prize
Portfolio Prize, best portfolio of six images with a shared theme, winner: Alejandro Trevino, NSW. (Supplied: Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year competition 2022)
Junior (photographers under 18 years old)
Winner: Impermanence, Cian O’Hagan, NSW.
(Supplied: Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year competition 2022)
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