Australian Geographic Nature Photographer Of The Year Comes To Sydney For First Time

  • Published
    28 July 2016
  • Read time
    2 minutes

More than 100 inspiring images showcasing the extraordinary natural wonder of our region will be exhibited at the Australian Museum from 19 August.

Friday 22 July 2016, Sydney: The best photography showcasing our region comes to Sydney for the first time, when the Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year (AGNPY) exhibition opens at the Australian Museum on 19 August 2016.

Developed by the South Australian Museum and presented in partnership with Australian Geographic, the exhibition features over 100 photographs showcasing the extraordinary natural wonder of the Australia, New Zealand, Antarctica and New Guinea regions.

Now in its 13th year, the exhibition has come to Sydney as part of a new partnership between the Australian Museum (AM) and South Australian Museum (SAM). The exhibition of finalists, which will be shown at both museums simultaneously, has been selected from a record 2,171 competition entries, submitted by more than 450 professional, emerging and junior photographers from around the world.

“We are delighted to be working with the South Australian Museum to bring this incredible photographic exhibition of our region to a national audience,” Kim McKay, Director and CEO of the Australian Museum, said.

Featuring evocative animal portraits and spectacular landscapes, the popular exhibition plays a crucial role in raising awareness of conservation issues and the fragility of our natural world.

“From tiny turtles to female whales guiding their young; we hope by viewing these incredible images, visitors will be inspired to further explore, preserve and appreciate our majestic planet,” McKay said.

Each of the competition entries was evaluated by an international jury of industry experts consisting of acclaimed photographers Chris Bray, Hilary Hahn and James Frankham.

Sydney photographer Ofer Levy is a finalist with photos of a paradise kingfisher and a red-capped plover. Levy’s award winning photography will be familiar to regular visitors to the AM, as some of his work can be seen in the Birds and Insects gallery.

Another finalist, Queensland photographer Matthew McIntosh, impressed the judges with his image of an orange-eyed tree frog trying to attract the attention of its female counterparts. McIntosh said he was thrilled that his image had been shortlisted.

“Several male orange-eyed frogs were pronouncing their prowess, attempting to attract females. [However] some of the frogs enticed the wrong kind – bloodthirsty female mosquitoes in search of a meal,” McIntosh said, describing the scene in the photo.

Established in 2003, the AGNPY competition has been managed by the South Australian Museum since 2009. This year’s Sydney premiere marks a new chapter in the competition’s evolution.

Winners will be announced on Thursday 18 August 2016.

Editor’s Note:

  • The Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year competition is produced by the South Australian Museum. The South Australian Museum is proud to share the exhibition of finalists with touring partner the Australian Museum
  • Exhibition dates: Australian Museum – August 19 to October 9. South Australian Museum – August 19 to October 2.
  • A media site of images and releases available here: http://australianmuseum.net.au/media/
  • All images are the property of the photographers and can only be used to promote the Australian Geographic Nature
  • Photographer of the Year competition and exhibition, or to illustrate stories about the AGNPY competition and
  • exhibition.
  • No other usage is permissible except where arranged in writing with the South Australian Museum and the
  • photographer.
  • The credit “Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year competition is owned by the South Australian
  • Museum” must appear in the editorial copy.
  • The name of the photographer and the name of their photograph must be included in captions as a minimum
  • requirement in the following format:
    • Images can be resized but not rotated or flipped. They must be reproduced at a sufficiently high resolution to ensure that the photographs are not distorted, blurred, pixelated, or otherwise altered without written approval from the South Australian Museum.
    • Images cannot be cropped except where this is clearly stated in the caption as a ‘detail’.
    • Any images reproduced for online channels must use the watermarked versions of the image, as supplied by the Australian Museum or South Australian Museum. Watermarked images may not be cropped.

Tickets: At the door. $20 Adult, $11Conc, $3 Children, $43 Family (all prices include general admission)
AM Members: $5 Member Adult, $3 Member Child

Update: The winners of the People’s Choice competition are Miss Adelaide Zietsch (1st prize) and Mr David Broyd (Runner-up).