Michael Vodiansky

Atlantic puffins land on North Atlantic seacoasts and islands to form breeding colonies each spring and summer. They have been observed picking wild flowers and using them as nesting material. Puffins live most of their lives at sea, resting on the waves when not swimming.

Location: Elliston, Newfoundland, Canada

Camera: Nikon D850 with Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 400mm f/2.8E FL ED VR

Michael has won an inclusion as the cover photo of Crikey! Magazine Summer edition and one spot on the 2021 Mourachan Outback Photography Expedition to the value of $2,490.00 AUD.

Gemma Willis (Age 14)

The white ibis is one of Australia’s most recognisable birds. The species is distributed throughout Australia, favouring wetlands where they feed on aquatic vertebrates. They can also be found in urban environments, scavenging for food at rubbish tips and city parks. In some cases, their white plumage becomes soiled by refuse, and they are disparagingly referred to as ‘bin chickens’. Despite their reputation, the white ibis is a beautiful bird!

Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Camera: Nikon DS5300, AF-S Nikkor 55-200mm 1:4-5.6G

Gemma has won a CameraPro voucher to the value of $500.00 AUD and a signed Robert Irwin canvas print valued at $99.95 AUD.

Lauren Lowther

Unlike other species of python, woma pythons lack the heat sensors used to detect warm-blooded prey, and as such, commonly feed on other reptiles! The woma python is a great ambassador species for raising awareness on the importance of conservation and reducing our environmental footprint as humans. This species is listed as endangered due to habitat destruction and predation from introduced animals, such as red foxes.

Location: Brigalow Belt, Queensland, Australia

Camera: Canon 60D, Sigma 150-500mm f/6.3

Lauren has won one spot on the 2021 Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve Photography Expedition to the value of $1,950.00 AUD.

Casey Paul

Although tourists flock to the Grand Canyon daily to capture the stunning views, no one was expecting to see two rare California condors hanging out in their natural habitat! The two birds were tagged for their own tracking and safety, as only about 330 of these birds remain in the wild. Being able to capture these stunning creatures from such a close distance was unbelievable and truly an incredible experience.

Location: Mather Point at The Grand Canyon, Arizona, United States of America

Camera: Canon 5D Mark IV, Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM

Casey has won a CameraPro voucher to the value of $1,000.00 AUD and a signed Robert Irwin canvas print valued at $99.95 AUD.

Steph Darley

For 61 years, The SS Ayrfield lugged oil, coal and war supplies around the globe. Once decommissioned, this ship was left to float for an eternity alongside the mangroves in Australia’s Homebush Bay. The branches of the thriving trees spill from the sides of the ship, slowly breaking down the hull. This magnificent shipwreck may have survived World War II, but nothing can outlast Mother Nature.

Location: Homebush Bay, New South Wales, Australia

Camera: DJI Mavic Air

Steph has won a personal Australia Zoo Photography Tour for one person with a special appearance by Robert Irwin. Value = priceless.

Joey Nottoli

Featured is a young coastal brown bear roaming the low tides of Chinitna Bay, neighbouring Lake Clark National Park, in Alaska. Chinitna Bay is home to one of the largest brown bear populations in the world. Because of the abundance of food in the area, these bears can get much bigger than an inland grizzly bear. Standing in the background, framing the photograph, is the Chigmit Mountain Range.

Location: Chinitna Bay, Alaska

Camera: Canon 6DMII with a 70-200 f/2.8

Joey has won an Australia Zoo Gift Basket to the value of $250.00 AUD.

Jacob Straughan (Age 14)

The Javan langur is an Old-World monkey that lives in Java, Bali, and the Indonesian island of Lombok. This Javan langur was one of three jumping around a huge free-range primate enclosure. This was the least excitable of the trio, and even though it was perched slightly higher than me, I managed to get a nice shot with the sunlight filtering through the trees to create a bokeh.

Location: Singapore, Asia

Camera: Nikon D3500, Tamron 70-300mm f/4-5.6 @ 140mm, f/4.2

Jacob has won admission for a family of 4 (2 adults and 2 children aged 14 years and under) to Australia Zoo including a Binturong encounter valued at $408.00 AUD.

Olivia Kimber

This beautiful juvenile spotted-tailed quoll was captured as part of a research program following the severe bushfires that ravaged New South Wales over the 2019/2020 summer. She seemed quite satisfied with the chicken wing she had for breakfast and treated us to a very nonchalant walk back to her den. We were happy to see her so healthy after the fire and decided to call her Chook.

Location: Cathedral Rock National Park, New South Wales, Australia

Camera: Nikon D7200, Tamron SP 150-600mm f5-6.3 DI VC USD G2

Olivia has won admission for a family of 4 (2 adults and 2 children aged 14 years and under) to Australia Zoo including a Binturong encounter valued at $408.00 AUD.

Lewis Burnett

The thing I like most about the ocean is that it is like a different world; there can be howling winds and monstrous swell on the surface, but as soon as you stick your head under you enter a different realm. Whale sharks migrate every spring to the continental shelf off the central west coast of Australia. This species is currently listed as vulnerable; being hunted in parts of Asia.

Location: Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia, Australia Zoo

Camera: Sony a6500 + Sony 20mm f/2.8

Lewis has won an Australia Zoo Gift Basket to the value of $250.00 AUD.

Trent Townsend

Every year thousands of native birds, gliders and bats die or are seriously injured following entanglement on barbed wire fences. This deceased Australian boobook owl was unfortunately one such victim. It is hoped that the confronting nature and despair captured by this image raises awareness of the conservation and animal welfare issues surrounding fencing and encourages property owners to implement wildlife friendly alternatives.

Location: Tully Gorge, Queensland, Australia

Camera: Canon EOS 7D Mark II + Canon EF 100mm macro f/2.8 USM

Trent has won an Australia Zoo Gift Basket to the value of $250.00 AUD.

Linda Joseph

My obsession with photographing willie wagtails comes from the passing of my brother, William (Willy), and after an Aboriginal Elder told me these birds are referred to as messengers by indigenous tribes, so I often watch for a sign or message from my brother. The young bird swings from the barb wire fence as if doing some sort of morning exercise, whilst the parent looks on with admiration and encouragement.

Location: Atherton Tablelands, Far North Queensland, Australia

Camera: Canon 80D – Lens: Canon EF 100-400 F4-5.6 L II Usm

Peter Wandmaker

This green sea turtle was very inquisitive whilst I was free diving in Ningaloo Reef, Coral Bay. She slowed down with a curious look on her face, then proceeded to glide past. The green sea turtle is one of every ocean lovers favourite sightings, however they are constantly under threat from plastic ingestion, entanglement, fisheries by-catch and poaching. I hope this photograph inspires you to protect our oceans.

Location: Ningaloo Reef, Coral Bay, Western Australia, Australia

Camera: Sony A7r3 with a Samyang 14mm AF Prime Lens, Inside Aqua Tech Elite Water Housing

Linda Joseph

It never ceases to amaze me the things you discover in the bush when attaching a macro lens, opening up a whole new world to photograph. In this photograph, a tiny meat ant stands on top of a gumnut, as if on the lookout for intruders whilst on guard duty.

Location: Tinaroo Dam, Atherton Tablelands, Far North Queensland, Australia

Camera: Canon 80D- Lens: EF 100mm F2.8L Macro IS USM

Olivia Menner (Age 14)

I was taking photographs of horses during a clinic; it was freezing, windy, and had just started to snow and rain. In the middle of the paddock was a dead tree, with a crow perched in it. Thankfully I had already focused on it when a second crow flew in to land. The timing was perfect, as my camera got too cold to take any photos twenty minutes later!

Location: Caton, New York, United States of America

Camera: Canon Rebel t6i with a Sigma 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG lens

Jacob Straughan (Age 14)

The Taveta golden weaver is found in parts of Kenya and Tanzania. They inhabit a variety of habitats, including forests, wetlands, and savannas. This brightly-coloured bird was perched conveniently in a shaded spot that provided nice lighting and didn’t have a distracting background, and it was only a matter of waiting for it to open its beak to provide that extra level of action.

Location: Singapore, Asia

Camera: Nikon D3500, Tamron 70-300mm f/4-5.6 @ 300mm, f/5.6, 1/500s

Jacob Straughan (Age 14)

The red-whiskered bulbul is a spectacularly coloured bird, native to Asia. I am quite proud of this shot as shooting with my aperture wide open made it difficult to pin focus on the bird, but I managed to, despite it being a busy foreground.

Location: Singapore, Asia

Camera: Nikon D3500, Tamron 70-300mm f/4-5.6 @ 300mm, f/5.6, 1/500s

Olivia Kimber

In between chasing insects and females, this curious male red-backed fairy-wren decided to follow me around the lake at the University of the Sunshine Coast. He tweeted away at me for a while and then decided my lens was less interesting than the females he had just left. Red-backed wrens are endemic to north and east Australia. I really enjoyed this moment with one of my favourite birds.

Location: University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia

Camera: Nikon D7200, Tamron SP 150-600mm f5-6.3 DI VC USD G2

Olivia Kimber

The carpet python is one of the widest and most commonly distributed python species in Australia. The mist had only just lifted on a cold autumn morning and we found this beauty waiting on the path to say hello. The python checked us out for a while and then disappeared into the bush with its perfect camouflage.

Location: Imbil State Forest, Queensland, Australia

Camera: Nikon D7200, AF-P Nikkor 70-300mm F/4.5-5.6E ED VR

Kyle Marsden

When you have an annual pass and the opportunity to visit Australia Zoo on a regular basis, it can be quite a challenge to photograph something a little different, sometimes it’s in the places you would least expect! Photographed is the freshwater crocodile, a species that inhabits streams, lagoons, rivers and billabongs. They’re distinguished from their cousin, the saltwater crocodile, by their long, slender snout and smaller stature.

Location: Australia Zoo

Camera: Nikon 7200d with a Nikkor 105mm Macro lens

Shay Brechbuhler

Twenty-one of the twenty-four primate species found in Vietnam are endangered or critically endangered. The Endangered Primate Rescue Centre in Northern Vietnam has rescued over 300 primates, including the red-shanked douc langurs pictured, in an effort to preserve Vietnam’s wildlife. The red-shanked douc langur is believed to have undergone more than a 50% population decline since 1980. The main threats to douc langurs are habitat loss and hunting.

Location: Ninh Binh, Vietnam

Camera: Canon EOS 700D, 55-250mm lens

Lewis Burnett

The numbat is perhaps the most elusive marsupial in Western Australia and after spending multiple days trying to track them we finally lucked out! We were able to spend almost an hour photographing this one and I’ve been hooked ever since. The species is considered endangered, with there being less than 1,000 individuals left in the wild. The main threat to numbats is predation by introduced predators.

Location: Dryandra Woodlands, Western Australia, Australia

Camera: Sony a7Riii + Sony 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3

Lewis Burnett

Manta rays are the largest rays in the world, being found on the Ningaloo Reef year-round. On really lucky days you are able to see them performing a graceful underwater ballet called “Barrel Rolling,” a feeding technique used to hoover up plankton! The greatest threat to these gentle giants is overfishing. Thousands of manta rays are killed annually for their gills, in a trade estimated to be worth $30 million.

Location: Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia, Australia

Camera: Sony a6500 + Sony 20mm f/2.8

Michael Eastwell

Having travelled to Bali a couple of times, I really enjoy photographing the native monkeys. Sadly, they find garbage easily, which they sometimes consume. I enjoy taking photos that promote conversation, and can potentially encourage people to change their actions. This moment demonstrates just how dangerous someone’s rubbish can ultimately be. Thankfully, this juvenile decided to toss the plastic aside rather than consume it. Our impact is our responsibility.

Location: Ubud, Bali, Indonesia

Camera: Sony A7RIII – Sony 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 FE GM Lens

Meg McWhinney

The Salinas River is the US Central Coast’s largest river, flowing into one of one of the world’s most diverse marine ecosystems. It is designated as one of the most critical watersheds in California due to degrading habitats, over-use and pollution. This photograph depicts a blue heron and snowy egret hunting near an electrical power plant on the Salinas River, illustrating the complex relationship between humans and nature.

Location: The Salinas River, Moss Landing, California, United States of America

Camera: Canon EOS-1D X with a Canon EF Telephoto Zoom 70-200mm f/4

Sashel Garner

When you hear “Our Impact” you automatically think of pollution, plastic and climate change. However, often overlooked is habitat loss. The world’s forests and plains continue to disappear as they are cleared for agriculture, housing, roads and other hallmarks of industrial development. This photo depicts the threat of habitat destruction, where if we fail to protect and preserve our environment, one day there may only be one flower left.

Location: Tujunga, California, United States of America

Camera: Canon EOS 77D Lens: EF-S 18-55mm f/4-5.6 IS STM