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Whyalla cuttlefish photo shines amongst winners of Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year competition

By Glam Adelaide

Posted on August 28, 2023

The winners of the 2023 Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year competition have been announced.

The South Australian Museum, in its landmark 20th year of hosting the Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year competition, has announced the winners for 2023. Attracting 2,182 entries from 550 photographers spanning ten countries, the competition stands as a testament to the boundless beauty of the natural world, from our own backyard in Australia to the distant landscapes of Antarctica and New Guinea.

Among the glittering array of photographs, Matty Smith, clinched victory in the Animals in Nature category with his breathtaking underwater photograph titled ‘Aftermath’. The vivid image captures the aftermath of a fierce courtship display among giant cuttlefish in Whyalla. Just moments before the shot, three male cuttlefish were vying for a female’s attention. A clash between two males resulted in an inked confrontation, leaving one male cuttlefish, still donning his vibrant courting colours, alone in the frame.

Acting Director of the South Australian Museum, Justine van Mourik, commented on the vast variety and depth of this year’s entries. “From the heart-wrenching portrayal of humanity’s impact on nature to the delicate, minute details of nature’s smallest scenes captured in our new Macro category, the shortlist is a true reflection of the beauty, fragility, and power of our natural world.”

It is essential to note that this competition does more than just celebrate aesthetic beauty. For two decades, it has grown in popularity and relevance, drawing attention to the urgent need for conservation. It serves as a poignant reminder of the delicate ecosystems that enrich our world and the responsibility we bear towards their preservation.

While Smith’s entry casts a spotlight on South Australia’s marine wonders, Samuel Markham’s ‘My Country Burns’, depicting the heart-wrenching moments of the 2019 bushfire in Parma Creek Nature Reserve, New South Wales, clinched the competition’s top honour.

Dr. Gaimster, reflecting on the entries, remarked, “These photographers combine art, science, patience, and purpose to bring us face-to-face with the biodiversity around us.” This year’s photographs, from Isabella Alexis’ macro portrait of a wolf spider to Lewis Burnett’s aerial shots of a diverse range of species, offer not just a visual treat but an urgent message about humanity’s impact on our planet.

Photographs such as Joshua Rozell’s ‘Swamped Skies’, portraying the night sky interjected with satellites, and Tom Owen Edmunds’s humorous yet profound ‘Frog in a Bog’ – a green tree frog nestled in a toilet bowl – showcase the diverse ways in which humans interact with, and at times, disrupt nature.

Nicky Catley, the Australian Geographic Group Picture Editor, emphasized the gravity of the competition: “Meticulous, purposeful, and artful photography of nature matters more than ever… powerful imagery can shift thinking and effect change.”

For those eager to immerse themselves in the spellbinding world of these photographs, the South Australian Museum will host an exhibition, open to the public from Saturday, 26 August 2023 until Sunday, 29 October 2023.