Best nature photography of 2009

By Natsumi Penberthy April 1, 2010
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The annual ANZANG photo competition makes for a pretty picture collection.

Photographer, writer and Australian Geographic contributor Justin Gilligan won two awards in the South Australian Museum’s 2009 ANZANG nature photography competition (see stunning finalist photography in the GALLERY). Justin won the portfolio category, and this striking image of blubber jellyfish, titled Space Jellies, snagged him the underwater category. He snapped the jellies while diving in Wallagoot Lake in Bournda National Park on the NSW south coast.  

The lake has been disconnected from the sea for almost a decade and, with no predators, it now provides the perfect habitat for thousands of the pulsating creatures, Justin said.

“I went down in the afternoon and the light was just streaming into the lime-green waters through the animated jellyfish,” he said. “I instantly knew that I had some nice images. The lake is just so surreal.”

View a GALLERY of finalists hand-picked from ANZANG’s Australasian Nature Photography collection 2009, published by the South Australian Museum.

LINKS
Justin Gilligan’s article on Lord Howe Island
ANZANG Nature Photography