Leafy night

Leafy seadragon (Phycodurus eques)

Second Valley, South Australia

Leafy Seadragons hide in the thick kelp to camouflage themselves to avoid predators. The vibrant flamboyant adults blend perfectly with their surroundings. At night the backlighting on a Leafy seadragon accentuates their features and the delicate bodies that appear translucent.

Olympus OMD EM1 Mk II, 60mm macro, 1/250, f/22, ISO 100, Olympus strobes, underexposed to highlight details in the appendages

Ebb & Flow

Bynoe Harbour, Northern Territory

Ebb & Flow was captured at 2500 feet above Bynoe Harbour, where the tidal variations of 5.8m expose extensive seabeds and variations in sand banks that contrast wonderfully with the impossibly blue water of the Northern Territory.

Fuji GFX 100, GF 110mm f/2, 1/1900, f/5.0, ISO 200, handheld, captured from a Cessna 210 at 2500 feet

Balance

Bynoe Harbour, Northern Territory

Low tide exposes the seabed and rock shelf of Bynoe Harbour. The patterns created by the receding water are really intriguing and the warmth in the bottom left balances the cool of the top right perfectly, giving the image a sense of rhythm.

Fuji GFX 100, GF 110mm f/2, 1/2500, f/5.6, ISO 320, handheld, captured from a Cessna 210 at 2000 feet

Fabrica

Southern Arnhem Land, Northern Territory

Flying over the remote Limmen Bight region of the far western Gulf of Carpentaria was one of the single most incredible experiences of my photographic career. What may be ordinary from the ground can be extraordinary from above – this image is the perfect example of that.

Fuji GFX 100, GF 110mm f/2, 1/1800, f/5.0, ISO 250, handheld, captured from a Cessna 210 at 2000 feet

Rise

Southern Arnhem Land, Northern Territory

Captured above ephemeral floodplains, the electric colours and intricately textured patterns are where the waters of a standing swamp have seeped out on to the extensive floodplain network. The colours are primarily the result of a mix of high salinity levels, algae, and a long, hot dry season.

Fuji GFX 100, GF 110mm f/2, 1/2500, f/5.0, ISO 400,  handheld, captured from a Cessna 210 at 2000 feet

Mangrove Dieback

Southern Arnhem Land, Northern Territory

During the summer of 2015–16, one of the worst mangrove dieback events ever recorded devastated around 7400ha of mangrove forests along more than 1000km of Gulf of Carpentaria coastline. The unfortunate consequence of unseasonably high temperatures and dry wet seasons caused by climate change.

Fuji GFX 100, GF 110mm f/2, 1/750, f/5.0, ISO 200, handheld, captured from a Cessna 210 at 1500 feet

Tracks

Southern Arnhem Land, Northern Territory

This picture was captured at 2000 feet above the intertidal floodplains between the Roper and Limmen Bight Rivers on the remote shores of the Gulf of Carpentaria. The floodplain is punctuated by water buffalo tracks meandering to and from the island. Look closer and you may find water buffaloes basking in mud wallows.

Fuji GFX 100, GF 110mm f/2, 1/2700, f/4.5, ISO 160, handheld, captured from a Cessna 210 at 2000 feet

A white-capped at sunset

White-capped mollymawk (Thalassarche cauta)

Foveaux Strait, Stewart Island, New Zealand

White-capped mollymawks aka white-capped albatrosses, mainly eat squid, fish, krill, salps, and offal from the ocean surface. They rarely dive for food. Their largest threat is now longline and trawl fishing, especially in the seas off southern Africa. Please eat less fish and buy only MSC certified produce.

Nikon d750, Nikon 80–400mm f/4.5–5.6, 1/640, f/7.1, ISO 800, handheld

Howling at the moon

Eastern grey kangaroo (Macropus giganteus)

Woolgoolga NSW

I spotted some eastern grey kangaroos on the headland. I had to crawl through long grass downhill from them to try and get close enough to backlight one against the rising full moon. As I took a few shots my model tilted its head back and opened its mouth slightly.

Canon EOS 5D Mk II, Canon EF 70–200mm f2.8L IS USM, 1/60, f/2.8, ISO 4000, handheld, manual exposure and manual focus

Next generation

West Australian seahorse (Hippocampus subelongatus)

Perth, Western Australian

I’ve spent many hours underwater at night photographing our West Australian seahorses giving birth. It’s the male seahorses that ‘get pregnant’ and brood the babies in their pouch. Photographing them having their babies takes lots of patience, persistence, good timing and a hint of luck.

Nikon D850, Nikkor 60mm macro, 1/200 sec, f/13, ISO 320, 2 x Inon Z240 strobes, Nauticam NA-D850 underwater housing with 230mm dome port, handheld

Dreaming

Veined octopus (Amphioctopus marginatus)

Lembeh Strait, Indonesia

The animal inside the seashell is a tiny octopus about two inches in diameter. This kind of animal can utilise the valves as a house and for protection, taking the house with it as it moves. This shot was taken during his quiet rest.

Canon EOS 7D Mk II, Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 macro USM, 1/160, f/14, ISO 100, Sea & Sea YS-D2 strobe with Retra snoot, Easydive Leo III housing

A tree dreaming

Galah (Eolophus roseicapillus)

Strzelecki Desert, South Australia

In the Strzelecki Desert of Australia, a flock of galahs replenish on the only water available at the base of this lonely tree. It’s a rare photo opportunity to get such a clear and symmetrical shot of these beautiful birds in flight, in the middle of the desert.

Canon T4i, Canon 135mm, 1/250, f/10, ISO 200

Stilted Reflections

Pied stilt (Himantopus leucocephalus)

Bremer Bay, Western Australia

I was at a location overlooking these pied stilts feeding in shallow waters when the wind died and the sunset cast incredible reflections. I changed to a 100–400mm lens and zoomed out to capture as much of the stilts ‘walking in the clouds’ as I could.

Canon EOS-1D X Mk III, Canon EF 100–400mm f/4.5–5.6L IS II USM, 1/1000, f/8, ISO 1600, handheld

Ghost Mushrooms

Ghost mushroom (Omphalotus nidiformis)

Belanglo Forest, New South Wales

Nicknamed ‘ghost mushrooms’ due to their eerie glow, this fungi is only found in certain forests in Australia. They glow for only a few weeks in a year and are therefore quite hard to find and photograph.

Canon 70D, Sigma Art, 30, f/3.2, ISO 6000

Swamp Secrets

Mullinger Swamp Conservation Park, South Australia

Mullinger Swamp Conservation Park is a protected area just outside of Kybybolite, on the South Australian and Victorian border. On our final day in the area, we lucked out with clear skies, still water, no wind and low-lying fog.

Olympus OM-D E-M1, Olympus 40–150 Pro 100mm, 1/1000, f/9, ISO 200, tripod

Forest of Reflection

The Lakes, Dalyellup, Western Australia

A beautiful scene I came across one afternoon whilst scoping out a site for a photo shoot. I saw these paperbarks in the water creating stunning reflections, with some golden light emphasising the trees. I changed to my wide angle lens and took a few snaps before the light faded.

Canon 7D Mk II DSLR, Canon EF 17–40mm f/4L USM, 1/80, f/4, ISO 100, handheld

Beneath the Surface

Ningaloo Reef, Coral Bay, Western Australia

For some, sunsets are a time for reflection and meditation. For me, pairing a fiery sunset with the pristine coral gardens of the Ningaloo Reef under the glassy ocean surface brings a whole new level of tranquillity. Combining two worlds to create a perfect moment.

Sony A7Rii, 16–35mm f/2.8 G Master lens , 1/250, f/14, ISO 500, 2 x Inon z330 strobes, Nauticam housing

Incoming

Omeo, Victoria

Captured in Omeo, Victoria, looking out towards Ensay as the 2019–20 fires in east Gippsland began to develop. The rising smoke cloud symbolised the impending doom these fires were to bring and the havoc they would cause as they ravaged this beautiful region.

Sony A7Riii, Sony 24–105mm f4 G OSS, 1/250, f/11, ISO 100, tripod

King of the Cape

Palm cockatoo (Probosciger aterrimus)

Cape York, Queensland

Palm cockatoos are undoubtedly one of the biggest drawcards for any nature lover wanting to visit Cape York. Naturally shy, to capture a glimpse of these declining birds is a magical experience. Recent fires and cyclones have destroyed valuable nesting trees but education and awareness of their plight may save them in the long run.

Canon 1DX Mk II, Canon 800mm f5.6L IS, 1/1250, f/6.3, ISO 2000, handheld

You Can’t See Me

Lichen huntsman (Pandercetes gracilis)

Daintree National Park, Cape Tribulation, Queensland

I spotted this lichen huntsman waiting in ambush, perfectly camouflaged on a tree trunk near our campsite in the Daintree National Park. This spider, native to north Queensland, is one of the fastest moving of all known spiders, but harmless to humans.

Nikon D750, AF-S Nikkor 24–120mm, 1/60, f/4, ISO 900, handheld

Cockatoo

Sulphur-crested cockatoo

(Cacatua galerita)

North Narrabeen, New South Wales

In my front yard on the Northern Beaches of Sydney, a group of cockatoos were gathering for some food. With the late afternoon sun on one particular cockatoo, I was able to photograph its crest in the golden light.

Nikon D7200, 18–300mm, 300mm, 1/3200, f/9, ISO 1250, handheld

Bound, jammed inside, and posted

Blue-tongued lizard (Tiliqua nigrolutea)

Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) facility, Victoria

A wildlife officer measures one of two blue-tongued lizards found bound and stuffed inside a DVD player. Posted to Asia, it was detected at a Melbourne postage sorting facility. Luckily, both were still alive. Wildlife smuggling is so brutally cruel, with many not surviving their long trip.

Nikon D5, Sigma Art Series 35mm f/1.4, 1/250, f/8.0, ISO 1250, two soft boxes, handheld

Single-use Drifter

Columbus crab (Planes minutus)

Lord Howe Island

Face masks arrived at Lord Howe Island from a cargo ship that lost 50 containers in rough seas off Sydney. Over 1100 masks were collected during lockdown. In this image, a Columbus crab finds shelter in a plastic bag of face masks. The environmental impact will never be fully quantified.

Nikon D850, Sigma 15mm +1.2TC, 1/15, f/22, ISO 400, Nauticam underwater housing, twin Ikelite strobes

Declining species

Grey nurse shark (Carcharias taurus)

Exmouth, Western Australia

Populations of grey nurse sharks along the Australian coast are under threat and have suffered a decline over recent years. Current threats to the species are believed to be incidental catch from commercial fisheries, recreational fishing and, to a lesser extent, shark net programs run in New South Wales and Queensland.

Olympus EM1 Mk II, 8mm fisheye, 1/200, f/6.3, ISO 250, Olympus strobes

In the shadows

Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii)

Maria Island, Tasmania

I spent 14 days on Maria Island and one day, I was lucky enough to see a devil running past. I could see him in the bushes and the sun shone directly on him. It was an amazing feeling to see one out during the day.

Canon 1DX Mk II, Canon 200–400mm f4L IS USM 362mm, 1/1000, f/5.6, ISO 3200, handheld