An incredibly old glacial wave formation, frozen in time, hangs delicately over the serene waters of Paradise Harbour along the Antarctic Peninsula. The textures in this weathered iceberg were breathtaking and seeing the blue light filtering through was a special, once-in-a -lifetime moment. Paradise Harbour, Antarctic Peninsula. Nikon D300, 18-20mm f3.5-5.6 AGS DX VR, 1/500, f/3.5, ISO 400, handheld

The wettest summer in a decade brought spectacular lightning shows. The one captured here was one of a few hundred lightning strikes to hit Sydney one summer night. Sydney, New South Wales. Nikon D7000, Nikkor 24-70 f/5.6, 10, f/2.8, ISO 100, tripod

I climbed up Frenchman Peak, in Cape Le Grand National Park on the south coast of WA, while it was still dark and waited for the sun to come up. Once the clouds cleared, I was struck by how much the scene looked like a fairytale backdrop. Watching Cape Le Grand bathed in the beautiful morning sunlight was a magical experience. Frenchman Peak, Cape Le Grand National Park, Western Australia. Nikon D800, AFS Nikkor 16-35mm f/4 EDVR, 1/25, f/14 ISO 100, tripod

Finding a foreground that did justice to New Zealand’s most majestic landscape has been an elusive task for me over the years. However, early one morning, standing in the midst of a rising tide, a long exposure provided a dynamic perspective to capture the motion in the water. Milford Sound, South Island, New Zealand. Canon EOS 5D Mk III, Canon 16-35mm, f/2.8L II, 4, f/22, ISO 50, Really Right Stuff TQC 14 tripod, BH-30 ball head

I was drawn to these remarkable patterns in the sand created by the wind along the beach at Mangawhai Heads, New Zealand. Mangawhai Heads, Northland, New Zealand. Nikon D4, Nikkor 24-70 2.8, 1/60, f/16, ISO 200, handheld

This blaze of gold, caused by extreme temperatures and a raging bushfire to the north, is an emblem of our times. There’s a stunning yet unsettling tension between the tortured sunset sky and the soothing contours of the breaking wave – the ocean mirrors our disquiet. Kirra Beach, Queensland. Canon EOS 7D, Canon 8-15mm F/4L USM Fisheye, 1/1600, f/9, ISO 320, Essex surf housing with dome port

I was driving into Lochiel through some stormy weather when I saw the light shafts forming nature at its best. I pulled off to the side of the highway to capture this image. If you look closely you can see the shape of a person in the image. Lochiel, South Australia. Nikon D800, Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8, 1/640, f/8, ISO 100, handheld

Stirling Falls is a spectacular glacier-fed waterfall that cascades 146m down the cliff face into Milford Sound, New Zealand. I loved the way the spray created intricate
spider web-like ripples across the seawater at the base. The bow of the boat nosed in so close to the falls that I had trouble preventing my lens from clouding over, but was delighted to have captured this ethereal image. Milford Sound, New Zealand. Canon EOS 400D, 18mm, 1/50, f/4, ISO 100, handheld

This perfectly still morning found us taking off at first light in a hot air balloon. Rising above the clouds to see this scene open up was surreal – one of those rare captures that most photographers dream of. Wilpena Pound looked like a bubbling cauldron, which was creating a wonderful magic potion. Wilpena Pound, Flinders Ranges, South Australia. Nikon D800, Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8, 1/320, f/5.6, ISO 400, handheld

Kah Kit Yoong, Victoria. Australia’s iconic peak captured under serendipitous conditions. On average, it rains every second day in these highlands so I was fortunate to obtain a still lake with a crystal clear reflection, a cloudless sky without the moon and the phenomenon of strong air-glow colours. Cradle Mountain, Tasmania. Canon EOS 5D Mk III, Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L II, 30, f/2.8, ISO 1600, Really Right Stuff TQC 14 tripod, BH-30 ball head