INQUISITIVE PIGFISH. RED PIGFISH BODIANUS UNIMACULATUS. Probably one of New Zealand’s most charismatic fish, the red pigfish provides stark contrast the kelp-covered reefs of the Poor Knights Islands Marine Reserve. During my visit, this species was high on my shot list, so you can imagine my surprise when this individual took a liking to its reflection in my camera housing dome port. Poor Knights Islands, New Zealand. Nikon D800, Nikon 16-35mm, 1/15, f16, ISO64, Ikelite housing & twin DS161 strobes, handheld

JELLYFISH SUNSET. UNIDENTIFIED SPECIES. Jellyfish are amongst my favourite photographic subjects, because they are so unusual, they seem to originate from another planet. Surfacing from a dive late one afternoon, I found this individual pulsating through the shallows beneath the perfect orange glow of the setting sun – the perfect vision to end the day! South Coast, New South Wales, Australia. Nikon D800, Nikon 10.5mm, 1/40, f14, ISO100, Ikelite housing & twin DS161 strobes, handheld

CAPE BARREN GEESE, CEREOPSIS NOVAEHOLLANDIE. Bird Belch, Maria Island, Tasmania. Cape Barren geese spend much of their time with their head down, picking at grasses, grazing like little avian cows. Occasionally they would lift their head and silently open their beaks – maybe a threat display, maybe to let the gas from fermenting grass in the gut escape. Nikon D800, 500mm f/4 VR, 1/1250, f/7.1, ISO 200, monopod

SOUTHERN ROYAL ALBATROSS, DIOMEDEA EPOMOPHORA. A royal in waiting,Campbell Island, New Zealand. A southern royal albatross waits patiently for its egg to hatch on Campbell Island – an uninhabited sub-Antarctic island around 700 kilometres south of New Zealand’s mainland. Breeding every two years and with only about 8,500 breeding pairs left, sadly they are now classified as vulnerable to extinction.
 Nikon d750, Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8, 1/250, f/18, ISO 500, handheld, UV filter

EASTERN GREY KANGAROO, MACROPUS GIGANTEUS. Icy looks, Cascade Trail, New South Wales. I found this female eastern grey kangaroo high in the Australian backcountry during one of the biggest storms of the season. The snow was so deep her fur was covered in ice. We both sheltered behind the snow gum, understanding that the wind was scarier than either of us.  Nikon d800e, Nikon 28-300mm f5.6, 1/500, f/8, ISO 500, 28mm, handheld

KANGAROO, MACROPUS SP. Kangaroo in Spring, Kaiserstuhl Conservation Park, South Australia. This male kangaroo in Kaiserstuhl Conservation Park was overlooking his harem ready to defend against the advances of other males. His amorous and defensive preoccupations allowed me to quietly approach and capture this shot. The late afternoon light set the scene with nice backlight, illuminating insects on the wing. Nikon D7100, Nikon 200-400, 1/640, f/4, ISO 800, handheld

EUROPEAN RED FOX, VULPES VULPES. I can see you, Greenfields Wetlands, Dry Creek, South Australia. I had been at the wetlands for some time and it appeared there was not much going on when I looked up to see this fox watching me from an embankment. It stared at me intently for a moment before looking back along the track and disappearing into the bushes. Canon EOS 7D, Canon 500mm F4L IS II, 1/1600, f/7.1, ISO 400, handheld

RED JELLYFISH, UNIDENTIFIED SPECIES. Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia. Several weeks after a major rain event in the Exmouth Gulf region there is a bloom of these red jellyfish. Beaches are carpeted with them and underwater they are everywhere. This image was captured during an event that ran for a couple of weeks in autumn 2009. Canon EOS 50D, Tokina 10-17 fisheye at 10mm, 1/250, f11, ISO 200, handheld, 2 x Inon Z240 underwater strobes, Subal C40 underwater housing

AUSTRALIAN HOBBY, FALCO LONGIPENNIS. You looking at me? Eucla, Western Australia. We so seldom get the chance to see the essence of a wild creature in just one piercing glance. A long, slow stalk in the beautiful surrounds of the Nullarbor Plain offered this opportunity, which was gratefully accepted. Nikon D600, 300mm + 1.4 teleconverter, 1/1250, f/6.3, ISO 250, handheld

THREADFIN TREVALLEY, ALECTIS CILARIS. A quizzical expression, Melbourne Aquarium, Victoria.During a family holiday I visited the Melbourne Aquarium with my five year old son. We were both fascinated by the beauty and shape of these fast moving fish. I was surprised to capture, in a fraction of a second, the almost human and quizzical face of this little fella. Canon EOS 7D, Lens EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM, 1/125, f/3.5, ISO 1000, tripod

HUMPHEAD MAORI WRASSE, CHELINUS UNDULATUS and  EASTERN CLOWN ANEMONEFISH, AMPHIPRION PERCULA. Conditions at Tracy’s Bommie were poor with visibility less than 10 metres. The two clownfish living on this coral were obscured by a lot of fish. I thought it could be an interesting shot if I swam right through them. Unexpectedly, this big Māori wrasse had the same idea. Great Barrier Reef, Queensland. Nikon D90, Tokina 10-17 f/3.5­4.5, 1/160, f/10, ISO 200, handheld, Ikelite DS161 x 2, Aquatica underwater housing

CRESTED TERN, THALASSEUS BERGI and SOUTHERN SEA GARFISH, HYPORHAMPUS MELANOCHIR. Catch of the day,Yallingup beach, Western Australia. I was at Yallingup beach to photograph the waves as they rolled in when this crested tern came careering down the beach calling loudly. As it flew over my head I realised the source of its excitement – a southern sea garfish. Canon EOS-1DX, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + Canon EF Extender 1.4X, 1/2500, f/5.6, ISO 320, handheld