Just like most family portraits, there is always one kid not looking at the camera! This beautiful brolga family had just returned to their nest to settle in for the night as the sun was going down.
Victoria, Australia
Canon EOS 1DX Mk II, EF 500 mm f4L IS +1.4x III,1/1000, f/6.3, ISO 1600
Photo Credit: David Stowe, New South Wales
Shortfin Scorpion Fish
Shortfin scorpionfish, Scorpaena brachyptera
I love these strange bottom-dwelling creatures. They are easy to find, often overlooked and have the most amazing eyes. Scorpionfish are highly dangerous ambush predators, with venomous spines along their backs. I used a directional light to highlight only the face of the fish and created the black surround by under exposing the surrounding area.
Lembeh, Manado, Indonesia
Nikon D3S, Nikon 105 mm, 1/160, f/18, ISO 400, Retra light shaping device, Ikelite 161 strobe, Seacam housing
Photo Credit: Tracey Jennings, Singapore
Standing Ground
Smooth knob-tailed gecko, Nephrurus levis occidentalis
This charismatic gecko was adamant about staying on the warm road. When encouraged to move from harms way it began stretching its body as tall as possible in this awesome display of ‘toughness’, before scurrying off the road into the bush. Good timing, as a car followed 30 seconds later.
Kalbarri National Park, Western Australia
Canon EOS 5D Mk III, Canon EF 100 mm f/2.8 macro USM, 1/160, f/32, ISO 320, Canon 580EX II with Diffuser, handheld, with small head torch
Photo Credit: Brad Leue, Western Australia
The Scratch
Western grey kangaroo, Macropus fuliginosus
I love watching young kangaroos. This little fellow, a western grey (Macropus fuliginosus), was having a scratch seemingly unconcerned by my presence. The back light captures the fur and dust as it floats off into the muted colours of the Wandoo bushland.
Julimar, Western Australia
Canon EOS-1D X, Canon EF 500 mm f/4L IS USM, 1/800, f/5.6, ISO 1600, handheld
Photo Credit: Georgina Steytler, Western Australia
Manta birostris
Oceanic manta ray, Manta birostris
There have been fewer than 10 recorded sightings of Manta birostris on the eastern side of Australia. Little is known about them. This one was quite small with an approximately 3.5 metre wingspan. These ocean giants have been recorded up to seven metres wide, though not all adults reach this size.
Holmes Reef, Coral Sea
Canon 5D Mk II, Canon EF 8 15 mm f4L USM, 1/200, f/22, ISO 400, Seacam underwater camera housing and Seacam superdome
Photo Credit: Julia Sumerling, Queensland
Windblown Egret
Little egret, Egretta garzetta
A little egret (Egretta garzetta) in breeding plumage was feeding in a shallow section of Herdsman Lake on a windy day when he turned and the breeze ruffled his feathers.
Herdsman Lake, Perth, Western Australia
Nikon D7200, Sigma 150-600 mm Sport at 440 mm, 1/1000, f/6.3, ISO 100, monopod
Photo Credit: Jennie Stock, Western Australia
Quiet Contemplation
Eastern Dwarf Tree Frog, Litoria fallax
One of the bonuses of visiting my mainland home is its proximity to the local wetland area. It’s a wonderful frog and bird habitat and occasionally we have visitors. This Eastern Dwarf Tree Frog (Litoria fallax) was quietly contemplating life on one of my succulents.
Eagleby, Queensland
Olympus Mirrorless EM1 Mk I, Olympus 60 mm macro, 1/20, f/4.5, ISO 400, handheld
Australian pied oystercatcher, Haematopus longirostris; common pipi, Donax deltoides
This unfortunate Australian pied oystercatcher somehow picked up an unlikely hitchhiker that it just couldn’t shake, a common pipi (Donax deltoides). The other oystercatchers in the flock unsympathetically kept a safe distance fearing dreaded pipi foot contagion.
Shoalhaven Heads, New South Wales
Canon EOS 7D Mk II, Canon EF 100-400 mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM + 1.4xTC III @490 mm, 1/4000, f/10, ISO 1250, ground pod, partial metering, manual exposure, autofocus, burst mode
Photo Credit: Mathew Jones, New South Wales
First Wave
Hawksbill turtle, Eretmochelys imbricata bissa
A young and critically endangered hawksbill turtle ducks under its first wave just minutes after hatching. Its struggle will be long and tiresome and the odds of survival are sadly stacked against it. A slow shutter speed used with a flash enabled me to capture the amazing ambient light.
Lissenung Island, New Ireland, Papua New Guinea
Nikon D500, Nikkor 10.5 mm F2.8 fisheye, manual 1/25, f/22, ISO 320, two INON Z240 strobes set to ¼ power, Aquatica Digital AD500 with 4 inch glass dome port
Photo Credit: Matty Smith, New South Wales
Geometry in Nature
Little egret, Egretta garzetta
The waters at Bibra Lake are often perfectly still, mirroring anything that passes perfectly in reflection. I was hidden in the reeds, watching as this little egret hunted, slowly coming closer. I love how this image captures the geometric pattern made as one foot is lifted for the next step.
Bibra Lake, Western Australia
Nikon D800E, Nikon 80-400 mm f/4.5-5.6 AF-S, focal length 400 mm, 1/3200, f/9, ISO 400, handheld
Photo Credit: Melissa Zappelli, Western Australia
Peek a Boo
Yellow-footed antechinus, Antechinus flavipes
This mardo or yellow-footed antechinus (Antechinus flavipes) was busy running around the woodland floor. It ran up a fallen branch and into a small hollow and as I pulled up it poked its head up to check me out.
Dryandra woodland, Western Australia
Canon EOS 5D Mk III, Canon EF 100-400 mm f4.5-5.6L IS, focal length 400 mm,1/400, f/ 7.1, ISO 400, handheld, exposure bias -0.3 step
Photo Credit: Rob McLean, Western Australia
Blue Ribbon Eel
Ribbon eels, Rhinomuraena quaesita
Ribbon eels (Rhinomuraena quaesita) are a species of moray eel that are sequential hermaphrodites. Starting out male, juveniles are black with a yellow dorsal fin. Adult male eels (the subject of this photo) are bright blue with a yellow mouth and dorsal fin. Eventually they become females and turn entirely yellow.
Lembeh Strait, North East Sulawesi, Indonesia
Canon EOS 7D Mk II, Canon EF 100 mm f/2.8 Macro USM, 1/250, f/16, ISO 200, Inon Z240 strobe, handheld, backlit with a narrow beam of light produced by using a Retra Pro Light Shaping Device fitted to the strobe.
Photo Credit: Ross Gudgeon, New South Wales
The Eight Legged King
Crab spider, Diaea sp.
Spiders: the ultimate predator of the garden, the king of all insects. I came across this crab spider perched perfectly upon the mouth of the orange mokara orchid. As I looked closely, the shape of the orchid mouth appeared as its throne with its imaginary crown floating above it.
Kimbe, West New Britain, Papua New Guinea
Olympus E-PM1, 14-42 mm, 160, f/11, ISO 400, flash, handheld
Photo Credit: Tiana Reimann, Queensland
HomeTopicsWildlifeAG Nature Photographer of the Year 2017: Animal portrait shortlist
AG Nature Photographer of the Year 2017: Animal portrait shortlist
In this category, 30% of the frame had to be taken up by the animal. Creatures of the land, air and sea all feature in this stunning shortlist.
These photos will be exhibited at the South Australian Museum in Adelaide (11 August to 24 September) and the Australian Museum in Sydney (11 August to 10 December)