Young photographers eye the environment in photography competition

This superb fairy-wren photograph won the flora and fauna category in the National Parks Association of the ACT’s 2020 Environmental Photography Competition. Photo: Lachlan Read.

Canberra’s keen-eyed young photographers have put their focus into the ACT’s wild and threatened places through the lens of the National Parks Association of the ACT’s 2020 Environmental Photography Competition.

As part of its 60th anniversary celebrations, the National Parks Association of the ACT (NPA ACT), in partnership with ACT Natural Resource Management, Icon Water and PhotoAccess, invited amateur photographers aged between 15 and 35 to submit digital images highlighting features of the natural environment in the Canberra region.

While presenting the awards, NPA ACT president Esther Gallant said the territory’s young photographers responded wonderfully to the competition.

“We’re delighted by the depth of talent and the number of outstanding entries that capture the uniqueness and beauty of the natural environment of our region,” she said.

The winners of the National Parks Association of the ACT’s 2020 Environmental Photography Competition. Photo: Supplied.

Around 200 submissions to the competition were received from about 80 entrants. Judges included visual artist Sammy Hawker, professional photographer Glenn Martin, PhotoAccess director Kirsten Werner and ecologist and photographer David Wong.

ACT Minister for the Environment and Heritage Mick Gentleman, ACT Minister for Climate Change and Sustainability Shane Rattenbury, ACT Shadow Minister for the Environment Elizabeth Lee and executives from Icon Water and ACT Natural Resource Management presented the awards at the Canberra Southern Cross Club in Woden on 9 October.

The judges said photographers had to focus on the additional challenges of capturing an environment that has been decimated by bushfires and the subsequent closure of many of the ACT’s most exciting and best loved natural places, including Namadgi National Park.

Submissions included a variety of high-quality images from the beauty of wild and threatened places, drawing attention to local plants and animals while documenting the importance of water.

The judges commented that all images inspired people to appreciate, care for and spend time in our national parks and nature reserves.

Winning images included a stunning snow gum, Peron’s tree frogs, a superb fairy-wren, a murder of crows and a lunar landscape of trees.

The winning images are being shown electronically throughout October on the screens in the foyer of the Canberra Museum & Gallery, and an exhibition is planned at the Namadgi Visitor Centre.

This image of Peron's tree frogs won the close-up section in the box-gum woodlands of the ACT category. Photo: Lora Starrs.

Lunar skeleton trees won the big picture section in the box-gum woodlands of the ACT category. Photo: Ritchie Southern.

This snow gum on the Scabby Range won the landscapes category. Photo: Stefasn de Montis.

A murder of crows won the conserving our water supply category. Photo: Joel Davis.

Original Article published by Michael Weaver on The RiotACT.