The Walkley Awards for Excellence in photojournalism recognise the work of photographers across a range of genres, from news and sport to portraiture and photographic essays. This exhibition showcases their work and reflects on the year in news, through the individual world views and skilled lenses of Australia’s best photographers.
The Walkley photographic awards are part of the highest accolades in Australian news reporting, the Walkley Awards for Excellence in Journalism. The Walkleys have recognised excellence across all media since 1956, when the first awards were presented in five categories. As the news industry has evolved, the Walkleys have kept pace, and the awards now comprise 30 categories.
Photojournalism requires a rare blend of skills – meticulous planning and lightning reflexes, technical mastery and aesthetic instincts, intellectual detachment and emotional intuition. This combination of objectivity and empathy allows a photographer to read a subject’s inner world and express it through their setting. A life in a landscape, a narrative in a single frame.
In selecting three finalists in each category, from more than 3000 images entered, the Walkley photography judges looked for newsworthiness, impact, creativity and technical skill. This exhibition, showcasing the 2025 finalists, encompasses a range of subjects – from politicians to everyday folk, from our backyards to the furthest corners of the globe. Such is the power of photojournalism: in a moment of stillness, each voice says, “This is my story. I am here.”
Visit The Edge at State Library to see an exhibition of the award winning images on display throughout April and May.
“These powerful photographs are the best taken over the year by Australian news photographers. The exhibition is an opportunity for Queenslanders to ponder, reflect on and enjoy images that highlight a year in Australia and beyond.”
Photojournalism requires a rare blend of skills – meticulous planning and lightning reflexes, technical mastery and aesthetic instincts, intellectual detachment and emotional intuition. This combination of objectivity and empathy allows a photographer to read a subject’s inner world and express it through their setting. A life in a landscape, a narrative in a single frame.
In selecting three finalists in each category, from more than 3000 images entered, the Walkley photography judges looked for newsworthiness, impact, creativity and technical skill. The upcoming exhibition, showcasing the 2025 finalists, encompasses a range of subjects – from politicians to everyday folk, from our backyards to the furthest corners of the globe. Such is the power of photojournalism: in a moment of stillness, each voice says, “This is my story. I am here.”
State Librarian and CEO Vicki McDonald AM FALIA said State Library was the perfect place for audiences to experience the Nikon-Walkley Press Photography Exhibition;
“News photographers are powerful storytellers who capture defining moments in our history and document humanity in ways that often transcend the written word. Our extraordinary collections also hold a vast number of historic and contemporary photographs that capture the imagination and are free for everyone to access and enjoy.”
Prizes
NIKON PHOTO OF THE YEAR PRIZE
WINNER
Martin Keep, Agence France-Presse, ‘Erin Patterson’
The Nikon Photo of the Year is chosen from all the images entered in the Walkley photographic categories. The 2025 prize-winning shot by Martin Keep, ‘Erin Patterson’, is part of a series entered in the News Photographycategory. These images were taken in May 2025 when Erin Patterson arrived in a prison transport vehicle at Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court in Morwell, Victoria, but were not released until after her convictions for the murder of three relatives and the attempted murder of another. This unique series was sold around the world within minutes.
The judges recognised the photographer’s perseverance and resourcefulness in setting up a custom-built camera rig to get as much light as possible into the window of the dark, moving, prison transport vehicle, an extremely hard-to-shoot location. He then waited outside the court for his moment over a number of days. Significant thought and preparation went into achieving this series of shots.
Martin Keep is a Melbourne-based freelancer who covers news and sport for Agence France-Presse.
This picture shows Erin Patterson arriving in the back of a prison transport vehicle at Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court in Morwell, Victoria, on May 12 2025. The keen home cook had hosted an intimate meal in July 2023 that started with good-natured banter and earnest prayer – but ended with three guests dead. On July 7, at the climax of a Supreme Court trial watched around the world, a jury found her guilty of murdering her husband’s parents and aunt by lacing their Beef Wellington lunch with toxic mushrooms, and of the attempted murder of another relative.
NIKON PORTRAIT PRIZE
WINNER
Carly Earl, The Guardian, ‘Riley on the Roma Southern Road’
The story of drovers in the Australian outback has an obvious visual pull, with sweeping landscapes, beautiful sunsets and great light. What you don’t see is the extreme conditions they face every day and the challenges the photographer overcomes just to keep up with them.
Many isolated jobs draw characters who seek a solitary existence, and it took time for Carly Earl to gain the drovers’ trust. Only then could she shoot freely without having them actively avoid her. The riders are often in direct sun for eight hours a day with little respite. They eat, drink and work on the move, so the only times they could be photographed standing still were at 5am, when they were saddling up, or at dusk, when they were packing down.
Using photography as a vehicle for beautiful rural stories is rare, mostly because of the difficulties of access and the costs involved. Yet the narratives that come from the rural outback are a reminder of a way of life that contrasts starkly with that of the majority of Australia’s population. The judges said this was a beautifully framed shot with a real depth of field. ‘The many layers of this striking image really tell a story.’
Carly Earl, a picture editor and senior photojournalist with The Guardian Australia, is known for creating striking portraits and documenting the stories of the ‘voiceless’ in an ever-changing media landscape.
The story of drovers in the Australian outback has an obvious visual pull, with sweeping landscapes, beautiful sunsets and great light. What you don’t see is the extreme conditions they face every day and the challenges the photographer overcomes just to keep up with them. Many isolated jobs draw characters who seek a solitary existence, and it took time for Carly Earl to gain the drovers’ trust. Only then could she shoot freely without having them actively avoid her. The riders are often in direct sun for eight hours a day with little respite. They eat, drink and work on the move, so the only times they could be photographed standing still were at 5am, when they were saddling up, or at dusk, when they were packing down.
NIKON-WALKLEY PRESS PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR
FINALIST
Jason Edwards, Herald Sun, ‘Moments’
From a freezing Shepparton riverbank to the crowded streets of Dhaka, Bangladesh, Jason Edwards’ work this year captured people, politics and sport. Whether in the heat of victory, the rawness of loss, or the unguarded slip of a political leader, Jason Edwards’ aim is the same: to be ready for the split-second that tells the story.
This mission is exemplified by both his long wait outside Hobart’s Risdon Prison, from sunrise to sunset, for the fleeting moment convicted mass murderer Martin Bryant showed his face, and by his fast reflexes in capturing the unscripted moment when Prime Minister Anthony Albanese misjudged the side of a stage.
The judges commended the photographer on the breadth of this portfolio of strong images and his dedication to his craft. Jason Edwards has been a staff photographer at the Herald Sun and News Corp since 2008. He works in both stills and video and has won numerous state and national awards.
Convicted mass murderer Martin Bryant, who shot and killed 35 people and injured 23 others in the Port Arthur massacre on 28–29 April 1996, is seen at Risdon Prison in Hobart.
FINALIST
Christopher Hopkins, Freelance - Al Jazeera/ The Age/ The Guardian ‘2024-25 Folio’
In an increasingly competitive climate for freelance photojournalists, Christopher Hopkins’ year in pictures is distinguished by the variety he produced in both commissioned and pitched assignments. The folio covers portraiture, news, sport and feature reportage with an aesthetic sensibility, while ensuring the focus remains on the subject and the issue at hand.
The subjects – Palestine victims, Indigenous welfare, the public housing crisis, NDIS failures – portray with compelling intimacy some of the major issues reported in Australia’s media over the year.
The judges commented on the photographer’s real understanding of light. ‘He uses light and framing to capture the emotion of the stories he is telling in his painterly photos. He is a powerful storyteller who uses beauty and an artistic approach to his assignments, whether shot in colour or in black and white.’
Christopher Hopkins works as a freelance photojournalist, dividing his time between long-term project work and commissioned assignments for major media outlets such as The Guardian, Al Jazeera, and The Age.
Taungurung man Uncle Larry Walsh is an Indigenous elder who, like many others, received a criminal conviction as a child for the ‘crime’ of being stolen from his own mother. He has campaigned to have these convictions wiped from the records of Stolen Generations people in Victoria, becoming a leading advocate for justice for thousands of Aboriginal people.
FINALIST
Steven Siewert, The Sydney Morning Herald, ‘2425’
Steven Siewert is an allrounder, as shown by his diverse portfolio, which includes a chariot festival, fashion, the arts, and tunnelling for the Sydney Metro. As a photographer for a daily newspaper, he aims to cover each assignment in a different and, where possible, unique way.
The judges said the photographer demonstrates strong technical skills and has the ability to make something out of nothing. ‘The memorable but technically challenging tunnel portrait, caught in just five minutes in very limited light, showed real resourcefulness as he was shooting from behind a barricade and had to borrow a torch to cast light, as well as the headlamp of the worker, to illuminate the face and the reflection in the pool of water. The resulting image is crisp and tells a story.’
Steven Siewert has long been telling stories about Sydney and Australia through the eyes of its people as an editorial and documentary photographer. A photographer for The Sydney Morning Herald, he is a nine-time Walkley finalist, the winner of the photo essay category and a two-time winner of the Nikon Portrait Prize.
Scott Howard, tunnel foreman for construction giant John Holland, is the face of a virtual army of 10,000 underground construction workers building Sydney’s new Metro rail link.
FEATURE/PHOTOGRAPHIC ESSAY
FINALIST
Flavio Brancaleone, The Sydney Morning Herald, AAP, ‘Between Two Popes’
The death of a Pope is one of the rare occasions when faith intersects sharply with global politics. Pope Francis, an advocate for the poor, the planet, and peace, passed away on April 21, 2025. Rome filled with mourners overnight.
Flavio Brancaleone was visiting family in Rome at the time. He called The Sydney Morning Herald immediately and secured accreditation by morning, yet every step inside the Vatican required negotiation, patience, and persistence as hundreds of international journalists battled for access and sightlines.
These images bring the story full circle, from global loss to new leadership, a chapter closed and another opened. The judges said that, as the photographer didn’t have excellent access, he used a lot of initiative to achieve his objectives. This included standing in line with his mother at 1.30am to take three quick frames of the late Pope’s body before he had to move on. ‘Brancaleone showed dedication, perseverance and legwork in getting a strong series of images of a major moment in history.’
Flavio Brancaleone is an Italian photographer based in Sydney. He documents unfolding events with a focus on human connection, public life, and social impact. His work appears regularly in major Australian media and reflects a commitment to honest, narrative-driven storytelling.
A Vatican gendarme stands before the body of Pope Francis as it lies in state in St Peter’s Basilica.
FINALIST
Christopher Hopkins, Al Jazeera ‘They Teach Us To Sing’
Uganda is one of a handful of countries in sub-Saharan Africa recognised for its economic growth and stability. Yet an estimated six million of its citizens who are living with psychosocial or intellectual disability are being let down by systemic deficiencies, ranging from government policy failures to societal taboos.
There is a broad lack of awareness of cognitive and developmental disabilities, which barely feature in government health programming. This means education and support around disability is left to local, community-based organisations. Children living with disability in Uganda are seen as a burden, or even ‘cursed’.
Christopher Hopkins has been dedicated to this story since 2014. Repeated visits over the decade have allowed him to build a network of community health workers, fixers, advocates, government officials and health industry experts. This trust has gained him unprecedented access to those living with disability, often in conditions where they endure ongoing abuse.
With his most recent images, published by Al Jazeera in June 2025 across its global network, Hopkins has used his broad network of contacts to construct an intimate, intense and moving picture essay, ethically and with all permissions granted. The care he exercised is evident in how he provides his subjects with respect and dignity when they are at their most vulnerable. Albeit slowly, the international publicity that Hopkins’ work is generating is leading to positive change ranging from legal amendments to significant donations for those living with disability in Uganda.
The judges appreciated this continuation of the photographer’s project. They said a strong understanding of light and framing and the choice of black and white allow this series to capture the emotion of the story with sensitivity and a painterly aesthetic. ‘Using shadows, reflections and creativity, these very beautiful images offer the subjects respect and dignity.’
Christopher Hopkins works as a freelance photojournalist, dividing his time between long-term project work and commissioned assignments for major media outlets such as The Guardian, Al Jazeera, and The Age.
Thirteen-year-old Jesca* is comforted by her mother Ruth* in the bedroom they share with Jesca’s sister Mariam*. Jesca and Mariam both live with undiagnosed intellectual disabilities.
*Names changed for security reasons.
FINALIST
Julian Kingma, New South Publishing, ‘The Power of Choice’
Nigel Taimanu chose to die using Queensland’s voluntary assisted dying law a day after his 53rd birthday. The squamous cell carcinoma in his neck was getting so big it was breaking through the skin. It was also growing in his chest and eventually it was going to close off his oesophagus, so that he wouldn’t be able to swallow or eat. Determined to take control, Taimanu said, ‘I don’t want to die that way and I don’t want my partner Kath or my friends to watch me die that way either.’ Julian Kingma had become good friends with Nigel and Kath over several months, but he was still shocked when they asked him to be there to take photos on the final day.
Kingma said he was ‘blown away by the courage, humour and generosity’ he witnessed that day. Generosity because Nigel and Kath were adamant that Nigel’s story be told to demystify voluntary assisted dying, which is now legal in most states and territories.
The judges said this photo essay treated a difficult subject with grace and respect and the result was intimate and dignified. ‘The photographer achieved the task of capturing the day by removing himself from the emotion, becoming a fly on the wall while he was in close proximity to the subject’s death and his family.’
Julian Kingma is an award-winning photographer whose work is regularly exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra. Many of his works feature in the gallery’s permanent collection.
Nigel Taimanu, 53, with his partner Kath Keogh. ‘We know the next stage of this disease will be horrendous.’
NEWS PHOTOGRAPHY
FINALIST
Alex Coppel, Herald Sun, ‘Tony Mokbel Walks Free’
One of Tony Mokbel’s commitments when he was in prison was that if ever he were released he would visit his mother’s grave on his first day of freedom. Having missed her funeral during his incarceration, the convicted drug trafficker didn’t take long to get to her grave. Journalist Anthony Dowsley and Alex Coppel searched Fawkner cemetery for Lora Mokbel’s grave the day before her son’s potential release, scoping out the best position to get some exclusive images.
The next morning, Alex Coppel decided not to join the press pack and fight for the same picture angle, instead choosing to reveal the atmospheric backdrop of the waiting media. When Mokbel entered a car at the edge of the footpath, Coppel put a flash on his camera, held his hands up against the glass to ward off the reflections and fired into the car. No one else was in position to gain a shot from this angle.
The judges said that the photographer’s decision to stand on the opposite side of the car at the court was strategic and effective. They also praised the research that delivered an exclusive photo, from a concealed location, at the cemetery.
Alex Coppel has developed his wide-ranging skills as a press photographer over a 25-year career covering major breaking news events including tsunamis, natural disasters, countless bushfires, and three Olympic Games. He is currently freelancing.
Tony Mokbel appears relieved as he escapes the media frenzy into the back of a luxury car outside court on April 4 2025.
FINALIST
Jake Nowakowski, Herald Sun, The Austrslian, The Courier-Mail, news.com.au, ‘Land Forces’
Thousands of protesters gathered outside Melbourne’s Convention and Exhibition Centre to rally against the biennial Land Forces International Land Defence Exposition in September 2024.
Tensions escalated when protesters began taunting officers by throwing rocks, horse manure, an unidentified acidic liquid and other projectiles. Police responded with force, deploying the mounted branch, the riot squad, and a unit of NSW Police tasked with arresting specific agitators. Jake Nowakowski remained within the developing skirmish, documenting the chaos with a wide-angle lens and doing his best to stay close to the action.
During the protest, Nowakowski was crushed against a bollard and tear-gassed, but recovered and continued to document the events until police cleared the bridge. He said the Land Forces protest was one of the most dynamic demonstrations he has ever covered – exciting, dangerous, and deeply fulfilling to shoot.
The judges said this was the strongest of three very strong entries from the large protest. They noted that the photographer was fully immersed in the protest, taking risks in the thick of the action. ‘There are no weak shots in his portfolio.’
Jake Nowakowski, a Polish-born, Australian-raised photographer, is an award-winning professional with more than 20 years of experience in the news industry. For the past 14 years, he has served as a staff photographer at the Herald Sun newspaper in Melbourne.
NSW Police apprehend a protester at South Wharf. Anti-war activists protest the Land Forces 2024 International Land Defence Exposition at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.
FINALIST
Martin Keep, Agence France-Presse, ‘Erin Patterson'
These images form part of a series of seven frames thatcapture convicted murderer Erin Patterson in a rare unguarded moment during her trial. In the perfect meeting of planning and opportunity, Martin Keep used a custom-built camera rig to get as much light as possible into the miniscule windows oft he prison transport vehicle that carried Patterson in and out of the Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court every Monday morning and Friday afternoon.
These were the only pictures of Patterson captured over the course of the 10-week trial, even though a number of dedicated photographers went to impressive lengths in their attempts to get the shot. When the verdict was handed down on July 8, these images went around the world within seconds, offering an extremely rare look directly into the eyes of the now convicted triple-murderer.The judges recognised the photographer’s perseverance and resourcefulness in setting up a custom-built camera rig to get as much light as possible into the dark, moving prison van, an extremely hard-to-shoot location. He then waited for his moment over a number of days. ‘Significant thought and preparation went into achieving this series of shots.
’Martin Keep is a Melbourne-based freelancer, covering news and sport for Agence France-Presse.
Erin Patterson arriving in the back of a prison transport vehicle at Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court in Morwell, Victoria, on May 12, 2025.
SPORT PHOTOGRAPHY
FINALIST
Quinn Rooney, Getty Images, ‘Beauty in Sport’
Five images in ‘Beauty in Sport’ depict the raw emotion, competitive intensity and dedication of athletes performing at their peak. Rooney’s creativity is on show in a shot of a diver, photographed through an out-of-focus yellow sign to encircle and highlight the diver’s performance. And as for raw passion, it is hard to go past the energy and elation on every Matilda’s face as they celebrate their penalty shoot-out victory against France. This shot won the 2023 Nikon Prize for Photo of the Year.
Quinn Rooney said, “At times, the beauty in an image is easy to see in the athlete’s raw passion or athleticism. At others, the image needs to be complemented by skilful use of the surroundings to convey the story to the viewer.”
The judges said, “Quinn Rooney has got such a variety of sports, and he's picked all the right moments with brilliant composition. The soccer players are entangled like a puzzle, you're trying to work out who owns the limbs. And the shape of the Matildas celebration picture is wonderful. They've all got their eyes open and there is this flow to the image. Even with swimmer Sam Short, the messiness is what makes it – the way he’s splashed the water in celebration has framed his face.”
Quinn Rooney is an Australia-based staff photographer with Getty Images. His passion for sports photography has led him to travel the world covering major sporting events including Olympic Games, FIFA World Cups, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and World Swimming Championships.
Melvin Imoudu of Team Germany competes in the Men’s 100m Breaststroke Heats on day 17 of the Singapore 2025 World Aquatics Championships at the World Aquatics Championships Arena in Singapore on July 27, 2025.
FINALIST
David Gray, AFP, ‘Sporting Moments’
David Gray’s entry in the sports photography categoryshowcases his ability to obtain maximum visual effect through timing and positioning. Photographing the surfer at Bondi Beach was about getting into the right spot, being patient, and finally capturing the moment he rode a gigantic wave for no more than 3 seconds. The picture of tennis player Ben Shelton, serving on Rod Laver Arena out of the shadows and into bright sunshine, involved knowing where to stand for that exact moment when the sun created a dramatic effect. And recording Australian tennis player Jordan Thompson hitting a return required precise timing to capture the unusual shape that a tennis ball takes when it is hit with such force.
The tackle by Australia’s Len Ikitau on British and Irish Lions’ player Sione Tuipulotu was extremely fast-moving. Capturing the Ukrainian diver as she seemed to hang above the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House involved timing and, more importantly, positioning in a spot that would showcase both the diver and the spectacular background. The judges commended the photographer on his broad range of artistic shots, showing different angles and ideas and strong long lens work. ‘Every frame was a standalone and you could hold a major story with every picture.’
David Gray began his career at The Australian newspaper in 1989. He joined Reuters News Agency in 1995 and moved to China in 2007. He has covered 11 Olympic Games, 28 Australian Open tennis tournaments, and numerous World Cups. In July 2023, he joined the AFP news agency in Sydney.
A surfer rides a huge wave at Bondi Beach in Sydney as large swells and high winds hit the east coast of Australia on April 1, 2025.
FINALIST
Robert Cianflone, Getty Images, ‘Decisions, Decisions'
Robert Cianflone says that, as a photographer, he always wrestles with lens choice and position at the venue. ‘It’s, where should I sit, where is the best light and background or, if it’s a racetrack, which corner should I choose?
This portfolio demonstrates the results of these choices: at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, at a World Qualifier match between the Socceroos and Japan, at a test match between Australia and India as late afternoon light cast shadows across the pitch, and on the finish line at Flemington Racecourse using a remote set-up. In a cricket match, the decision to focus on the batsman at the last minute, as the bowler ran into focus, captured the moment he was bowled out.
The judges commented on the variety of action shots, taken from very different vantage points. ‘The cricket shot captured all the elements including the ball, the lights on the wickets. The racing shot, the flying turf.’
Robert Cianflone has been a staff photographer with Getty Images for 27 years and his passion for covering sporting events is second to none. In that time he has covered events locally and across the globe, including Winter and Summer Olympics and numerous FIFA World Cup tournaments.
Sam Harper of the Stars is bowled by Nathan McAndrew of the Thunder during the Big Bash League’s Knockout match between Melbourne Stars and Sydney Thunder at ENGIE Stadium in Sydney on January 22, 2025.
Visit The Edge at State Library to see an exhibition of the award winning images on display throughout April and May.
Comments
Your email address will not be published.
We welcome relevant, respectful comments.